Out of compassion for you, I, dwelling within your heart, have revealed to you this most secret doctrine, understanding which you will be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

The manifestations of the material world and its dissolution are both fully explained by You, O lotus-eyed one, and by Your unchangeable self, which is beyond the perception of the material senses.

O greatest of all beings, O supreme form, if you think that I am able to see it, then O Lord of all mystic power, kindly show me Your universal self.

O Supreme Lord, if You think that I am able to behold it, then, O Lord of Yoga, please reveal to me Your imperishable Self.

Behold, O Arjuna, innumerable divine forms of mine, of various colors and shapes, adorned with divine ornaments and weapons.

Behold, O Arjuna, Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Asvins, and Maruts! Behold, O descendant of Bharata, many wondrous forms unseen before!

O Arjuna, now behold in this body, the whole universe, animate and inanimate, and whatever else you desire to see.

But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore, I give you divine eyes to see My majestic power.

Thus speaking, O King, the Supreme Lord Hari, the great master of mysticism, revealed his universal form to Arjuna.

With numerous mouths and eyes, with numerous marvelous sights, adorned with numerous divine ornaments, equipped with divine weapons uplifted.

He was wearing celestial garlands and apparel, anointed with divine fragrances, and dazzling with divine ornaments; he displayed many wonders, and was adorned with countless auspicious attributes, his faces turned everywhere.

If a thousand suns were to rise in the sky simultaneously, their radiance might resemble the effulgence of that exalted being.

There, Arjuna could see, in the universal form, the entire cosmos divided in many ways, contained within the body of the God of gods, Lord Krishna.

Then, overwhelmed with wonder and with hair standing on end, Arjuna bowed his head to the Lord and spoke with folded hands.

O Lord of Lords, I behold in Your body many gods, various divine beings, Brahma seated on the lotus, all the sages, and divine serpents.

O Lord of the universe, I see You everywhere with infinite forms, with many arms, stomachs, faces, and eyes. Neither do I see the beginning nor the middle nor the end of Your universal form.

Beholding You with a crown, club, and discus, a mass of radiance everywhere, I see You as difficult to behold, glowing on all sides, like blazing fire and the sun, immeasurable.

You are the supreme, the ultimate abode of this universe, the inexhaustible protector of eternal dharma, the eternal Purusha; and You are deemed by me as the imperishable transcendental entity to be known.

I see you with your body having unlimited power, without beginning, middle, or end; with eyes like the sun and the moon, and with a mouth as wide as a fire blazing forth, scorching the entire universe with your radiance.

Indeed, O mighty-armed Krishna, the whole world, including the celestial and terrestrial regions, is pervaded by You alone; seeing this wondrous and terrible form of Yours, the three worlds are perturbed.

Some among the celestial gods enter you with fear, while some extol you with joined palms, saying 'May it be well!' The great sages and perfected beings praise you with elaborate hymns of praise.

The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, and the twin Ashvins, the Maruts, and the Ushmapas, along with hosts of Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras, and Siddhas, all look at You in amazement.

O mighty-armed Krishna, seeing your great form with many faces and eyes, with many arms, thighs, feet, bellies, mouths, and terrifying with many tusks, all the worlds are perturbed, and so am I.

Your form is touching the sky, shining, of various colors, with an open mouth, and large shining eyes. Seeing this fierce form of yours, O Vishnu, my inner self is perturbed with fear. I do not find peace or courage, O Vishnu.

O Lord of the universe, seeing Your dreadful teeth and faces like the raging fire of doomsday, I am unable to maintain my composure or direction. Be gracious, O Lord of lords, refuge of the universe!

All the sons of Dhritarashtra, along with the allied kings, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and also our chief soldiers, are present here.

Your mouths are swiftly devouring all the warriors in the land with fiery flames, your terrifying glare making the whole world burn. Some soldiers are falling into your many mouths, their bodies torn asunder.

