BG 11.7 — Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 11.7Chapter 11 · Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · Guḍākeśa · anuṣṭubh

इहैकस्थं जगत् कृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम् ।

मम देहे गुडाकेश यच् चान्यद् द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ॥

ihaikasthaṃ jagat kṛtsnaṃ paśyādya sa-carācaram

mama dehe guḍākeśa yac cānyad draṣṭum icchasi

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

Look here, Arjuna: the entire cosmos, moving and unmoving, gathered in one place within my body. Whatever else you wish to see, behold it now.

ekras · bhāṣya

Here, in one place, see the entire moving and unmoving jagat, today, gathered in My body — and whatever else you wish to see. The verse closes the inventory's openness: not just the celestial classes, but the entire cosmos in one place, plus whatever else the disciple desires. Iha eka-stham — here in one place. Adya — today, now.

Shankara reads the verse as Krishna's encompassing offer. The whole jagat — chara-achara, moving and unmoving — visible in Krishna's body in one place, today. The disciple does not need to seek elsewhere; the entire cosmos is collected here. The closing yat cha anyat — whatever else — opens the offer further: anything the disciple wishes to see is included.

Madhusudana reads with characteristic precision: Krishna's body in this rupa contains the totality. The disciple's task is not to roam the cosmos but to look here, where the cosmos is gathered. The verse is structurally important: it precedes the divya-chakshu grant by making clear what that eye is being granted to see.

Ramanuja reads with characteristic warmth: the cosmic body of Bhagavan contains all that exists. The address gudakesha — conqueror of sleep — names the wakeful disciple who can hold what is shown. The whatever else clause includes any specific scene the disciple wants to behold — the chapter's later vision of the Kaurava-Pandava warriors fulfills this opening invitation.

Madhva reads on the bheda-frame: the entire paratantra cosmos is held within Hari's manifest sovereign form.

Vallabha reads through pushti-marga: Krishna's body in this rupa is the prasada made universal-visible.

Shridhara reads cleanly: one place, today, all things — the verse opens the visible field.

Context

where

Chapter 11 · Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna · vocative Guḍākeśa

preceded by — BG 11.6

See in Me the twelve Ādityas, the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the twin Aśvins, and the Marut hosts, Arjuna, and countless marvels no eye has ever seen before.

What's going on

Look here, Arjuna: the entire cosmos, moving and unmoving, gathered in one place within my body. Whatever else you wish to see, behold it now.

Sūtras through this verse (46)

AbhinavaguptaclassicalA

Knowing and acting are one powerbetween

7.1Together they cover everything to be known.───→here11.7───→11.18Sat names the union of the two powers.

RāmānujaclassicalB

The śāstra is one bracket (2.12 → 18.66)between

11.1Arjuna confirms the bracket from inside.───→here11.7───→18.66The teaching closes with one command.

VallabhaclassicalA

Two paths — rule-bound and grace-onlybetween

10.14Faith comes only from the Lord's own giving.───→here11.7───→11.55Grace-soul acts only when the Lord wills.

show all 46

AbhinavaguptaclassicalB

Recognition, not additionbetween

11.1Now: experience what was taught.───→here11.7───→11.55See the world as Śiva's own body.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalC

Vision is the structural centerbetween

11.1Instruction yields, experience opens up.───→here11.7───→11.8The eye is given, never earned by work.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departurebetween

9.4He pervades, yet is not in any of it.───→here11.7───→11.46Cosmic and gracious one self-luminous.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalG

Saṃvit: one referent under many namesbetween

8.3Brahman, ātman, all facets of one Lord.───→here11.7───→11.34Consciousness itself swallows the cosmos.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalH

Bhakti as non-dual recognitionbetween

9.22Consciousness tending its own self-knowing modes.───→here11.7───→11.49Ananya bhakti is non-dual recognition.

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)between

11.1The aiśvarya-delusion now to be removed.───→here11.7───→12.1Sa-guṇa or nir-guṇa, which path wins?

