Chapter 11, Verse 47
श्रीभगवानुवाच | मया प्रसन्नेन तवार्जुनेदं रूपं परं दर्शितमात्मयोगात् | तेजोमयं विश्वमनन्तमाद्यं यन्मे त्वदन्येन न दृष्टपूर्वम् ||११-४७||
śrībhagavānuvāca . mayā prasannena tavārjunedaṃ rūpaṃ paraṃ darśitamātmayogāt . tejomayaṃ viśvamanantamādyaṃ yanme tvadanyena na dṛṣṭapūrvam ||11-47||
Meaning
11.47 The Blessed Lord said O Arjuna, this Cosmic Form has graciously been shown to thee by Me by My own Yogic power; full of splendour, primeval, and infinite, this Cosmic Form of Mine has never been seen before by anyone other than thyself.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Krishna responds to Arjuna's plea, but first underscores the magnitude of the grace he has received. The cosmic form was shown maya prasannena — 'by Me, being gracious' — and atma-yogat, through Krishna's own mystic power. It was not earned by Arjuna's effort but freely given out of divine pleasure and love.
The Lord emphasises how rare this gift is: this splendid, infinite, primeval form has never been seen tvad-anyena, by anyone other than Arjuna. He is the first and only one granted such a vision. The teaching gently restores Arjuna's perspective. In his fear, he had nearly forgotten the privilege of what he witnessed; Krishna reminds him that grace, not entitlement, opened this door. This is the proper context for every spiritual experience. The highest visions come as gifts from divine grace, given according to readiness and love, never seized by the will. To receive such grace is itself cause for the deepest gratitude.
💡 Key Takeaway
The highest spiritual experiences are gifts of grace, freely given out of divine love, never earned by force.
Related Verses
अर्जुन उवाच | मदनुग्रहाय परमं गुह्यमध्यात्मसंज्ञितम् | यत्त्वयोक्तं वचस्तेन मोहोऽयं विगतो मम ||११-१||
arjuna uvāca . madanugrahāya paramaṃ guhyamadhyātmasaṃjñitam . yattvayoktaṃ vacastena moho.ayaṃ vigato mama ||11-1||
11.1 Arjuna said By this word (explanation) of the highest secret concerning the Self which Thou hast spoken, for the sake of blessing me, my delusion is gone.
मन्यसे यदि तच्छक्यं मया द्रष्टुमिति प्रभो | योगेश्वर ततो मे त्वं दर्शयात्मानमव्ययम् ||११-४||
manyase yadi tacchakyaṃ mayā draṣṭumiti prabho . yogeśvara tato me tvaṃ darśayātmānamavyayam ||11-4||
11.4 If Thou, O Lord, thinkest it possible for me to see it, do Thou, then, O Lord of the Yogins, show me Thy imperishable Self.
श्रीभगवानुवाच | पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः | नानाविधानि दिव्यानि नानावर्णाकृतीनि च ||११-५||
śrībhagavānuvāca . paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi śataśo.atha sahasraśaḥ . nānāvidhāni divyāni nānāvarṇākṛtīni ca ||11-5||
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.