“In the olden times, there was a big city of the name Megankara on the banks of the Pranita river in which is the famous temple of Jagat-Ishvara. Jagat-Ishvara is holding in His hand a bow. In that city of Megankara, there was a pure Brahmin of the name Sunand, who remained a brahmachari his whole life.
Sunand would sit in front of Lord Jagat-Ishvara and recite the Eleventh Chapter of the Srimad Bhagwat Gita and remember the Universal Form of the Lord. By reciting that Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita, he gained complete control over his senses and was able to remember Lord Jagat-Ishvara continuously.
Once that pure brahmin Sunand went on a tour of the holy places on the banks of the Godavari River. He visited all the sacred places, starting with Viraj-Tirtha. In all the holy places he visited, he bathed, and took darshan of the presiding deity. One day he reached the town of Vivaha Mandap. Along with his associates he searched for a place to stay and eventually in the middle of that town they found a dharmashala, where they all took rest for the night. When Sunand woke up in the morning he found that all his associates had left. While searching for them, he met the headman of the town, who immediately fell at his feet and said, “Oh great sage, I cannot say where your associates have gone, but I can tell you that there is no devotee equal to you. I have never seen anyone as pure as you. Oh, my dear brahmin, I am begging you to stay in this town.”
When Sunand heard the humble request of the headman of the town, he decided to stay for some days.
That headman made every arrangement for the comfortable stay of Sunand and engaged in his service day and night. After eight days had passed, one villager came before Sunand, crying very loudly and said, “Oh pure Brahmin, last night one rakshasa ate my son.” Sunand inquired, “Where does that rakshasa stay? And how did he eat your son?”
The villager replied, “In this town one very frightful rakshasa lives, who every day was eating villagers as and when he pleased. One day, we all went to that rakshasa and requested him to protect us, in return for which we would provide him with his daily food. One dharmashala was built, and any travellers who came here were sent there to stay and while they were sleeping the rakshasa would eat them, In this way we have been able to protect ourselves from this rakshasa. You, along with your associates, stayed at that dharmashala, but that rakshasa did not eat you along with everyone else.
The reason I will tell you. Last night a friend of my son came but I did not realize that he was a very close and dear friend of my son, so I sent him to stay in dharmashala. Later when my son found out, he went after him to try and bring him back from the dharmashala but when he went there, he was also eaten by that rakshasa. Today, in the morning, I went to that rakshasa and asked him, why he had eaten my son along with the other travellers. I also requested him, if there was any way, I could get back my son. That rakshasa told me, “I did not know that your son had also entered the dharmashala, thus he was eaten with everyone else. As far as getting him back that will be possible when I am freed from this rakshasa body which will be possible by the mercy of a person who recites the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita daily.
Right now, there is one Brahmin staying in this town, who had stayed at this dharmashala, but I had not eaten him, because he daily recites the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita. If He daily recites the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita seven times then sprinkles water on me, then I will be able to get free from the curse of this rakshasa body”.
Sunand inquired, from that villager, “What sin did this person perform to attain a rakshasa body?” The villager replied, ‘Long ago there had been a farmer living in this town. One day he was guarding the fields when, just a little distance away from him, one large vulture attacked a person, who was travelling on the road. At that time, one yogi was passing by and when he saw that person being attacked by that vulture he came running to his aid but when he reached him, it was too late. Then that yogi became very angry with the farmer and spoke to him as follows, “One who sees others in danger from thieves, snakes, fire, attack by weapons etc., and even though he is capable of helping them, but does not come to help, is punished by Yamaraja. After suffering in hell for a very long time, he takes birth as a wolf. And one, who helps someone in need of help, certainly pleases Lord Vishnu. One, who attempts to save a cow from the hands of a ferocious animal, a low-class man or a wicked ruler, attains Lord Vishnu. Wicked farmer, you saw that vulture attacking that person but still you made no attempt to save him. Now I curse you to take birth as a rakshasa.” The Farmer said, “I was watching the fields for the whole night and I am very tired, so kindly be merciful to me, oh, gentle sage.” The yogi replied, “When someone, who is daily reciting the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita, sprinkles water on your head, then you will become free from this curse”.
The villager said. “My dear Sunand, with your hand kindly sprinkle water on the head of this rakshasa.” After hearing that history from the villager, Sunand went along with him to the place where that rakshasa was staying and while he was reciting the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita, sprinkled water on his head. That rakshasa immediately attained a four-armed form like that of Lord Vishnu. Not only he, but all the thousands of persons he had eaten also attained a four-armed form like that of Lord Vishnu. Then they all sat down in the flower aeroplane, which had been sent to take them all to Vaikuntha.
