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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Bhakti & surrenderChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.4411.46

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.45

Arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refuge

अदृष्टपूर्वं हृषितोऽस्मि दृष्ट्वा

भयेन च प्रव्यथितं मनो मे ।

तदेव मे दर्शय देव रूपं

प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥ ४५ ॥

adṛṣṭa-pūrvaṁ hṛṣito ’smi dṛṣṭvā

bhayena ca pravyathitaṁ mano me

tad eva me darśaya deva rūpaṁ

prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa

Translation

After seeing this universal form, which I have never seen before, I am gladdened, but at the same time my mind is disturbed with fear. Therefore please bestow Your grace upon me and reveal again Your form as the Personality of Godhead, O Lord of lords, O abode of the universe.

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.

Arjuna’s Joy and Fear

  1. 1Seeing the universal form, Arjuna feels joy and fear. He asks the Lord for grace and to show His personal form again.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Arjuna fears he has offended Kṛṣṇa through close friendship, though he has no reason to fear.
  3. 3Arjuna asks to see Kṛṣṇa’s four-handed Nārāyaṇa form, which is spiritual, unlike the temporary, material universal form.

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 11.45 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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The story behind it

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

All stories for chapter 11 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 11.35Arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refugeBG 11.36Arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refugeBG 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 11.45 — 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.