RāmānujaclassicalD

Karma-yoga as kainkarya (worship)between

9.27Whatever you do, do it as offering.───→here11.7───→11.55Five clauses, one shelter: mat-karma-kṛt.

RāmānujaclassicalE

Bhakti as continuous recollectionbetween

10.10I give the buddhi-yoga to those who love.───→here11.7───→11.54Undivided love beholds it.

RāmānujaclassicalH

Prapatti / śaraṇāgati — universal upāyabetween

9.32Even the lowest birth reaches Me through this.───→here11.7───→11.55Five clauses for the one who is Mine.

RāmānujaclassicalI

Vibhūti as evidence for antaryāminbetween

10.42One fragment props the world.───→here11.7───→11.13Arjuna sees all at once.

RāmānujaclassicalJ

Śeṣa-śeṣī · pati-vrata similebetween

9.34Set toward Me, the seeker's whole posture.───→here11.7───→11.55He is the one telos.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalE

Field and field-knower as Parameśvaraapproach

───→here11.7───→13.1One knower in every field — Parameśvara.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalI

Anugraha: grace as the active powerapproach

───→here11.7───→11.8The eye is given; seeing is grace.

RāmānujaclassicalK

Tri-guṇa diagnostic for the bhaktaapproach

───→here11.7───→13.20Both natures cause the body's binding.

Madhusūdanaclassicalmadhusudan_bhagavad_arpana

Madhusudan Bhagavad Arpanabetween · other

9.22Yogakshema as offering returned───→here11.7───→11.55Five offering-clauses

MadhusūdanaclassicalD

Offer the act to the Lord and it stops bindingbetween

9.22The undivided ones the Lord himself sustains.───→here11.7───→11.55The whole Gītā distilled to five offering-clauses.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesbetween

9.22Constant thought of Me is self-contemplation itself.───→here11.7───→11.55The five-clause crystal is bhakti named whole.

MadhusūdanaclassicalF

Every middle chapter opens with a bow to the teacherbetween

11.1I worship the unborn, the self-luminous teacher.───→here11.7───→11.55With awe I praise him, Kāśirāja, my teacher.

MadhusūdanaclassicalH

Krishna with form is the ground beneath formless Brahmanbetween

10.8From Me everything flows; wise ones know this and worship.───→here11.7───→11.55The crystal verse names the saguṇa in absolute form.

MadhusūdanaclassicalK

Arjuna's grief has two roots, not onebetween

11.1Arjuna marks the universal moha cured.───→here11.7───→18.73Confusion gone, memory gained — the cure complete.

JayatīrthaclassicalC

Refuting Śaṅkara-style readings, named or unnamedbetween

7.13Why this declaration? The gloss must answer.───→here11.7───→11.16Aneka- is not just two-or-more.

JayatīrthaclassicalE

Vishnu-sarvottamatva read into apparently neutral wordsbetween

8.4Adhiyajña clause: viṣṇur eva.───→here11.7───→11.16Many-armed is Viṣṇu, not a pantheon.

JayatīrthaclassicalF

Bhakti-tāratamya: gradation among devotees, gradation in fruitbetween

9.25Each worship reaches its own destination.───→here11.7───→11.55Five-clause sādhana names the apex.

JayatīrthaclassicalG

Citation as proof — śruti, smṛti, MB, Aṣṭādhyāyī, Pañcarātrabetween

7.5Parā-prakṛti backed by Pañcarātra.───→here11.7───→11.16Aṣṭādhyāyī 5.4.78 settles aneka-.

JayatīrthaclassicalI

Lakṣaṇā-control — literal preferred when availablebetween

7.5Surrounding clause picks literal Śrī.───→here11.7───→11.16Aneka- means many; no upacāra needed.

VallabhaclassicalB

Grace alone — the technical markbetween

9.32The unsheltered take shelter and reach Me.───→here11.7───→11.54Undivided love — sādhana stripped, grace-clothed.

VallabhaclassicalG

The Lord plays — calf-affection, not contractbetween

9.32The unsheltered run to their cowherd-Lord.───→here11.7───→11.54The form revealed is Krishna in blue, not abstract.

