The Gita

Chapter 11 · Verse 53 of 55

The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

विश्वरूपदर्शनयोग

Meaning

Supreme God Krishna spoke

The forms you have just witnessed of Mine cannot be perceived through the study of the Vedas, austerities, charitable acts, or yajna. (11:53)

Sanskrit

श्रीभगवान् उवाच

नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया ।

शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा॥

Word-by-word

न अहम् वेदैः, न तपसा, न दानेन, न च इज्यया

शक्यः एवम्-विधः द्रष्टुम् दृष्टवान् असि माम् यथा।

Commentary

God once again defines the scope of the Vedas and Vedic yajnas in this verse. Here, "yajna" refers specifically to Vedic yajnas, not in the broader sense of "any genuine spiritual pursuit" as discussed in Chapter 4. He further explains how these rare, personified forms of God can be perceived in the following verse.

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