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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Krishna’s natureChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.3211.34

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.33

Become an instrument

तस्मात्त्वमुत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्व

जित्वा शत्रून्भुंक्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम् ।

मयैवैते निहता: पूर्वमेव

निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन् ॥ ३३ ॥

tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva

jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham

mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva

nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin

Translation

Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasācī, can be but an instrument in the fight.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Be the Lord’s Instrument

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna to rise and fight as His instrument: the enemies are already killed by His arrangement.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that the world follows the Lord’s plan, giving conditioned souls a chance to return to Godhead.
  3. 3Cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devote your life to serving the Lord; this is perfection.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 11, The Universal Form: krishna as time and the divine plan.

What it teaches

Study note

The universal vision is translated into an imperative for action.

How it feels

Interpretive

Courage through dependence

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where am I over-identifying as the independent doer?

Practice

Perform an appropriate duty in the mood of service, without claiming ultimate control.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 11 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 11.32Krishna reveals Himself as timeBG 11.34Krishna as Time and the divine planBG 18.78Sañjaya’s concluding certainty

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

Ask the study guide

Ask about BG 11.33 — 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.