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Bhagavad-gītā 11.48

न वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैर्न दानै- र्न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रै: । एवंरूप: शक्य अहं नृलोके द्रष्टुं त्वदन्येन कुरुप्रवीर ॥ ४८ ॥
na veda-yajñādhyayanair na dānair
[na veda-yajnaadhyayanair na daanair]
na ca kriyābhir na tapobhir ugraiḥ
[na cha kriyaabhir na tapobhir ugraih]
evaṁ-rūpaḥ śakya ahaṁ nṛ-loke
[evam-roopah shakya aham nri-loke]
draṣṭuṁ tvad anyena kuru-pravīra
[drashtum tvad anyena kuru-praveera]
na — never veda - yajña — by sacrifice adhyayanaiḥ — or Vedic study na — never dānaiḥ — by charity na — never ca — also kriyābhiḥ — by pious activities na — never tapobhiḥ — by serious penances ugraiḥ — severe evam - rūpaḥ — in this form śakyaḥ — can aham — I nṛ - loke — in this material world draṣṭum — be seen tvat — than you anyena — by another kuru - pravīra — O best among the Kuru warriors .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
na veda-yajñādhyayanair na dānair
na
never
veda - yajña
by sacrifice
adhyayanaiḥ
or Vedic study
na
never
dānaiḥ
by charity
na ca kriyābhir na tapobhir ugraiḥ
na
never
ca
also
kriyābhiḥ
by pious activities
na
never
tapobhiḥ
by serious penances
ugraiḥ
severe
evaṁ-rūpaḥ śakya ahaṁ nṛ-loke
evam - rūpaḥ
in this form
śakyaḥ
can
aham
I
nṛ - loke
in this material world
draṣṭuṁ tvad anyena kuru-pravīra
draṣṭum
be seen
tvat
than you
anyena
by another
kuru - pravīra
O best among the Kuru warriors .
  • veda - yajña — Vedic sacrifice
    Compound. The two pillars of Vedic religion. Neither is sufficient for this darśana — a sharp claim against ritualism.
  • dānaiḥ — by charity
    Instrumental plural of dāna. Charity, one of the most highly praised Vedic activities, is ruled out as sufficient cause.
  • kriyābhiḥ — by rituals
    Instrumental plural of kriyā — 'ceremonial action.' The general category of religious works. Insufficient.
  • tapobhiḥ — by penances
    Instrumental plural of tapas — 'austerity.' Even severe austerity — the very means by which the great sages attained their stations — is ruled out.
  • ugraiḥ — severe
    Instrumental adjective qualifying tapas. Not just any austerity — even severe austerity does not suffice. The intensifier closes the last loophole.
  • kuru - pravīra — O best of the Kuru warriors
    Vocative compound. Kṛṣṇa addresses Arjuna by his clan's highest title precisely when telling him no warrior-quality earned this vision — the title is honored, but the giving is not on account of the title.
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.
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Kṛṣṇa enumerates the standard means of religious access — Veda-study, sacrifice, gifts, rites, severe tapas — and dismisses them all as inadequate. The viśvarūpa is not attainable by works; the next verses will name what does grant access (11.54 — bhakti).
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The negation-list (na … na … na … na …) is a stotra-style apophasis. Cross-reference 11.53 which repeats the same negations and 11.54 which delivers the affirmative: bhaktyā tv ananyayā. The structural argument of the chapter's closing arc: prasāda (47) → inaccessibility by works (48, 53) → accessibility by ananya-bhakti (54-55).
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे कुरु-प्रवीर! एवं-रूपः अहं नृ-लोके वेद-यज्ञ-अध्ययनैः न, दानैः न, क्रियाभिः न च, उग्रैः तपोभिः न — त्वत्-अन्येन द्रष्टुं शक्यः ।
he kuru-pravīra! evaṃ-rūpaḥ ahaṃ nṛ-loke veda-yajña-adhyayanaiḥ na, dānaiḥ na, kriyābhiḥ na ca, ugraiḥ tapobhiḥ na — tvat-anyena draṣṭuṃ śakyaḥ |
O foremost of the Kurus, I — in this form — am in the human world not possible to be seen by another than you, not by Vedic-sacrificial studies, not by gifts, not by rituals, not by severe austerities.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
न वेद-यज्ञ-अध्ययनैः न दानैः न च क्रियाभिः न तपोभिः उग्रैः । एवं-रूपः शक्यः अहं नृ-लोके द्रष्टुं त्वत्-अन्येन कुरु-प्रवीर ॥
na veda-yajña-adhyayanaiḥ na dānaiḥ na ca kriyābhiḥ na tapobhiḥ ugraiḥ | evaṃ-rūpaḥ śakyaḥ ahaṃ nṛ-loke draṣṭuṃ tvat-anyena kuru-pravīra ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
न na ind. (indeclinable), neg. not
वेद-यज्ञ-अध्ययनैः veda-yajña-adhyayanaiḥ वेद (m.) + यज्ञ (m.) + अध्ययन (n.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural), dvandva/tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) by Vedic-sacrificial studies
दानैः dānaiḥ दान (n.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) by gifts
क्रियाभिः kriyābhiḥ क्रिया (f.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) by ritual actions
तपोभिः tapobhiḥ तपस् (n.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) by austerities
उग्रैः ugraiḥ उग्र (adj.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)n. severe
एवं-रूपः evaṃ-rūpaḥ एवम् (ind. (indeclinable)) + रूप (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) of such a form
शक्यः śakyaḥ √शक् pot. pass. (passive) part. nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. able (to be)
अहम् aham अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
नृ-लोके nṛ-loke नृ (m.) + लोक (m.) loc.sg. (locative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) in the human world
द्रष्टुम् draṣṭum √दृश् inf. (infinitive) to see
त्वत्-अन्येन tvat-anyena त्वत् (pron. (pronoun)) + अन्य (adj.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) by another than you
कुरु-प्रवीर kuru-pravīra कुरु (m.) + प्रवीर (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) O foremost of the Kurus

