FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 11.5

శ్రీభగవానువాచ పశ్య మే పార్థ రూపాణి శతశోఽథ సహస్రశ: । నానావిధాని దివ్యాని నానావర్ణాకృతీని చ ॥ ౫ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
[shree-bhagavaan uvaacha]
paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi
[pashya me paartha roopaani]
śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ
[shatasho ’tha sahasrashah]
nānā-vidhāni divyāni
[naanaa-vidhaani divyaani]
nānā-varṇākṛtīni ca
[naanaa-varnaakriteeni cha]
Word-for-word
śrī - bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said paśya — just see me — My pārtha — O son of Pṛthā rūpāṇi — forms śataśaḥ — hundreds atha — also sahasraśaḥ — thousands nānā - vidhāni — variegated divyāni — divine nānā — variegated varṇa — colors ākṛtīni — forms ca — also .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
śrī - bhagavān uvāca
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi
paśya
just see
me
My
pārtha
O son of Pṛthā
rūpāṇi
forms
śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ
śataśaḥ
hundreds
atha
also
sahasraśaḥ
thousands
nānā-vidhāni divyāni
nānā - vidhāni
variegated
divyāni
divine
nānā-varṇākṛtīni ca
nānā
variegated
varṇa
colors
ākṛtīni
forms
ca
also .
Important Words
  • paśya — behold
    Imperative. The verse begins with the command to see. The visionary apparatus has already been granted (verse 8); paśya activates it.
  • rūpāṇi — forms
    Neuter plural — many forms, not one. Vedānta's 'one without a second' is not contradicted; the one Lord wears uncountable forms without ceasing to be one.
  • śataśaḥ — by the hundreds
    Distributive numeral. The plurality is countable in principle but uncountable in practice. The grammar models the experience.
  • sahasraśaḥ — by the thousands
    Doubled with śataśaḥ for cumulative force. Kṛṣṇa is not modest about His amplitude — the disciple must be prepared for excess.
  • nānā - vidhāni — various
    Of many kinds. The forms differ qualitatively, not just numerically — different shapes, functions, moods.
  • divyāni — divine
    Belonging to the deva-realm, beyond material reckoning. Arjuna will need divya-cakṣus (verse 8) precisely because the forms are divya.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pṛthā, see now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine and multicolored forms.
Purport

Arjuna wanted to see Kṛṣṇa in His universal form, which, although a transcendental form, is just manifested for the cosmic manifestation and is therefore subject to the temporary time of this material nature. As the material nature is manifested and not manifested, similarly this universal form of Kṛṣṇa is manifested and nonmanifested. It is not eternally situated in the spiritual sky like Kṛṣṇa’s other forms. As far as a devotee is concerned, he is not eager to see the universal form, but because Arjuna wanted to see Kṛṣṇa in this way, Kṛṣṇa reveals this form. This universal form is not possible to be seen by any ordinary man. Kṛṣṇa must give one the power to see it.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
5. The Lord said: O son of Pṛthā, see My hundreds and thousands of wonderful forms, of various types, of various colors, and various shapes.
Commentary

“First I will show him that form described in the puruṣa-sūkta as sahasra-śīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt: that form with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. It is My own expansion, the first puruṣa avatāra (Mahaviṣṇu), the antaryāmī of prakṛti. Later, by having the necessary qualification, I will show him My form of time.” Considering in this way in His mind, the Lord faced Arjuna, telling him to pay attention. Thus He speaks this verse. “See these hundreds and thousands of forms (rūpāṇi). In My one form, My svarūpa, see hundreds of My svarūpas, which are My vibhūtis.”

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
5. The Lord said: O son of Pṛthā, see My hundreds and thousands of wonderful forms, of various types, of various colors and various shapes.
Commentary

Being thus requested, the Lord speaks in four verses to let Arjuna see His own form as all the devatās, as the creator with a thousand heads, the antaryāmī of prakṛti, and then, having made him qualified by that vision, to reveal to him His form as time. By repeating the word paśya in several verses the Lord conveys the astonishing nature of these forms that He will show. See these hundreds and thousands of forms of vibhūtis in one form of Mine appearing with a thousand heads. This should mean “Be fit to see these forms.” Imperative case can be used to suggest qualification. [Note: Perhaps the rule is Pāṇini 3.3.173 .]

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

Krishna’s Description

COMMON THEME: Krishna responds by offering to show Arjuna, the opulences He described in Chapter 10

PLEASE NOTE: All points of the purports are included as the sub-points; as such there are no individual ‘Focus of

Learning’ sections for these verses.

Focus of Learning

(a) Qualification to see the Lord

Only by revelation by the mercy of the Lord – Therefore Arjuna requests and pleads and not orders
Not possible by “mental speculation” or “perception by material senses”
Because living entity as infinitesimal spiritual spark ,cannot know unlimited infinite
Arjuna admits his limitations as a living entity and acknowledges Krishna’s inestimable position
Lord is addressed as ‘Yogesvara’ –
To point out His inconceivable potencies by which the infinite can reveal to the finite
Krishna is not obliged to reveal Himself until one ‘fully surrenders’ in Krishna consciousness and engages in transcendental loving service

(a) Why Arjuna requests Krishna to show His Universal Form (4 points):

1. To establish Krishna’s divinity for all (11.1 purport)

2. To convince others, although he does not have any personal desire and is completely

satisfied to see Him in His personal form of Krishna (11.3 purport)