Seeing those amazing events, the villager inquired from the rakshasa which one was his son. The rakshasa started to laugh and pointed at one of those thousands of beautiful persons sitting in the transcendental airplane and replied, “That is your son”. The villager requested his son to come home with him. Hearing his father’s request the son smilingly replied, “My dear sir, many times you have been my son and I yours but now by the grace of this great pure devotee Sunand, I have been released from this wheel of birth and death and now I am going to my real home, Vaikuntha. Dear sir, kindly surrender unto the lotus-feet of Sunand and hear from him the Eleventh Chapter of Shrimad Bhagavad-gita, and you also will be able to attain the abode of Lord Vishnu (Vaikuntha), of this there is no doubt. From Lord Krishna’s mouth, these nectarian instructions came on the battlefield of Kurukshetra in reply to the questions of His friend Arjuna. And only by hearing and reciting this discourse can one break the tight knot which is binding us to this wheel of birth and death.”
Lord Siva said; “After speaking those words, full of wisdom, to his father, along with all those other fortunate souls, he went to Vaikuntha and his father learned the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita from Sunand and very soon they also went to Vaikuntha.
My dear Parvati, you have heard the glories of the Eleventh Chapter of Srimad Bhagwat Gita, which is capable of destroying all sinful reactions.”
So that is the greatness of Chapter Eleven of Bhagwat Gita.”
Chapter Eleven of Bhagwat Gita is entitled "The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form."
On the battle field of Kurukshetra, when Arjuna, the disciple of Lord Krishna got infatuated & forgot his duty to fight, then Lord Krishna reminded Arjuna of his duty to fight a lawful, justful war & gave him the teachings of Bhagwat Gita. Arjuna after having been taught in the path of knowledge by Lord Krishna came back to his path of duty & fought a lawful battle against the Kauravas (his enemies) & won the battle with the grace of Lord Krishna.
Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven (11) is entitled "The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form."
This Chapter has a total of 55 verses.
Verses 1 to 4 are about the prayer of Arjuna to the Lord for a vision of His Universal Form.
Verses 5 to 8 are about the when Lord describes His Universal Form.
Verses 9 to 14 are about the when Sanjaya describes the Lord's Universal Form to Dhritrastra.
Verses 15 to 31 In these verses Arjuna sees the Lord's Universal Form and offers praises to the Lord.
Verses 32 to 34 are about the when Lord describes His glory and exhorts Arjuna to fight.
Verses 35 to 46 are about the when Arjuna overtaken by fright, offers praises to God and prays for a sight of the Lord's Four-armed Form.
Verses 47 to 50 are about the when Lord describes the glory of the vision of His Universal Form & reveals to Arjuna His Four-armed gentle Form.
Verses 51 to 55 are about the when Lord describes that it is impossible to attain the sight of the Lord's Four-armed Form without exclusive Devotion, which is described with its fruit.
To read complete Chapter Eleven (11) Verse by Verse in Original Sanskrit Language Text & its English Translation......Click here to read...........Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven (Chapter-11)
Below are some verses from Chapter Eleven of Bhagwat Gita:
"manyase yadi tac chakyam
maya drastum iti prabho
yogeshvara tato me tvam
darsayatmanam avyayam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 4)
"Arjuna said: O Krishna, If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that unlimited universal Self."
"sri-bhagavan uvacha
pasya me partha rupani
sataso ’tha sahasrasah
nana-vidhani divyani
nana-varnakritini cha" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 5)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, see now My opulence's, hundreds of thousands of varied divine and multicolored forms."
"pasyadityan vasun rudran
asvinau marutas tatha
bahuny adrsta-purvani
pasyascharyani bharata" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 6)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, see here the different manifestations of Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Asvini-kumaras and all the other demigods. Behold the many wonderful things which no one has ever seen or heard of before."
"ihaika-stham jagat krtsnam
pasyadya sa-characharam
mama dehe gudakesha
yac chanyad drastum icchasi" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 7)
"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, whatever you wish to see, behold at once in this body of Mine! This universal form can show you whatever you now desire to see and whatever you may want to see in the future. Everything—moving and non moving—is here completely, in one place."
"na tu mam sakyase drastum
anenaiva sva-chaksusa
divyam dadami te chaksuh
pasya me yogam aishvaram" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 8)
"Sri Krishna said: But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you divine eyes. Behold My mystic opulence!"
"sanjaya uvacha
evam uktva tato rajan
maha-yogesvaro harih
darsayam asa parthaya
paramam rupam aishvaram" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 9)
Sanjaya said: O King, having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord of all mystic power, the Personality of Godhead, displayed His universal form to Arjuna.
"aneka-vaktra-nayanam
anekadbhuta-darshanam
aneka-divyabharanam
divyanekodyatayudham"
"divya-malyambara-dharam
divya-gandhanulepanam
sarvascharya-mayam devam
anantam vishvato-mukham" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 10-11)
"Sanjaya said: Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths, unlimited eyes, unlimited wonderful visions. The form was decorated with many celestial ornaments and bore many divine upraised weapons. He wore celestial garlands and garments, and many divine scents were smeared over His body. All was wondrous, brilliant, unlimited, all-expanding."
