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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Bhakti & surrenderChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.1811.20

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.19

Arjuna prays in astonishment and reverence

अनादिमध्यान्तमनन्तवीर्य-

मनन्तबाहुं शशिसूर्यनेत्रम् ।

पश्यामि त्वां दीप्‍तहुताशवक्‍त्रं

स्वतेजसा विश्वमिदं तपन्तम् ॥ १९ ॥

anādi-madhyāntam ananta-vīryam

ananta-bāhuṁ śaśi-sūrya-netram

paśyāmi tvāṁ dīpta-hutāśa-vaktraṁ

sva-tejasā viśvam idaṁ tapantam

Translation

You are without origin, middle or end. Your glory is unlimited. You have numberless arms, and the sun and moon are Your eyes. I see You with blazing fire coming forth from Your mouth, burning this entire universe by Your own radiance.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Kṛṣṇa’s Unlimited Glory

  1. 1You have no beginning, middle or end. Your arms are numberless, the sun and moon are Your eyes, and Your radiance burns the universe.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Lord’s six opulences are unlimited. Repeating Kṛṣṇa’s glories is not a literary weakness.
  3. 3Do not see repetition of Kṛṣṇa’s glories as a flaw; it can express bewilderment, wonder or great ecstasy.

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.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhakti, śaraṇāgati.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 11.19 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?

Practice

Offer one act today with devotion.

4

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 11.14Arjuna prays in astonishment and reverenceBG 11.15Arjuna prays in astonishment and reverenceBG 3.30Offer every action to KrishnaBG 6.47The highest yogi is devoted

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

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Ask about BG 11.19 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.