Lord is addressed as Purushottama – Implies that Lord as Supreme Personality of Godhead, knows the heart of Arjuna, that he has no personal desire to see

3. To avoid imposters - Wants to set a criteria for in the future there will be so many imposters

who will pose as incarnations of God (11.3 purport)

4. Arjuna, as a responsibility, wants to substantiate Krishna’s statement – so that in the future

people can understand that Krishna “not only theoretically or philosophically”, but ‘actually’

presented Himself as such to Arjuna – Arjuna fulfils his responsibility because he is the

beginning of the Parampara (11.8 purport)

KRISHNA’S DESCRIPTION OF HIS OWN UNIVERSAL FORM

Krishna shows variegated forms – “See My Opulences!, Hundreds and thousands of varied divine and multicoloured forms” (11.5)
Universal form is transcendental but temporary because it is subject to the temporary time of material nature (Is manifested and unmanifested like material nature) (11.5)
Not eternally situated in spiritual sky (11.5)
Universal Form is not possible to be seen by ordinary men – Krishna must give one the power to see it (11.5)
Wonderful forms with different manifestations of Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Asvini-kumaras and all other demigods
No-one has ever seen or heard of this before (11.6)
Even Arjuna, a personal friend and most advanced learned man, did not know all about Krishna (11.6)
Could see the entire universe (All moving and non-moving) sitting at one place (11.7*)
Even most advanced scientist cannot see other parts of universe, which a pure devotee could see so easily (11.7*)
Could see past, present and future, all what Arjuna wanted to see (11.7*)
Thus Arjuna will be shown the future destiny of all the relatives and warriors and thus will be motivated to just become an instrument (11.7*)
Needed divine vision – Cannot be seen with the present eyes (11.8*)
Pure devotees do not like to see Krishna in any form, other than His two-handed form
Therefore Arjuna is told not to change the mind, but change the eyes by Krishna’s grace (11.8*)
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
11.5 O son of Prtha, pasya, behold; me, My; rupani, forms; satasah, in (their) hundreds; atha, and; sahasrasah, in thousands, i.e. in large numbers. And they are nana-vidhani, of different kinds; divyani, celestial, supernatural; and nana-varna-akrtini, of various colours and shapes-forms which have different (nana) colours (varna) such as blue, yellow, etc. as also (different) shapes (akrtayah), having their parts differently arranged.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.5 The Lord said Behold My forms which are the foundation of all, hundreds upon thousands, varied and possessing manifold modes. They are divine, i.e., supernatural. They are multi-formed and multi-coloured like white, black etc. And they are of varied configurations. Behold that form!
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.5 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.5 The Blessed Lord said Behold, O Arjuna, forms of Mine, by the hundreds and thousands, of different sorts, divine, and of various colours and shapes.
Commentary

11.5 पश्य behold? मे My? पार्थ O Partha? रूपाणि forms? शतशः by hundreds? अथ and? सहस्रशः by thousands? नानाविधानि of different sorts? दिव्यानि divine? नानावर्णाकृतीनि of various colours and shapes? च and.Commentary Divyani Divine supernatural.Satasah? Sahasrasah By the hundreds and thousands -- countless.O Arjuna? I want you to behold the Cosmic Form. All beings and entities are there. The fat and the lean? the short and the tall? the red and the black? the active and the passive? the rich and the poor? the intelligent and the dull? the healthy and the sick? the noisy and the silent? those that are awake? those that are asleep? the beautiful and the ugly? and all grades of beings with their distinctive marks are all there. The blueness of the sky? the yellowness of the silk? the redness of the twilight? the blackness of the coal? the whiteness of the snow? and the greenness of the leaves will be seen by you. You will also behold the objects of various shapes.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.5 The Blessed Lord said O son of Prtha, behold My forms in (their) hundreds and in thousands, of different kinds, celestial, and of various colours and shapes.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.5 Lord Shri Krishna replied: Behold, O Arjuna! My celestial forms, by hundred and thousands, various in kind, in colour and in shape.
Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses
BG 10.40 BG 11.7 BG 9.5 SB 2.6.1 SB 3.11.41 SB 10.13.19 CC Ādi 2.15 CC Madhya 20.184 CC Madhya 21.37 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.3Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.5.19
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Behold My hundreds and thousands of forms, varied in shape, color, and feature — divine, unlimited.
Practical Applications
  • Don't fix Kṛṣṇa to one form mentally; He has hundreds, thousands.
  • Honor the variety of His expressions.
  • Use this verse against rigid mental images.
Reflection Questions
  • What single fixed image of Kṛṣṇa am I clinging to?
  • What variety opens up by releasing it?
Analogy

A jeweller opens not one drawer but the entire vault. Kṛṣṇa does not single out one form; He says, see hundreds, thousands — the abundance itself is the lesson.

Stories
Brahmā's Bewilderment in Vraja

When Brahmā stole the calves and boys of Vraja to test Kṛṣṇa (SB 10.13), he returned to find the calves and boys still there — each one a fresh Viṣṇu, four-armed, holding conch and disc, being worshiped by all the Brahmās of all the universes.

Brahmā saw with his own eyes what Kṛṣṇa announces in 11.5: rūpāṇi śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ — forms by the hundreds and thousands. The display is not exaggeration; it is the literal economy of the Lord's being.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 11