VallabhaclassicalH

Stilling the mind — into the Lordbetween

6.47Stilling the mind into Vāsudeva — not into nothing.───→here11.7───→11.54Vision opens only to the love-stilled mind.

VallabhaclassicalI

A closed three-source citation gridbetween

9.32Even the unsheltered reach the highest goal.───→here11.7───→11.54Bhāgavata + Brahmasūtra fuse at the vision-verse.

VallabhaclassicalJ

Strategic silence — pointers, not absencesbetween

1.31The despondency catalogue goes to Viṭṭhaleśa.───→here11.7───→11.21The cosmic-form catalogue is bracketed.

ŚrīdharaclassicalB

The Lord descends out of compassionbetween

11.1By high compassion He showed the world-form.───→here11.7───→11.43Teacher, and teacher's teacher beyond compare.

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homebetween

9.34Mind on Me, bowed to Me — you reach Me.───→here11.7───→11.54By undivided love alone — knowable, seen.

ŚrīdharaclassicalH

The grammar of single-pointednessbetween

9.22The undivided are my one foundation.───→here11.7───→11.54Undivided love alone unlocks the world-form.

ŚrīdharaclassicalD

The path that turns no one awayexit

9.32Women, śūdras, all, also reach the goal.───→here11.7───→

VedāntadeśikaclassicalB

Prapatti — bhakti's access for those the long path defeatsbetween

9.34Mind on Me, devoted — you reach Me.───→here11.7───→11.54Bhakti without rival is the seeing-instrument.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalF

Saṅgati — anticipation-and-resolutionbetween

9.1Chapter 7's residue of wonder forces 9's disclosure.───→here11.7───→11.54The saguṇa-bhakta privileged ahead of 12.1.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalJ

Sañjaya's frame — evidentiary, not ornamentalbetween

1.2Dṛṣṭvā tu — Sañjaya speaks to be heard later.───→here11.7───→11.50Sañjaya names the viśva-rūpa as witness.

Ekrasmodernbhakti

Bhakti — devotion pathbetween · v2

9.30Even the wrong-doer───→here11.7───→11.54Only by undivided bhakti

RamsukhdasclassicalF

Surrender — the single shelterbetween

9.30Even a great wrongdoer, fixed on Me, is good.───→here11.7───→11.55Five clauses join into one shelter.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here11.7───→

Ekrasmodernforgiveness

Forgivenessapproach · other

───→here11.7───→12.13Friendly, compassionate

Gauravmodernkarma_yoga_hand

Karma Yoga Handbetween

9.22Pinky finger. Shraddha, faith. Gaurav lands shraddha with the Sushma Swaraj six-───→here11.7───→11.32Wrist, kalai. Kala, time. 'Kalo'smi loka-kshaya-krit pravriddhah.' Gaurav arrive

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingbetween

10.42With one part I pervade this whole world, and stand.───→here11.7───→11.55Acting for Me, holding Me supreme — that is the road.

Śabda · lemmas (16 unique · 16 occurrences)

पश्य paś — to see (verbal root, suppletive of √dṛś) · present imperative 2nd person singular verb
देहे deha — body · locative masculine singular noun
गुडाकेश guḍākeśa — Guḍākeśa (epithet of Arjuna, 'thick-haired' or 'conqueror of sleep') · vocative masculine singular noun · also at 1.24, 1.25, 2.9, 10.20
इच्छसि iṣ — to wish, desire (verbal root) · present indicative 2nd person singular verb
द्रष्टुम् dṛś — to see (verbal root) · infinitive · also at 11.3, 11.4, 11.8, 11.46, 11.54

show all 16

इह iha — here, in this world, in this life
एकस्थम् ekastha — standing as one, situated together (eka + stha) · accusative neuter singular noun
जगत् jagant — the world, the moving (universe) · accusative neuter singular noun
कृत्स्नम् kṛtsna — whole, entire, complete · accusative neuter singular noun
अद्य adya — today, now
स sa — with, having (prefix); also: he, that (pronoun)
चराचरम् carācara — moving and unmoving (cara + acara); all creation · accusative neuter singular noun
मम mad — I, me (1st person pronoun stem); also: to rejoice (verbal root) · genitive singular noun
यत् yad — which, who (relative pronoun) · accusative neuter singular noun
च ca — and; (homonym: also the consonant ca)
अन्यत् anya — other, different · accusative neuter singular noun

