Sacred Atlas
Bhagavad GitaChapter 11 · fol. XI
Hinduism

Chapter11The Vision of the Cosmic Form

◆ About this chapter

Chapter eleven of the Bhagavad Gita presents the pivotal moment wherein Arjuna requests to behold the universal form of the divine, revealing the cosmos as a transient manifestation of the Absolute. This vision, often termed the Vyuha or cosmic form, synthesizes themes of cyclical time, cosmic destruction, and the immanence of the divine within the material world. Situated at the narrative climax, this episode serves as a theological pivot that transforms the warrior's hesitation into a profound realization of duty and the nature of reality.

Translation:
About this translation
King James Version (1611)
1611 · Public domain

The most influential English translation ever made. Sometimes archaic, but the standard PD English text.

Translators commissioned by King James I of England, 1604–1611

If the splendour of a thousand suns were to blaze forth all at once in the sky, that would be the splendour of that Mighty One.Theophany 32Time am I, the mighty wrecker of worlds, set forth to subdue the worlds. Even without thee, all these warriors arrayed in hostile ranks shall cease to be.

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