Bhagavad Gita · 11.18 · Yoga through Beholding the Cosmic Form of God·18 of 55
त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्।त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे ॥
tvam akṣharaṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ tvam asya viśhvasya paraṁ nidhānam
tvam avyayaḥ śhāśhvata-dharma-goptā sanātanas tvaṁ puruṣho mato me
Sanskrit recitation
The vision that undoes the ego · 11.9–11.34 · Scene
Translation
You are the Imperishable, the Supreme Being, worthy of being known. You are the great treasure-house of this universe; You are the imperishable protector of the eternal Dharma; You are the Primal Person, I believe.
Meaning
VisvasyaNidhaanam Treasurehouse of this universe, also means abode or refuge or the substratum of this universe. It is because of this that all the beings in the universe are preserved and protected. He is the inexhaustibel source to Whom the devotee turns at all times. Deluded indeed are they that ignore this divine treasurehouse and runa fter the shadow of the objects of the senses which do not contain even an iota of pleasure.Veditavyam To be known by the aspirants or seekrs of liberation, through Sravana (hearing of the scriptures), Manana (reflection) and Nididhyasana (meditation).Avyayah means inexhaustible, unchanging, undying.
After Swami Sivananda
The vision that undoes the ego· 11.9–11.34→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 11.9Sanjaya said, Having thus spoken, O king, the great Lord of Yoga, Hari (Krishna), showed Arjuna His supreme form as the Lord.
- 11.10With numerous mouths and eyes, with numerous wondrous sights, with numerous divine adornments, with numerous divine weapons uplifted, such a form He showed.
- 11.11Wearing divine garlands and apparel, anointed with divine unguents, the all-wonderful, resplendent Being is endless with faces on all sides.
- 11.12If the splendour of a thousand suns were to blaze out simultaneously in the sky, that would be the splendour of that mighty being.
- 11.13There, in the body of the God of gods, Arjuna then saw the entire universe resting in one, with its myriad of divisions.
- 11.14Then, Arjuna, filled with wonder and his hair standing on end, bowed his head to the God and spoke with palms joined.
- 11.15Arjuna said, "O God, I see all the gods in Your body, as well as hosts of various classes of beings, Brahma the Lord seated on the lotus, all the sages, and the celestial serpents."
- 11.16I see You with boundless form on every side, with many arms, stomachs, mouths, and eyes; neither the end nor the middle nor the beginning do I see, O Lord of the Universe, O Cosmic Form.
- 11.17I see You with the diadem, club, and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere, very hard to look at, blazing all around like a burning fire and the sun, and immeasurable.
11.18You are the Imperishable, the Supreme Being, worthy of being known. You are the great treasure-house of this universe; You are the imperishable protector of the eternal Dharma; You are the Primal Person, I believe.
- 11.19I see You without beginning, middle, or end, infinite in power, with endless arms, the sun and moon as Your eyes, the burning fire Your mouth, heating the entire universe with Your radiance.
- 11.20This space between the earth and the heavens, and all the quarters, is filled by You alone; having seen this, Your wonderful and terrible form, the three worlds are trembling with fear, O great-souled Being.
- 11.21Verily, these hosts of gods enter into Thee; some extol Thee with joined palms in fear, saying, 'May it be well!' Bands of great sages and perfected ones praise Thee with complete hymns.
- 11.22The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Visvedevas, the two Asvins, Maruts, the Manus, and the hosts of celestial singers, Yakshas, demons, and the perfected ones, all look upon Thee with great amazement.
- 11.23Having seen Your immeasurable form with many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed one, with many arms, thighs, and feet, with many stomachs and fearsome with many teeth, the worlds are terrified, and so am I.
- 11.24On seeing Thee, touching the sky, shining in many colors, with mouths wide open, with large fiery eyes, I am terrified at heart and find neither courage nor peace, O Vishnu.
- 11.25Having seen Thy mouths fearful with teeth blazing like the fires of cosmic dissolution, I know not the four quarters, nor do I find peace. Have mercy, O Lord of the gods, O abode of the universe.
- 11.26All the sons of Dhritarashtra, along with the hosts of kings of the earth, Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, as well as the chief among our warriors.
- 11.27Some hurry into Your mouths with their terrible teeth, fearful to behold. Some are found stuck in the gaps between the teeth, their heads crushed to powder.
- 11.28Verily, just as many torrents of rivers flow towards the ocean, so too these heroes in the world of men enter Thy flaming mouths.
- 11.29As moths hurriedly rush into a blazing fire, leading to their own destruction, so too these creatures hurry into Your mouths, leading to their own destruction.
- 11.30Thou lickest up, devouring all the worlds on every side with Thy flaming mouths. Thy fierce rays, filling the whole world with radiance, burn, O Vishnu!
- 11.31Tell me, who you are, so fierce of form. I offer my salutations to you, O God Supreme; have mercy on me. I desire to know you, the original Being. I do not indeed know your workings.
- 11.32The Blessed Lord said, "I am the full-grown, world-destroying Time, now engaged in destroying the worlds. Even without you, none of the warriors arrayed in the hostile armies will live."
- 11.33Therefore, stand up and obtain fame. Conquer the enemies and enjoy the unparalleled kingdom. Verily, by Me they have already been slain; be thou a mere instrument, O Arjuna.
- 11.34Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna, and other brave warriors have already been slain by Me; do not be distressed with fear; fight and you shall conquer your enemies in battle.
Word-by-word→
- tvam
- you
- akṣharam
- the imperishable
- paramam
- the supreme being
- veditavyam
- worthy of being known
- asya
- of this
- viśhwasya
- of the creation
- param
- supreme
- nidhānam
- support
- avyayaḥ
- eternal
- śhāśhvata-dharma-goptā
- protector of the eternal religion
- sanātanaḥ
- everlasting
- puruṣhaḥ
- the Supreme Divine Person
- mataḥ me
- my opinion
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