As the rushing currents of many rivers flow towards the ocean, similarly, these heroes of the human world enter into your blazing mouths.

Just as moths rush into a blazing flame for their destruction, similarly, these multitudes rush into Your mouths with a great force for their destruction.

As moths swiftly rush into a blazing fire to perish, so do these creatures run into Your mouths with great speed to meet their destruction.

Tell me who you are, so fierce in form. I bow to you, O Supreme Being; have mercy! I wish to understand you, the primal being, for I do not know your mission.

I am time, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people. With the exception of you [the Pandavas], all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.

Therefore, get up and attain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy an affluent kingdom. All these warriors have already been slain by Me, and you are only an instrument in My hands, O Arjuna, the archer (Savyasachin)!

Defeat Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna, and other great warriors who have already been destroyed by me. Don't be disturbed, fight! You will surely conquer your enemies in battle.

After hearing the words of Krishna, the terrified Arjuna, with hands joined, trembling, and bowing down, offered obeisance again and again and spoke falteringly to Krishna.

O Hrishikesha, the world delights and rejoices in your praise, and the Rakshasas flee in fear to all directions. All the hosts of Siddhas bow to you, and all the perfected beings sing your praise.

O great one, why should they not bow down to you, O supreme god, the original creator, even more deserving of reverence than Brahma? O limitless being, O ruler of the gods, you are the refuge of the universe. You are the imperishable, the supreme, to be known.

You are the primal god, the ancient Purusha; you are the ultimate sanctuary of this universe. You are the knower, the knowable, and the supreme abode. By you, O infinite form, the entire universe is pervaded.

You are the wind, the god of death, the fire, the water, the moon, the creator Brahma, and the great-grandfather. I bow to you, a thousand times, and yet again and again!

Salutations to You in front and behind! Salutations to You on every side, O All! O You of infinite prowess and infinite courage, You pervade everything, and therefore, You are everything.

Thinking of you as my friend, I addressed you as, "O Krishna," "O Yadava," "O my friend," without knowing your glories, bewildered by affection and friendship.

Whatever reverence you have shown me by way of greetings, lying down, sitting, or eating, I take full responsibility for all that, O Arjuna, and for your banter too.

You are the father of this world, the moving and the unmoving, and the greatest worshipable guru. There is no one equal to you, nor can anyone surpass you; O great power, greater than even the three realms.

Therefore, bowing down and prostrating my body before You, I implore You, O Supreme Lord, to grace me. As a father tolerates the impudence of his son, or a friend the familiarity of his friend, or a lover the misconduct of his beloved, O Lord, please forgive me for my offenses.

Seeing you adorned in such an extraordinary manner and frightening me, I am overjoyed yet my mind is disturbed by fear. Please show me again your divine form; O Lord of gods, O dwelling place of the universe.

I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, holding a conch, club, disc, and lotus in Your hands, adorned with a crown, and having a thousand arms, O Universal Form.

By My grace, O Arjuna, this form of Mine that you have seen is exceedingly difficult to behold. Even the gods constantly long to behold this form.

Not by Vedic study, sacrifices, charity, or rituals can I be seen in this form in the mortal world by anyone but you, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

Do not be disturbed or bewildered by seeing this terrible form of Mine, with your natural eyes. With a joyful heart, now see once again the same form that you desire.

Thus, showing Arjuna his divine form again, Krishna comforted him, who had become terrified and had once more assumed his gentle human form.

Having seen your gentle human form, O Janardana, I am now composed and restored to my own nature.

This form of Mine that you have seen is very difficult to behold; even the gods continually desire to see this form.

Neither by the study of the Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by charity, nor by sacrifices can I be seen as you have seen Me.

By undivided devotion, I am easily obtainable, O Arjuna, by that form of Mine which you have seen. This form of Mine can be understood and seen in truth, O mighty-armed one.

He who performs his duty without attachment, who is devoted to Me, who is free from attachment, and who is devoid of enmity toward all beings, that person comes to Me, O Arjuna!