किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रिणं च तेजोराशिं सर्वतोदीप्तिमन्तम्। पश्यामि त्वां दुर्निरीक्ष्यं समन्ता द्दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम्।।11.17।।
kirīṭinaṁ gaḍiṇaṁ ca cakriṇaṁ ca tejo'rāśiṁ sarvato dīptimantaṁ | paśyāmi tvāṁ durnirīkṣyaṁ samantā dīptānala arka dyutiṁ aprameyam |
Translation
I see Your form, adorned with a crown, and armed with the club and disc, shining everywhere as the abode of splendor. It is hard to look upon You in the blazing fire of Your effulgence, which is radiating like the sun in all directions.
Word Meanings
kirīṭinam — with helmets; gadinam — with maces; cakriṇam — with discs; ca — and; tejaḥ‑rāśim — effulgence; sarvataḥ — on all sides; dīpti‑mantam — glowing; paśyāmi — I see; tvām — You; durnirīkṣyam — difficult to see; samantāt — everywhere; dīpta‑anala — blazing fire; arka — of the sun; dyutim — the sunshine; aprameyam — immeasurable.
Understanding the Verse
In this striking verse of the eleventh chapter, Arjuna beholds the magnificent, all‑encompassing form of the Divine manifested by Krishna. The description begins with "kirīṭinam," indicating a crown or helmet that signifies supreme sovereignty. The "gaḍiṇaṁ" (mace) and "cakriṇaṁ" (disc) are the traditional weapons of the deity Vishnu, symbolising both the power to destroy ignorance and the cosmic cycle of creation and dissolution.
The phrase "tejo'rāśiṁ" (effulgence) captures the boundless radiance that emanates from the divine form, while "sarvato dīptimantaṁ" (glowing on all sides) emphasizes that this light pervades every direction, transcending the ordinary limits of vision. Arjuna confesses, "paśyāmi tvāṁ durnirīkṣyaṁ," acknowledging the difficulty of fully comprehending such an overwhelming presence. The term "samantā" (everywhere) reinforces the idea that the Divine is not confined to a single locale but permeates the entire cosmos.
The latter half of the verse deepens the visual metaphor: "dīptānala arka dyutiṁ aprameyam" portrays the divine blaze as a fire brighter than the sun itself, an immeasurable brilliance that eclipses all other sources of light. This imagery serves to illustrate the ultimate reality—Brahman—as the source of all luminosity, knowledge, and existence.
Spiritually, Arjuna's experience reflects the human yearning to glimpse the infinite within the finite. The crown, mace, and disc are not merely martial symbols; they represent the mind's ability to conquer ego (the mace) and to recognize the cyclical nature of life (the disc). The all‑pervading light beckons seekers to transcend dualistic perception and to recognize the unity underlying all forms.
The difficulty of looking upon this divine fire underscores a core teaching of the Gita: the supreme truth is beyond ordinary sensory perception and can only be apprehended through devotion (bhakti) and inner realization. Arjuna's confession of his inability to fully behold the form becomes a mirror for every spiritual aspirant who, faced with the infinite, feels humbled yet inspired to deepen their practice.
Thus, Verse 11.17 not only paints a vivid cosmic tableau but also invites contemplation on the nature of divinity, the limits of the human eye, and the transformative power of sincere devotional sight.
