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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 11.40

Arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refuge

नम: पुरस्तादथ पृष्ठतस्ते

नमोऽस्तु ते सर्वत एव सर्व ।

अनन्तवीर्यामितविक्रमस्त्वं

सर्वं समाप्‍नोषि ततोऽसि सर्व: ॥ ४० ॥

namaḥ purastād atha pṛṣṭhatas te

namo ’stu te sarvata eva sarva

ananta-vīryāmita-vikramas tvaṁ

sarvaṁ samāpnoṣi tato ’si sarvaḥ

Translation

Obeisances to You from the front, from behind and from all sides! O unbounded power, You are the master of limitless might! You are all-pervading, and thus You are everything!

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.

Respect for Kṛṣṇa from Everywhere

  1. 1Arjuna bows to Kṛṣṇa from all sides, praising His limitless power and presence everywhere.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Arjuna offers these respects out of ecstatic love, accepting Kṛṣṇa as master of all powers.
  3. 3Offer Kṛṣṇa respect with love, recognizing His greatness.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 11, The Universal Form: arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refuge.

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 11.40 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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