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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Krishna’s natureChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.5011.52

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.51

Composure returns in Krishna’s personal presence

अर्जुन उवाच

दृष्ट्वेदं मानुषं रूपं तव सौम्यं जनार्दन ।

इदानीमस्मि संवृत्त: सचेता: प्रकृतिं गत: ॥ ५१ ॥

arjuna uvāca

dṛṣṭvedaṁ mānuṣaṁ rūpaṁ

tava saumyaṁ janārdana

idānīm asmi saṁvṛttaḥ

sa-cetāḥ prakṛtiṁ gataḥ

Translation

When Arjuna thus saw Kṛṣṇa in His original form, he said: O Janārdana, seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, I am now composed in mind, and I am restored to my original nature.

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 Original Form

  1. 1Seeing Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful humanlike form, Arjuna becomes calm and returns to his original nature.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, originally has two hands and is not an ordinary person.
  3. 3Avoid misleading explanations that treat Kṛṣṇa as ordinary; recognize His divine nature.

Where we are

In the story

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

What it teaches

Study note

The dramatic revelation resolves in a restored personal relationship.

How it feels

Interpretive

Relief and intimacy

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Universal form

Arjuna regains composure upon seeing Krishna’s personal form.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where do I seek spiritual shelter amid overwhelming experiences?

Practice

Read this verse together with the universal-form passages and reflect on personal devotion.

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 11.8A vision requiring divine eyesBG 11.32Krishna reveals Himself as timeBG 11.54Pure devotion and personal realizationBG 12.2Krishna describes devotional practice and progression

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

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Ask about BG 11.51 — 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.