Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 8 (11.8)
Reflective Prompt:
When Sanjaya describes the vision of the Universal Form, he mentions the splendor of a thousand suns rising together. How do you view ultimate cosmic energy?
- ▪ Option 1: As an awe-inspiring, majestic light that transcends human comprehension.
- ▪ Option 2: As a terrifying force that makes human existence feel completely insignificant.
- ▪ Option 3: As a scientific concept that can be fully explained by equations and logic.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 8 (11.8)
न तु मां शक्यसे द्रष्टुमनेनैव स्वचक्षुषा । दिव्यं ददामि ते चक्षुः पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् | | ११-८ | |
na tu māṁ śhakyase draṣhṭumanenaiva svachakṣhuṣhā divyaṁ dadāmi te chakṣhuḥ paśhya me yogamaiśhvaram
Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
- न
(na)— नहीं(you cannot see Me) - तु
(tu)— लेकिन(you cannot see Me) - माम्
(mam)— मुझे(you cannot see Me) - शक्यसे
(shakyase)— तुम समर्थ हो(you cannot see Me) - द्रष्टुम्
(drashtum)— देखने के लिए(you cannot see Me) - अनेन
(anena)— इस(with these ordinary eyes) -
ivajoined in draṣhṭumanenaiva - स्वचक्षुषा
(sva-chakshusha)— अपनी आंखों से(with these ordinary eyes)
Line 2:
- दिव्यम्
(divyam)— दिव्य(I give you divine sight) - ददामि
(dadami)— मैं देता हूं(I give you divine sight) - ते
(te)— वे(I give you divine sight) - चक्षुः
(chakshuh)— दृष्टि(I give you divine sight) - पश्य
(pashya)— देखो(behold My divine Yoga) - मे
(me)— मेरा(behold My divine Yoga) - योगम्
(yogam)— योग-महिमा(behold My divine Yoga) - ऐश्वरम्
(aishvaram)— ईश्वरीय(behold My divine Yoga)
English: You cannot see My universal form with ordinary eyes, so I give you divine sight. Now see My greatness.
Learnings from Shloka 8:
- The universal form is beyond ordinary sight:: Krishna must give divine vision because normal senses cannot hold this experience.
- All forms are within Him:: Hundreds and thousands of divine forms, powers, and wonders are gathered in Krishna.
- The whole universe is one body:: Moving and unmoving beings are shown together in His form.
- Grace makes vision possible:: Arjuna sees because Krishna allows him to see.
Gita Knowledge Quiz
Review this sectionNow that you have completed shlokas 5-8, check your understanding with a short quiz.
Take quizGita/Sanskrit Language Quiz
Practice this shloka vocabularyMatch Sanskrit words from shloka 11.8 with their Hindi and English meanings.
Practice vocabulary
Since human eyes cannot perceive this infinite form, Krishna grants Arjuna a divine eye. This teaches that spiritual Vigyan requires the awakening of our inner, higher perception.
### Shlokas 9-14 **The Universal Form described by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra.**