The divine vision in this connection should be clearly understood. Who can have divine vision? Divine means godly. Unless one attains the status of divinity as a demigod, he cannot have divine vision. And what is a demigod? It is stated in the Vedic scriptures that those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu are demigods ( viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daivaḥ ). Those who are atheistic, i.e., who do not believe in Viṣṇu, or who recognize only the impersonal part of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, cannot have the divine vision. It is not possible to decry Kṛṣṇa and at the same time have the divine vision. One cannot have the divine vision without becoming divine. In other words, those who have divine vision can also see like Arjuna. The Bhagavad-gītā gives the description of the universal form. Although this description was unknown to everyone before Arjuna, now one can have some idea of the viśva-rūpa after this incident. Those who are actually divine can see the universal form of the Lord. But one cannot be divine without being a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The devotees, however, who are actually in the divine nature and who have divine vision, are not very much interested in seeing the universal form of the Lord. As described in the previous verse, Arjuna desired to see the four-handed form of Lord Kṛṣṇa as Viṣṇu, and he was actually afraid of the universal form. In this verse there are some significant words, just like veda-yajñādhyayanaiḥ, which refers to studying Vedic literature and the subject matter of sacrificial regulations. Veda refers to all kinds of Vedic literature, such as the four Vedas ( Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva ) and the eighteen Purāṇas, the Upaniṣads and the Vedānta-sūtra. One can study these at home or anywhere else. Similarly, there are sūtras – Kalpa-sūtras and Mīmāṁsā-sūtras – for studying the method of sacrifice. Dānaiḥ refers to charity which is offered to a suitable party, such as those who are engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord – the brāhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas. Similarly, “pious activities” refers to the agni-hotra and the prescribed duties of the different castes. And the voluntary acceptance of some bodily pains is called tapasya. So one can perform all these – can accept bodily penances, give charity, study the Vedas, etc. – but unless he is a devotee like Arjuna, it is not possible to see that universal form. Those who are impersonalists are also imagining that they are seeing the universal form of the Lord, but from Bhagavad-gītā we understand that the impersonalists are not devotees. Therefore they are unable to see the universal form of the Lord. There are many persons who create incarnations. They falsely claim an ordinary human to be an incarnation, but this is all foolishness. We should follow the principles of Bhagavad-gītā, otherwise there is no possibility of attaining perfect spiritual knowledge. Although Bhagavad-gītā is considered the preliminary study of the science of God, still it is so perfect that it enables one to distinguish what is what. The followers of a pseudo incarnation may say that they have also seen the transcendental incarnation of God, the universal form, but that is unacceptable because it is clearly stated here that unless one becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa one cannot see the universal form of God. So one first of all has to become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa; then he can claim that he can show the universal form of what he has seen. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa cannot accept false incarnations or followers of false incarnations.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
48. Not by study of the Vedas, by sacrifice, by recital of the scriptures, by charities, by rituals, or by severe austerities can this form been seen in this world by anyone except you, O hero of the Kurus.
Commentary

