Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11
Arjun’s Prayer to Know the True Reality of God Kaal
Arjun’s Request to Know the True Form of God Kaal
Chapter 11, Verses 1–4
In Chapter 11, verses 1 to 4, Arjun says that although God has explained His position in many ways, Arjun has not fully understood it because his intellect is limited. The illusion in which Arjun considered Him to be merely his brother-in-law has now been destroyed, because Arjun became fearful, realizing that this was some other extraordinary power. Therefore, Arjun says that Your glory is infinite. Kindly tell me who You truly are and please reveal Your real, imperishable form.
Granting of Divine Vision and Revelation of the True Kaal Form
Chapter 11, Verses 5–8
In Chapter 11, verses 5 to 8, God (Kaal) says that Arjun cannot see this form with his ordinary eyes, therefore He grants him divine vision. Saying “Now behold,” Kaal Brahm reveals His true Kaal form and explains that everything has its place within His body.
Reflection: Just as all programs can be seen within a television, similarly the complete details of an entire universe can be seen within each human, god, or other body.
Sanjay’s Description of the Kaal (Vishvaroop) Form
Chapter 11, Verses 9–14
In verses 9 to 14, Sanjay describes the universal (Kaal) form: Arjun sees an infinite, colossal form with many eyes, many mouths, countless arms holding weapons. He sees a radiance like that of thousands of suns rising together. Witnessing this, Arjun is astonished, overwhelmed, and filled with awe and joy.
Arjun’s Eyewitness Account of the Kaal Form
Summary of Chapter 11, Verses 15–30
In verse 21, Arjun describes what he sees: the very same hosts of gods are entering Your mouths in fear. Some, terrified, fold their hands and sing Your praises; assemblies of sages and Siddhas chant auspicious hymns in Your glorification. That is, You are even consuming Your own worshippers.
From verses 15 to 30, Arjun says: O Lord, I see within Your body all the gods and all living beings, Brahma seated on the lotus, and all the sages. I see You with countless arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes, but I do not see any beginning or end. I behold Your terrifying form.
Others gaze upon You in shock and distress, and I too am deeply disturbed. O Vishnu, seeing this dreadful form, I am filled with fear and unable to find peace. All the sons of Dhritarashtra and the assemblies of kings are entering You. Some are rushing rapidly into Your mouths; some are being crushed between Your teeth; others are stuck there. Just as rivers flow into the ocean, so too the warriors of the human world are entering You. And just as moths rush into fire, all beings—gods, sages, Siddhas, and ordinary creatures—are entering Your mouths. You are devouring all the worlds—Brahma lok, Vishnu lok, Shiv lok, and all the fourteen realms—and licking Your lips again and again. The fire of Your body is burning the entire universe.
Arjun Asks: Who Are You Truly?
Chapter 11, Verse 31
Arjun asks: O Supreme among gods, O fierce one, I bow to You. Please tell me—who are You truly? I earnestly desire to know.
Important Reflection: Subhadra, the sister of Shri Krishna, was married to Arjun; therefore, Krishna was Arjun’s brother-in-law. Arjun asking “Who are You?” clearly shows that the being revealed was not Krishna. This proves that Kaal Brahm revealed the Virat form and Krishna disappeared temporarily. This is further confirmed when the Gita speaker Himself declares in Chapter 11, verse 32: “I am Kaal.”
The Gita Speaker Declares Himself as Kaal
Summary of Chapter 11, Verses 32–46
In verse 32, God Kaal says: “I am the mighty, expanding Kaal, the destroyer of worlds. I have appeared to annihilate these worlds. All the warriors standing in the opposing army will perish even without you.”
In verses 33–34, He says: “Therefore arise, gain fame, conquer your enemies, and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. All of them have already been slain by Me. Arjun, become merely an instrument. Fight.”
In verse 35, Sanjay says that a trembling Arjun, filled with fear, bows and speaks in a choked voice to Krishna—whom Arjun believes to be Krishna, though in reality it is Kaal.
In verse 36, Arjun says: “O Inner Controller, terrified demons are fleeing in all directions, and assemblies of Siddhas are bowing to You.”
