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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 11.55

Pure devotion and personal realization

मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भ‍क्त: सङ्गवर्जित: ।

निर्वैर: सर्वभूतेषु य: स मामेति पाण्डव ॥ ५५ ॥

mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo

mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ

nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu

yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava

Translation

My dear Arjuna, he who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation, he who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being – he certainly comes to Me.

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.

Pure Service to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa promises that those who serve Him purely, work for Him, make Him their highest goal, and are friendly to every living being come to Him, free from selfish work and mental speculation.
  2. 2Prabhupāda calls this verse the essence of Bhagavad-gītā. Devotional service leads us back to Kṛṣṇa and our eternal relationship with Him.
  3. 3Use what you have to serve Kṛṣṇa. You can offer a flower or a little water, or help clean His temple.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 11, The Universal Form: pure devotion and personal realization.

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 11.55 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.

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

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