This form which I have shown to you is rarely seen even by those who study the Vedas and follow other processes. I cannot be seen in this form (evam rūpaḥ) by anyone except you. The absence of visarga and consequent sandhi to form śakyo’ ham instead of śakya aham in this verse is poetic license. Therefore considering this, that you have attained something which is not attainable by others, fix your mind on this form, difficult to see for everyone—a form which is certainly the Lord. Having seen that form, you should forget about the human form you are again desiring to see.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
48. Not by study of the Vedas, by sacrifice, by recital of the scriptures, by charities, by rituals, or by severe austerities can this form been seen in this world. It cannot be seen by anyone except you, O hero of the Kurus.
Commentary

The Lord shows in this verse how the universal form is the goal of life. Not by reciting the Vedas (veda-adhyayanaiḥ), not by considering the meaning of sacrifice by studying the kalpa sutras and mimāṁsā scriptures (yajña-adhyayanaiḥ), not by offering articles to qualified persons (danaiḥ), not by actions of agnihotra sacrifice and other rituals (kriyābhiḥ), not by creating difficulties for the body (tapobhiḥ), drying it up with intense vratas, has any person listed above seen this form. Other than you, endowed with bhakti, no one has seen it. Without bhakti, none of these methods allow any person to see My form. dharmaḥ satyādayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānaṁ na samyak prapunāti hi Neither religious activities endowed with honesty and mercy nor knowledge obtained with great penance can completely purify one’s consciousness if they are bereft of loving service to Me. SB 11.14.22 I am visible to you because you have devotion, and to the devatās because they have devotion. The visarga of śakyaḥ has been dropped without the sandhi which should have become śakyo’ham for poetic reasons. Repetition of the negative na in this verse is to emphasizes the impossibility for others to see by other methods. It is not possible for humans of this planet (nṛ loke) other than you to see it. This means however that it is possible for the many devas who are bhaktas to see that form, since they are not on this planet.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "Although Bhagavad‑ gita is considered the preliminary study of the science of God, still it is so perfect that it enables one to distinguish what is what. The followers of a pseudo incarnation may say that they have also seen the transcendental incarnation of God, the universal form, but that is unacceptable because it is clearly stated here that unless one becomes a devotee of Krsna one cannot see the universal form of God. So one first of all has to become a pure devotee of Krsna; then he can claim that he can show the universal form of what he has seen. A devotee of Krsna cannot accept false incarnations or followers of false incarnations." Arjuna is saying:" My dear Lord, I accept what I saw and I don't want to see the universal form any longer but You are again and again telling me to see it. (Krsna keeps saying: "Behold this universal form. And He is glorifying that universal form). My limbs are pained and disturbed and I'm becoming unconscious. I will never request You to show me this universal form again. Please forgive me. I wish to see that beautiful form from which nectar comes!" (note from the commentators)

Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Glorifies ‘bhakti’ by negation – This Universal form cannot be seen by personal efforts like studying

the Vedas, performing sacrifices, charity, pious activities or penances

Focus of Learning

(a) Who can have this divine vision – Only godly souls

(b) Who is a Godly person (Status like a demigod) – ‘Only devotees’ can have such divinity (Ref. Vedic

scriptures)

Other qualifications are insufficient – By methods like ‘charity’ / ‘penance’ / ‘Veda-yajnadhyayanaih’ (Vedic study and sacrificial regulations), one cannot qualify to have that divine vision. These methods include:
‘Vedas’ – Four Vedas, eighteen Puranas, Upanishads, Vedanta-sutra
‘Sutras’ – (Kalpa-sutra, Mimamsa-sutra) – for studying the method of sacrifice
‘Pious activities’ – Agnihotra sacrifice and prescribed duties for different caste
‘Tapasya’ – Voluntary acceptance of some bodily pains
‘Charity’ (‘Danaih’) – Charity to suitable party who is engaged in transcendental loving service (brahmanas and vaisnavas)
Even the Impersonalists who are imagining seeing the Universal form – Are unable to see because Bhagavad-gita explains that Impersonalists are not devotees.

