In Bhagavad Gita 11.17, Arjuna says he sees Krishna with crown, mace and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere, hard to look at, blazing like fire and sun, immeasurable.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रिणं च
तेजोराशिं सर्वतो दीप्तिमन्तम्
पश्यामि त्वां दुर्निरीक्ष्यं समन्ताद्
दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम् ॥ ११-१७ ॥
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakriṇaṃ ca
tejorāśiṃ sarvato dīptimantam
paśyāmi tvāṃ durnirīkṣyaṃ samantād
dīptānalārkadyutimaprameyam
English transliteration kireetinam gadinam chakrinam cha
tejoraashim sarvato deeptimantam
pashyaami tvaam durnireekshyam samantaad
deeptaanalaarkadyutimaprameyam ॥ 11.17 ॥
Translation / Meaning
I see You with crown, mace and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere, hard to behold on all sides, blazing like burning fire and the sun, immeasurable.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| किरीटिनम् kirīṭinam | with crown |
| गदिनम् gadinam | with mace |
| चक्रिणम् cakriṇam | with discus |
| च ca | and |
| तेजोराशिम् tejorāśim | a mass of radiance tejaḥ (radiance) + rāśim (mass) |
| सर्वतः sarvataḥ | everywhere |
| दीप्तिमन्तम् dīptimantam | shining |
| पश्यामि paśyāmi | I see |
| त्वाम् tvām | You |
| दुर्निरीक्ष्यम् durnirīkṣyam | hard to behold |
| समन्तात् samantāt | on all sides |
| दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिम् dīptānalārkadyutim | blazing like burning fire and the sun dīpta (burning) + anala (fire) + arka (sun) + dyutim (brilliance) |
| अप्रमेयम् aprameyam | immeasurable |
Word-wise Chanting
- ki–rī–ṭi–naṃ ga–di–naṃ cak–ri–ṇaṃ ca 11 syllables ki-ree-ti-nam ga-di-nam chak-ri-nam cha
- te–jo–rā–śiṃ sar–va–to dīp–ti–man–tam | 11 syllables te-jo-raa-shim sar-va-to deep-ti-man-tam
- paś–yā–mi tvāṃ dur–ni–rīkṣ–yaṃ sa–man–tād 11 syllables pash-yaa-mi tvaam dur-ni-reeksh-yam sa-man-taad
- dīp–tā–na–lār–kad–yu–ti–map–ra–me–yam || 11-17 11 syllables deep-taa-na-laar-kad-yu-ti-map-ra-me-yam
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 17
Context
Arjuna continues to describe the vision (11.15–11.31).
Meaning
Arjuna recognises the familiar emblems of Viṣṇu: crown, mace and discus. Yet the form is a tejo-rāśi, a vast mass of light, durnirīkṣya, almost impossible to look at, blazing like fire and the sun. It is aprameya, beyond all measure.
Even familiar sacred symbols are transformed in the vision. Behind every form of the Divine we know lies an infinite radiance.
In Practice
When you see a familiar sacred image today, remember the infinite radiance it represents.
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.