"divi surya-sahasrasya
bhaved yugapad utthita
yadi bhah sadrsi sa syad
bhasas tasya mahatmanah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 12)
"Sanjaya said: If hundreds of thousands of suns were to rise at once into the sky, their radiance might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal form."
"tatraika-stham jagat krtsnam
pravibhaktam anekadha
apasyad deva-devasya
sarire pandavas tada" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 13)
"Sanjaya said: At that time Arjuna could see in the universal form of the Lord the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place although divided into many, many thousands."
"tatah sa vismayavisto
hrsta-roma dhananjayah
pranamya sirasa devam
kritanjalir abhasata" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 14)
"Sanjaya said: Then, bewildered and astonished, his hair standing on end, Arjuna bowed his head to offer obeisance's and with folded hands began to pray to the Supreme Lord."
"arjuna uvacha
pasyami devams tava deva dehe
sarvams tatha bhuta-visesa-sanghan
brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham
rsims cha sarvan uragams cha divyan" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 15)
"Arjuna said: My dear Lord Krishna, I see assembled in Your body all the demigods and various other living entities. I see Brahma sitting on the lotus flower, as well as Lord Shiva and all the sages and divine serpents."
"aneka-bahudara-vaktra-netram
pasyami tvam sarvato ’nanta-rupam
nantam na madhyam na punas tavadim
pasyami visvesvara vishva-rupa" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 16)
"Arjuna said: O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see in Your body many, many arms, bellies, mouths and eyes, expanded everywhere, without limit. I see in You no end, no middle and no beginning."
"kiritinam gadinam chakrinam cha
tejo-rasim sarvato diptimantam
pasyami tvam durniriksyam samantad
diptanalarka-dyutim aprameyam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 17)
"Arjuna said: Your form is difficult to see because of its glaring effulgence, spreading on all sides, like blazing fire or the immeasurable radiance of the sun. Yet I see this glowing form everywhere, adorned with various crowns, clubs and discs."
"tvam aksharam paramam veditavyam
tvam asya vishvasya param nidhanam
tvam avyayah sasvata-dharma-gopta
sanatanas tvam purusho mato me" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 18)
"Arjuna said: You are the supreme primal objective. You are the ultimate resting place of all this universe. You are inexhaustible, and You are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the eternal religion, the Personality of Godhead. This is my opinion."
"anadi-madhyantam ananta-viryam
ananta-bahum sasi-surya-netram
pasyami tvam dipta-hutasa-vaktram
sva-tejasa vishvam idam tapantam" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 19)
"Arjuna said: You are without origin, middle or end. Your glory is unlimited. You have numberless arms, and the sun and moon are Your eyes. I see You with blazing fire coming forth from Your mouth, burning this entire universe by Your own radiance."
"dyav a-prithivyor idam antaram hi
vyaptam tvayaikena disas cha sarvah
drishtvadbhutam rupam ugram tavedam
loka-trayam pravyathitam mahatman" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 20)
"Arjuna said: Although You are one, You spread throughout the sky and the planets and all space between. O great one, seeing this wondrous and terrible form, all the planetary systems are perturbed."
"sanjaya uvacha
ity arjunam vasudevas tathoktva
svakam rupam darsayam asa bhuyah
asvasayam asa cha bhitam enam
bhutva punah saumya-vapur mahatma" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 50)
"Sanjaya said to Dhritarashtra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna."
"arjuna uvacha
drstvedam manusam rupam
tava saumyam janardana
idanim asmi samvrttah
sa-cetah prakritim gatah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 51)
"When Arjuna thus saw Krishna in His original form, he said: O Sri Krishna seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, I am now composed in mind, and I am restored to my original nature."
"sri-bhagavan uvacha
su-durdarsham idam rupam
drstavan asi yan mama
deva apy asya rupasya
nityam darshana-kanksinah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 52)
"Sri Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear."
"naham vedair na tapasa
na danena na cejyaya
sakya evam-vidho drastum
drstavan asi mam yatha" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 53)
"Sri Krishna said: The form you are seeing with your transcendental eyes cannot be understood simply by studying the Vedas, nor by undergoing serious penances, nor by charity, nor by worship. It is not by these means that one can see Me as I am."
"bhaktya tv ananyaya sakya
aham evam-vidho ’rjuna
jnatum drastum cha tattvena
pravestum cha parantapa" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 54)
"Sri Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood, as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding."
"mat-karma-krn mat-paramo
mad-bhaktah sanga-varjitah
nirvairah sarva-bhutesu
yah sa mam eti pandava" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Eleven verse 55)
"Sri Krishna said: My dear Arjuna, he who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruit producing activities and mental speculation, he who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being—he certainly comes to Me."
Jai Shri Krishna