(a) By ‘My’ internal potency – because inconceivable by human speculation

(b) Happily by ‘My’ desire because ‘no-one has ever seen this before’

All disciplic devotees of the Lord could see the form which was shown to Arjuna by Krishna’s mercy (e.g. other devotees in planets in outer space and in heavenly planets)
Forms shown to Duryodhana were ‘not’ the complete forms and were different from this Universal Form

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION V

The most intimate feature of the Absolute Truth is two-armed form of Sri Krishna. This Form is

only known through devotional service

Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
11.48 Na veda-yajna-adhyayanaih, not by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, (i.e.) not by the methodical study of even the four Vedas and the study of the sacrifices-since the study of the sacrifices is achieved by the very study of the Vedas, the separate mention of the study of sacrifices is for suggesting detailed knowledge of sacrifices; [This separate mention of the study of sacrifices is necessary because the ancients understood the study of Vedas to mean learing them by rote.] so also, na danaih, not by gifts-in such forms as distributing wealth eal to the weight of the giver; na ca kriyabhih, not even by rituals-by Vedic and other rituals like Agnihotra etc.; nor even ugraih tapobhih, by severe austerities such a Candrayana [A religious observance or expiatory penance regulated by the moon's phases. In it the daily antity of food, which consists of fifteen mouthfuls at the full-moon, is curtailed by one mouthful during the dark fornight till it is reduced to nothing at the new moon; and it is increased in a like manner during the bright fortnight.-V.S.A.] etc. which are frightful; sakyah aham, can I; evam rupam, in this form-possessing the Cosmic form as was shown; drastum, be perceived; nrloke, in the human world; tvad-anyena, by anyone other than you; kuru-pravira, O most valiant among the Kurus.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.48 In this form, which represents My real nature, I cannot be realised by such means as study of the Vedas, sacrifices etc., by anyone who is bereft of exclusive Bhakti towards Me or by any one other than yourself who has complete devotion towards Me.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.48 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.48 Neither by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, nor by gifts nor by rituals nor by severe austerities can I be seen in this form in the world of men by any other than thyself, O great hero of the Kurus (Arjuna).
Commentary

11.48 न not? वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैः by the study of the Vedas and of Yajnas? न not? दानैः by gifts? न not? च and? क्रियाभिः by rituals? न not? तपोभिः by austerities? उग्रैः severe? एवंरूपः in such form? शक्यः (am) possible? अहम् I? नृलोके in the world of men? द्रष्टुम् to be seen? त्वत् than thee? अन्येन by another? कुरुप्रवीर O great hero of the Kurus.Commentary Mere cramming of the texts of the Vedas without knowing the meaning will not do. A study of the sacrifices also is necessary. One should know the meaning of these? also.Dana Charity such as a Tula Purusha (gift of gold eal in weight of a man) Kanyadana (gift of ones daughther in marriage)? gift of a cow? rice? etc.Kriya Rituals such as Agnihotra.Tapas Such as the Chandrayana Vrata. (This is a kind of Vrata or observance. The daily consumption of food is reduced by one mouthful every day for the dark half of the month beginning with the fullmoon. Then the food is increased by one mouthful every day during the bright fortnight during the increase of the moon. This Vrata (observance) is a great purifier of the mind. It destroys sins.)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.48 Not by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, not by gifts, not even by rituals, not by severe austerities can I, in this form, be perceived in the human world by anyone ['By anyone who has not received My grace'. other than you, O most valiant among the Kurus.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.48 Not by study of the scriptures, not by sacrifice or gift, not by ritual or rigorous austerity, is it possible for man on earth to see what thou hast seen, O thou foremost hero of the Kuru-clan!
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Arjava (Simplicity / Straightforwardness)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)
Related verses
Concepts
Yajna
Not by Vedic study, not by sacrifice, charity, ritual, or severe penance can I be seen in this form — only you have been so favored.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize that no technique compels this vision.
  • Don't try to manufacture vision through technique.
  • Trust that grace, not technique, opens the form.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I tried to manufacture spiritual experience?
  • What does pure invitation-to-grace look like?

A library full of priceless manuscripts can be entered only by one with the right key; sacrifice, study, charity, austerity all gather coins of merit, but the key is given by the Lord to those He chooses. Kṛṣṇa says: this room could not have been entered with any of the usual currencies.

Even the Demigods Did Not See

The Bhāgavatam (especially SB 1.8 and 10.14) repeatedly notes that even Brahmā, Śiva, and the great sages have not beheld certain forms of Kṛṣṇa — not for lack of austerity but because such darśana is granted only through bhakti.

Kṛṣṇa's verse in 11.48 — na veda-yajña-adhyayanaiḥ — affirms that no quantum of Vedic study, sacrifice, charity, or tapas produces the universal-form vision. Arjuna received it as an act of grace responding to his surrender. The verse will be echoed by 11.53 in even sharper form.

📝 My note

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