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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Krishna’s natureChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.4911.51

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.50

Krishna restores His gentle personal form

सञ्जय उवाच

इत्यर्जुनं वासुदेवस्तथोक्त्वा

स्वकं रूपं दर्शयामास भूय: ।

आश्वासयामास च भीतमेनं

भूत्वा पुन: सौम्यवपुर्महात्मा ॥ ५० ॥

sañjaya uvāca

ity arjunaṁ vāsudevas tathoktvā

svakaṁ rūpaṁ darśayām āsa bhūyaḥ

āśvāsayām āsa ca bhītam enaṁ

bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā

Translation

Sañjaya said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna.

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 Beautiful Form

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa showed His four-armed form and then His two-armed form, comforting the fearful Arjuna.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa’s form is the most beautiful, and Kṛṣṇa removed His devotee Arjuna’s fear.
  3. 3Cultivate love for Kṛṣṇa: only eyes filled with love can see His beautiful form.

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 11.50 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 11.48Krishna 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 11.50 — 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.