According to many commentators, this is the most exalted chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. Here Arjuna sees the divine vision of Krishna in his full nature as God himself, Lord of the Universe. Krishna actually shows the presence of the created universe in the mighty universal form of the Lord.
In it Krishna reveals Himself in all his terrifying majesty. Arjuna, not content with the account of Krishna’s “far flung powers” which were described in Chapter X, now asks to see the divine Self which does not pass away. Krishna grants his request and gives him celestial eyes with which he can behold his transfiguration.
And, Arjuna says in amazement: (sloka 16)
I see You everywhere, infinite in Form, with many arms, bellies, faces, and eyes; Not the end, nor the middle, nor yet The beginning of You do I see, O lord of all whose form is the Universe.
As the vision continues, Krishna grants his request and gives him celestial eyes with which he can behold his transfiguration. Arjuna then describes his awesome power and majesty, and the entire world rushing headlong into Krishna’s manifold mouths. Krishna then explains that he is the all-consuming Time and that, as such, He has already consumed the Kaurava hosts. Arjuna in terrified ecstasy, surrenders to the Lord and begs him to show him his human form again. Krishna upon resuming his human form again, moving between the divine and human planes, ends up telling Arjuna to worship Him with love that he may enter into Him who is the God within Arjuna.
At the end of the ninth chapter, Shree Krishna had told Arjun to fix his mind upon him and be devoted to him. To enhance that devotion, he wished to reveal further secrets about himself, which he did in the tenth chapter describing his various attributes and powers. Here in Chapter XI he gives Arjuna a vision of his divine cosmic form so he can understand the power and glory of the Lord manifest before his eyes. He concludes the discourse with the emphasis of the supremacy of the path of devotion. Devotion to Krishna’s real nature is actually devotion to our own real nature. His transfiguration is from his human form to the God within. To enter into God implies an intimate relationship. Krishna has a Divine reality as do we. We need to transcend ignorance of our real nature and realize the divine being within. All mortal life has a limited time span which is why Krishna gives Arjuna an external cosmic view of Time with the warriors perishing and going into the jaws of Time or Death.
Upon seeing Krishna’s Divine cosmic form, which is an epiphany, Arjuna renders the following slokas:
“41–42. Sometimes, because we were friends, I rashly said, “Oh, Krishna!” “Say, friend!” These things I said casually, openly. Whatever I said lightly – whether we were playing or resting, alone or in company, sitting together or eating – if it was disrespectful, forgive me for it, O Krishna. I did not know the greatness of your nature, unchanging and imperishable.
Now comes a moment of great tenderness, when Arjuna begs Sri Krishna to forgive him for forgetting his friend’s divine nature. How perfectly Arjuna represents us, for the instances he mentions in daily living are the very ones in which we too forget that the Lord is within us all” (Eknath Easwaran)
The important message of this chapter ends with two sublime slokas:
XI.54 “By undistracted devotion alone Can I be known, And be truly seen in this form, And be entered into Arjuna.
XI.55 He who doe all work for Me, Considers Me as the Supreme, Is devotedto Me, abandons all attachment, And is free from enmity toward any being, Comes to Me, Arjuna
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