śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
su-durdarśham idaṁ rūpaṁ dṛiṣhṭavān asi yan mama
devā apy asya rūpasya nityaṁ darśhana-kāṅkṣhiṇaḥ
Word meanings
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord said; su-durdarśham—exceedingly difficult to behold; idam—this; rūpam—form; dṛiṣhṭavān asi—that you are seeing; yat—which; mama—of mine; devāḥ—the celestial gods; api—even; asya—this; rūpasya—form; nityam—eternally; darśhana-kāṅkṣhiṇaḥ—aspiring to see;
English translation
The Blessed Lord said, "It is very hard indeed to see this form of Mine which thou hast seen; even the gods are ever longing to behold it."
Translation by Swami Sivananda
Hindi meaning
।।11.52।। श्रीभगवान् ने कहा -- मेरा यह रूप देखने को मिलना अति दुर्लभ है, जिसको कि तुमने देखा है। देवतागण भी सदा इस रूप के दर्शन के इच्छुक रहते हैं।।
Hindi rendering by Swami Tejomayananda
English meaning
Lord Shri Krishna replied: It is difficult to see the vision of Me that thou hast seen. Even the most powerful have longed for it in vain.
Shri Purohit Swami
The Bhagavat said, "This form of Mine, which you have just observed, is extremely difficult to behold; even the gods are ever eager to behold it."
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Detailed explanation
Lord Krishna says to Arjuna Though the gods long to behold the Cosmic Form yet they have not seen it as you have done. THey can never behold it.Just as the Chataka (a bird) longs for a drop of rain, eagerly turning its eyes towards the clouds, so also do gods yearn to behold the Cosmic Form but their wishes have not been gratified even in their dreams. Such is that marvellous vision which thou hast easily seen.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
Hindi commentary
।।11.52।। See Commentary under 11.53.
Swami Chinmayananda
।।11.52।। व्याख्या--'सुदुर्दर्शमिदं रूपं दृष्टवानसि यन्मम'--यहाँ 'सुदुर्दर्शम्' पद चतुर्भुजरूपके लिये ही आया है, विराट्रूप या द्विभुजरूपके लिये नहीं। कारण कि विराट्रूपकी तो देवता भी कल्पना क्यों करने लगे ! और मनुष्यरूप जब मनुष्योंके लिये सुलभ था, तब देवताओंके ल,ये वह दुर्लभ कैसे होता ! इसलिये 'सुदुर्दर्शम्' पदसे भगवान् विष्णुका चतुर्भुजरूप ही लेना चाहिये, जिसके लिये 'देवरूपम्' (11। 45) और स्वकं रूपम् (11। 50) पद आये हैं।
Swami Ramsukhdas
Key teachings
Lord Krishna says to Arjuna Though the gods long to behold the Cosmic Form yet they have not seen it as you have done.
THey can never behold it.Just as the Chataka (a bird) longs for a drop of rain, eagerly turning its eyes towards the clouds, so also do gods yearn to behold the Cosmic Form but their wishes have not been gratified even in their dreams.
Such is that marvellous vision which thou hast easily seen.
Spiritual significance
In Vishwaroopa Darshana Yoga (Yoga through Beholding the Cosmic Form of God), this verse belongs to the Gita’s teaching on bhakti yoga. Here the text presents that teaching through these words: The Blessed Lord said, "It is very hard indeed to see this form of Mine which thou hast seen; even the gods are ever longing to behold it."
Chapter 11, verse 52 is part of Vishwaroopa Darshana Yoga. In the English translation used on this page, it says: The Blessed Lord said, "It is very hard indeed to see this form of Mine which thou hast seen; even the gods are ever longing to behold it."
What is the spiritual context of this verse?
It appears in Vishwaroopa Darshana Yoga, a chapter associated with Bhakti Yoga. The cosmic form.