In verses 37–38, Arjun says: “O Primordial Creator even of Brahma, O Supreme Soul, why would anyone not bow to You? You are the abode of the universe, beyond the perishable and imperishable.” (Arjun, in fear, is declaring Kaal as supreme.)
In verse 39, Arjun says: “You are the father of Brahma. Repeated salutations to You.”
In verses 40–44, Arjun says: “I have erred by addressing You casually as Krishna, Yadav, friend, or brother-in-law, and by speaking thus before others. Please forgive me. You are the greatest Guru; none is equal to You. Please pardon my offenses.” Arjun says all this in extreme fear.
In verse 45, Arjun says that seeing this unprecedented Virat (Kaal) form, he is both delighted and terrified. He requests to see the gentle divine form again.
In verse 46, Arjun asks to see Him again wearing a crown, holding mace and discus—O Vishvaroop, O thousand-armed one—please appear in that four-armed form.
This proves that the Gita speaker is thousand-armed Kaal Brahm. Shri Krishna was Vishnu, who has four arms. One who has four arms cannot manifest a thousand, whereas one who has a thousand arms can manifest four or two.
Attainment of Brahm (Kaal) Is Extremely Difficult
Summary of Chapter 11, Verses 47–48
In verse 47, Kaal says: “O Arjun, I have pleased you by revealing this boundless, primordial form, which no one before you has ever seen.”
In verse 48, He says: “O Arjun, in the human world, this universal form cannot be seen by anyone else through Vedic study, sacrifices, charity, rituals, or severe austerities. That is, I cannot be attained by any form of spiritual practice.”
Reflection: Kaal explicitly states that His attainment is impossible. In the Mahabharata, Krishna showed a Virat form to Duryodhan; yet here Kaal says no one except Arjun has seen this form. This proves that the Gita’s Virat form was shown by Kaal, not Krishna. Sanjay also narrates what he sees, further proving that Kaal is the speaker of the Gita.
Return to the Human and Four-Armed Form
In verse 49, God says: “Do not fear this terrible form. Be fearless and behold My peaceful form again.”
In verse 50, Sanjay says that God appeared again in human (Krishna) form and comforted Arjun.
In verse 51, Arjun says: “O Janardan, seeing You first in the four-armed form and now in human form, I have regained my natural, fearless state.”
Even the Four-Armed Mahavishnu Form Is Rare
Chapter 11, Verses 52–54
Kaal says that even His four-armed form is extremely rare and is longed for even by gods. This form cannot be seen through Vedas, austerity, charity, or sacrifices. Kaal resides in Brahmlok in the four-armed Mahavishnu form, which can be seen only by reaching Brahmlok.
This form is attained only through exclusive devotion to one deity—Kaal—abandoning worship of other gods and the three gunas (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva). The Virat form, however, cannot be seen by any practice.
Verse 54 states that even this four-armed form is attained only through exclusive devotion by one who understands Kaal’s true nature. Such devotion does not grant liberation; it only grants entry into Brahmlok, from where the soul eventually returns.
Exclusive Devotion Still Traps the Soul in Kaal’s Realm
Kaal says that His exclusive devotee remains within His domain. Even those who chant Om and perform Vedic worship attain Brahmlok but do not achieve complete liberation.
Kabir Sahib and Sant Garibdas explain that without true Naam given by a Tatvadarshi Saint, even Brahmlok cannot be attained permanently.
Meaning of “Matparamah” (Chapter 11, Verse 55)
The word matparamah means “one who worships a Supreme God superior to Me.” Kaal states that even those who worship a higher Supreme God using Kaal’s mantras remain trapped in Kaal’s realm. This is why Arjun later asks in Chapter 12, verse 1, who is superior—the worshippers of Kaal or of the imperishable Supreme God.
Conclusion
The Gita repeatedly states that this knowledge is extremely secret and can only be understood through a Tatvadarshi Saint. Liberation cannot be attained through Vedic rituals, austerities, or even exclusive devotion to Kaal. Only the method revealed by Kabir Sahib leads beyond Kaal to the Supreme God.