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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Bhakti & surrenderChapter 11 · The Universal Form

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.16

Arjuna prays in astonishment and reverence

अनेकबाहूदरवक्‍त्रनेत्रं

पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम् ।

नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिं

पश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप ॥ १६ ॥

aneka-bāhūdara-vaktra-netraṁ

paśyāmi tvāṁ sarvato ’nanta-rūpam

nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punas tavādiṁ

paśyāmi viśveśvara viśva-rūpa

Translation

O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see in Your body many, many arms, bellies, mouths and eyes, expanded everywhere, without limit. I see in You no end, no middle and no beginning.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Kṛṣṇa’s Unlimited Universal Form

  1. 1The Lord’s universal form has countless arms, bellies, mouths and eyes, with no end, middle or beginning.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is unlimited, so everything could be seen through Him.
  3. 3Remember that Kṛṣṇa is unlimited as you read about His universal form.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 11, The Universal Form: arjuna prays in astonishment and reverence.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Loving service and surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhakti, śaraṇāgati.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 11.16 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?

Practice

Offer one act today with devotion.

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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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