In Bhagavad Gita 11.15, Arjuna says he sees in Krishna’s body all the gods, the hosts of beings, Brahma on his lotus seat, all the sages and the divine serpents.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
पश्यामि देवांस्तव देव देहे
सर्वांस्तथा भूतविशेषसङ्घान्
ब्रह्माणमीशं कमलासनस्थ-
मृषींश्च सर्वानुरगांश्च दिव्यान् ॥ ११-१५ ॥
paśyāmi devāṃstava deva dehe
sarvāṃstathā bhūtaviśeṣasaṅghān
brahmāṇamīśaṃ kamalāsanastha-
mṛṣīṃśca sarvānuragāṃśca divyān
English transliteration pashyaami devaamstava deva dehe
sarvaamstathaa bhootavisheshasanghaan
brahmaanameesham kamalaasanastha-
mrisheemshcha sarvaanuragaamshcha divyaan ॥ 11.15 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Arjuna said: O God, I see in Your body all the gods and the hosts of various beings; Brahma, the Lord, seated on the lotus; all the sages and the divine serpents.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| पश्यामि paśyāmi | I see |
| देवान् devān | the gods |
| तव tava | Your |
| देव deva | O God |
| देहे dehe | in body |
| सर्वान् sarvān | all |
| तथा tathā | also |
| भूतविशेषसङ्घान् bhūtaviśeṣasaṅghān | hosts of various beings bhūta (beings) + viśeṣa (various) + saṅghān (hosts) |
| ब्रह्माणम् brahmāṇam | Brahmā |
| ईशम् īśam | the Lord |
| कमलासनस्थम् kamalāsanastham | seated on the lotus kamala (lotus) + āsana (seat) + stham (seated) |
| ऋषीन् ṛṣīn | sages |
| च ca | and |
| सर्वान् sarvān | all |
| उरगान् uragān | serpents |
| च ca | and |
| दिव्यान् divyān | divine |
Word-wise Chanting
- paś–yā–mi de–vāṃs–ta–va de–va de–he 11 syllables pash-yaa-mi de-vaams-ta-va de-va de-he
- sar–vāṃs–ta–thā bhū–ta–vi–śe–ṣa–saṅ–ghān | 11 syllables sar-vaams-ta-thaa bhoo-ta-vi-she-sha-san-ghaan
- brah–mā–ṇa–mī–śaṃ ka–ma–lā–sa–nas–tha– 11 syllables brah-maa-na-mee-sham ka-ma-laa-sa-nas-tha-
- mṛ–ṣīṃś–ca sar–vā–nu–ra–gāṃś–ca div–yān || 11-15 11 syllables mri-sheemsh-cha sar-vaa-nu-ra-gaamsh-cha div-yaan
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 11 Verse 15
Context
Arjuna describes the vision in his own words (11.15–11.31).
Meaning
Arjuna begins to describe what he sees. All the gods, every kind of being, Brahmā the creator on his lotus throne, all the great sages and the divine serpents are present within the single body of the Divine.
The creator Brahmā himself is within the cosmic form. The Divine is greater even than the god who creates the worlds.
In Practice
Reflect that the source of all creativity, including your own, is within the Divine.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 11: Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga (The Vision of the Universal Form). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.