अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रं पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम्। नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिं पश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप।।11.16।।
anekabāhūdaravaktra netram paśyāmi tvām sarvato ’anantarūpam. nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punaḥ tavādim paśyāmi viśva‑īśvara viśva‑rūpaḥ.
Translation
I see You, O Lord of the universe, in every direction as the infinite form, with countless arms, stomachs, faces, and eyes. I perceive no beginning, no middle, and no end in You; You are the universal form itself.
Word Meanings
अनेक — many; बाहु — arms; उदर — stomachs/bellies; वक्त्र — faces/mouths; नेत्र — eyes; पश्यामि — I see; त्वां — you; सर्वतो — from all sides; अनन्तरूपम् — infinite form; न — not; अन्तं — end; मध्यं — middle; पुनः — again; तव — your; आदिम् — beginning; विश्वेश्वर — Lord of the universe; विश्वरूप — universal form
Understanding the Verse
In this magnificent verse Arjuna, overwhelmed by the divine vision granted by Krishna, attempts to articulate the incomprehensible magnitude of the Vishvarupa. The description begins with "anekabāhūdaravaktra netra" – countless arms, bellies, faces, and eyes – highlighting that the cosmic form transcends ordinary human anatomy. Each limb represents a different facet of creation: the arms symbolize the countless deeds and actions that sustain the universe; the bellies denote the endless cycles of birth, sustenance, and dissolution; the faces convey the myriad expressions of divine will; and the eyes reflect the all‑seeing consciousness that pervades every particle of existence.
The phrase "sarvato ’anantarūpam" emphasizes that this form is present in every direction, suggesting that the divine pervades not only the visible cosmos but also the infinite dimensions beyond ordinary perception. By stating "nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punaḥ tavādim," Arjuna declares that the Vishvarupa defies linear temporality. There is no beginning (ādima), no middle, and no end; the divine presence is eternal, beyond the constraints of past, present, and future. This challenges the human mind, which instinctively seeks a point of origin or conclusion, and invites a shift toward seeing reality as a seamless, timeless flow.
Calling Krishna "viśva‑īśvara" (Lord of the universe) and "viśva‑rūpa" (universal form) reinforces the theological insight that the creator is not separate from creation. The universe is not a mere object of the divine; it is the very embodiment of the divine essence. This non‑dual perspective dissolves the apparent duality between the worshipper and the worshiped, suggesting that the ultimate reality is a single, indivisible consciousness manifesting through countless forms.
Arjuna's confession also serves a didactic purpose in the Gita. By confronting the limits of language and perception, the verse encourages seekers to surrender intellectual grasp and cultivate humility before the mystery of the divine. It illustrates that true wisdom involves recognizing the inadequacy of the mind to capture the infinite, and instead, embracing devotion (bhakti) that transcends conceptualization.
In summary, Chapter 11, Verse 16 captures the awe‑inspiring vision of Krishna's universal form, highlighting its boundless multiplicity, its omnipresence, and its timeless nature. It teaches that the divine is both immanent and transcendent, a reality that exceeds all categories of beginning, middle, and end, and invites the devotee to see the world itself as an expression of that singular, all‑encompassing presence.
