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Bhagwad Gita (English) | Chapter 11 | Verse 30

Chapter 11, Verse 30

The Universal Form

O Visnu, I see You devouring all people in Your flaming mouths and covering the universe with Your immeasurable rays. Scorching the worlds, You are manifest.


Verse

लेलिह्यसे ग्रसमानः समन्ता
ल्लोकान्समग्रान्वदनैर्ज्वलद्भिः।
तेजोभिरापूर्य जगत्समग्रं
भासस्तवोग्राः प्रतपन्ति विष्णो।।11.30।।


lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantāl
lokān samagrān vadanair jvaladbhiḥ
tejobhir āpūrya jagat samagraṁ
bhāsas tavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣhṇo

Meaning of each word

lelihyase — you are licking;
grasamānaḥ —
devouring;
samantāt —
on all sides;
lokān —
worlds;
samagrān —
all;
vadanaiḥ —
with mouths;
jvaladbhiḥ —
blazing;
tejobhiḥ —
by effulgence;
āpūrya —
filled with;
jagat —
the universe;
samagram —
all;
bhāsaḥ —
rays;
tava —
your;
ugrāḥ —
fierce;
pratapanti —
scorching;
viṣhṇo —
Lord Vishnu

Interpretation

In this verse, Arjuna is expressing what he sees when he looks at Krishna in His universal form. He describes Krishna as a powerful being that appears to consume everything around Him. Think of the way fire can engulf everything it touches; it can burn, change, and transform things into something new. When Arjuna sees Krishna, he sees Him with many mouths that are like flames, and it looks as if people are being swallowed up by this great energy.

Arjuna continues by saying that Krishna's light is everywhere, illuminating the entire universe. Imagine looking up at a bright sun; its rays are wide and reach far, touching everything in its path. Krishna's rays are so vast that they seem to scorch the worlds, meaning this power is both intense and overwhelming.

This imagery of consuming flames represents Krishna's role as both a creator and a destroyer. Just as a forest fire can clear old trees and make way for new growth, Krishna's form signifies how He is involved in the cycle of life and death. Everything that exists is affected by Krishna's immense energy—nothing can escape it, and everything is transformed in its presence.

So, this vision reinforces the idea that Krishna, as the Supreme Being, holds incredible power over the universe. He is not just creating life but also has the ability to take it away, showing that He controls everything in existence. In a way, this perception helps Arjuna understand Krishna's true nature, illustrating how He embodies both creation and destruction, making it clear that nothing in the universe can exist without His influence.


Other Verses of Chapter 11
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