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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Krishna’s natureChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.4711.49

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.48

Krishna restores His gentle personal form

न वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैर्न दानै-

र्न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रै: ।

एवंरूप: शक्य अहं नृलोके

द्रष्टुं त्वदन्येन कुरुप्रवीर ॥ ४८ ॥

na veda-yajñādhyayanair na dānair

na ca kriyābhir na tapobhir ugraiḥ

evaṁ-rūpaḥ śakya ahaṁ nṛ-loke

draṣṭuṁ tvad anyena kuru-pravīra

Translation

O best of the Kuru warriors, no one before you has ever seen this universal form of Mine, for neither by studying the Vedas, nor by performing sacrifices, nor by charity, nor by pious activities, nor by severe penances can I be seen in this form in the material world.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Devotion and Divine Vision

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa says no one before Arjuna had seen this universal form. Vedic study, sacrifices, charity, pious acts, and severe penances cannot reveal it.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that divine vision requires pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa, though pure devotees are not very interested in seeing the universal form.
  3. 3Follow Bhagavad-gītā’s teachings and develop devotion to Kṛṣṇa rather than accept false claims about incarnations.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 11, The Universal Form: krishna restores his gentle personal form.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Recognize Kṛṣṇa as the source of all.

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

What does BG 11.48 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?

Practice

Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.

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 11.47Krishna restores His gentle personal formBG 11.49Krishna restores His gentle personal formBG 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 11.48 — 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.