Praśna · so what (7)

01If the entire cosmos — including outcomes not yet decided — is already visible in a single locus, what does that say about the nature of time and anticipation? Is waiting for the future a form of not-seeing?
02Śaṅkara ties 'anyat' to Arjuna's earlier anxiety (BG 2.6: 'jayema yadi vā no jayeyuḥ') — does this verse suggest that strategic uncertainty and metaphysical uncertainty share the same cure?

show all 7

03Vallabha insists the vision is of a real cosmos (not māyā), citing Brahma-Sūtra. Śaṅkara reads toward non-duality. Can a single vision-event be simultaneously a disclosure of reality and a disclosure of its non-ultimate status?
04The word 'adya' (now, today) appears alongside what Śrīdhara says would require crores of years otherwise. What is being claimed about the relationship between grace (or yoga-śakti) and ordinary cognitive time?
05The cosmic form is shown in a body (dehe), not as an abstract philosophical proposition. What does it mean that the Gītā's highest metaphysical claim is made visually and somatically rather than syllogistically?
06Rāmānuja's 'ekadeśa' (single region of the body) means the cosmos is less than the whole of Bhagavān. If the universe is a subset of God rather than coextensive with Him, how does prayer or petition function?
07Madhusūdana frames the vision as 'saṃdeha-ucchedāya' (for the cutting of doubt). Does this suggest that the Viśvarūpa chapter is primarily therapeutic — addressed to a doubting mind — rather than cosmological?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When you feel scattered — pulled between past regret and future anxiety — notice that all of it is arising in a single field of awareness right now. The practice: before acting, pause for one breath and locate the anxiety. It is not 'out there in the future'; it is here, in present cognition. Arjuna's jayaparājaya worry was always already contained in this moment. You do not need more information; you need a different relationship to what is already present.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

When a situation feels overwhelming in its complexity — a project, a family crisis, a career decision — remember Rāmānuja's 'ekadeśa': the whole of it fits within a single region of Bhagavān's body, which means it is already held and bounded. Your kainkarya (service) is not to comprehend the totality but to act faithfully within your portion. The overwhelm is a perceptual error about scale, not a true measure of the burden.

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Dvaita

Humility in expertise: however skilled you become, you are viewing a cosmos that Hari contains entirely, while you remain a dependent witness within it. This is not cause for paralysis but for non-possessiveness about outcomes. You do the work; the result belongs to the One who holds the whole. In practical terms: diligence without proprietary attachment to results.

Śuddhādvaita

Vallabha's insistence that the cosmos is real (not illusory) has a daily corollary: engage fully with the material world as Kṛṣṇa's body. The person you are serving, the object you are making, the meal you are preparing — these are limbs of the akṣara-svarūpa. Puṣṭi-mārga practice means that ordinary household acts become prasāda-reception when oriented toward this recognition.

Bhakti

Śrīdhara's image of wandering for crores of years without seeing what is available right now is a diagnosis of distracted attention. The everyday application: much of what we seek in books, teachers, travel, and accumulation is available in the present moment of sincere inquiry. The question is whether we are asking from scattered motion or from the stillness of 'adya adhunā eva.' Begin the conversation, the meditation, the difficult relationship — now, not after further preparation.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusūdana's 'saṃdeha-ucchedāya paśya' (look, for the cutting of doubt) suggests a practice for decision paralysis: instead of gathering more data, turn toward the source of the uncertainty itself. What is the doubt actually about? Often the strategic question (should I act?) conceals an existential one (am I capable, am I worthy?). Madhusūdana's synthesis says: the devotional act of truly looking — at Kṛṣṇa, at the situation, at oneself — cuts the doubt that more thinking cannot resolve.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 11, Verse 7: Krishna to Arjuna — Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga