Click Here for Your Bhagavad Gita Starter Kit!

Chapter 11: The Universal Form

Bg 11.49
TEXT 49
मा ते व्यथा मा च विमूढभावो दृष्ट्वा रूपं घोरमीदृङ्ममेदम् ।
व्यपेतभीः प्रीतमनाः पुनस्त्वं तदेव मे रूपमिदं प्रपश्य ॥ ४९ ॥
mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍha-bhāvo
dṛṣṭvā rūpaṁ ghoram īdṛṅ mamedam
vyapeta-bhīḥ prīta-manāḥ punas tvaṁ
tad eva me rūpam idaṁ prapaśya
TRANSLATION
Your mind has been perturbed upon seeing this horrible feature of Mine. Now let it be finished. My devotee, be free from all disturbance. With a peaceful mind you can now see the form you desire.
PURPORT
In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna was worried about killing Bhīṣma and Droṇa, his worshipful grandfathers and masters. But Kṛṣṇa said that he need not be afraid of killing his grandfather. When they tried to disrobe Draupadī in the assembly, Bhīṣma and Droṇa were silent, and for such negligence of duty they should be killed. Kṛṣṇa showed His universal form to Arjuna just to show him that these people were already killed for their unlawful action. That scene was shown to Arjuna because devotees are always peaceful, and they cannot perform such horrible actions. The purpose of the revelation of the universal form was shown; now Arjuna wanted to see the four-armed form, and Kṛṣṇa showed him. A devotee is not much interested in the universal form, for it does not enable one to reciprocate loving feelings. A devotee wants to offer his respectful worshiping feelings; thus he wants to see the two-handed or four-handed Kṛṣṇa form so he can reciprocate in loving service with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL COPY OF THE BOOK

Join the Bhagavad-Gita Connect Newsletter





Copyright (c) 1972 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada