Bhagavad Gita 11.50
Spoken by Sanjaya · Verse 50 of 55
इत्यर्जुनं वासुदेवस्तथोक्त्वा स्वकं रूपं दर्शयामास भूयः। आश्वासयामास च भीतमेनं भूत्वा पुनः सौम्यवपुर्महात्मा ॥
ityarjunaṃ vāsudevastathoktvā svakaṃ rūpaṃ darśayāmāsa bhūyaḥ| āśvāsayāmāsa ca bhītamenaṃ bhūtvā punaḥ saumyavapurmahātmā ||
Having said thus, Vāsudeva showed his own gentle form again — the Great Soul comforted the terrified Arjuna.
Word by word (3)
- ity arjunaṃ vāsudevas tathoktva / svakaṃ rūpaṃ darśayāmāsa bhūyaḥ
- — Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vāsudeva showed his own form once again · Iti = thus (end of quoted speech marker; marks the close of Krishna's direct speech V47-V49). Arjunam = to Arjuna (accusative). Vāsudevaḥ = Vāsudeva (Krishna; Vāsudeva = son of Vasudeva, Krishna's father; one of Krishna's most common epithets — used by Sanjaya throughout the Gita for the objective narrator's perspective). Tathoktva = having said thus (tathā = thus; uktvā = having said; gerund). Svakaṃ rūpam = his own form (svaka = own, personal; rūpam = form). Darśayāmāsa = showed (3rd person singular perfect form of the causative of √dṛś = darśaya; the -āmāsa = perfect tense marker = 'caused to see' = showed). Bhūyaḥ = again, once more. The narration's simplicity contrasts with the verses' rhetorical complexity: the cosmic form returns to the gentle form in one sentence — iti + svakaṃ rūpam darśayāmāsa.
- āśvāsayāmāsa ca bhītam enaṃ / bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā
- — And the Great Soul, having become gentle in form again, comforted the terrified one (Arjuna) · Āśvāsayāmāsa = comforted, reassured (from āśvāsa = reassurance, comfort; ā + √śvas = to breathe; āśvāsa = bringing back the breath = calming, reassuring; āśvāsayāmāsa = caused to be reassured = comforted). Bhītam = the frightened one (bhīta = past participle of √bhī = to fear; the frightened Arjuna). Enam = this one (accusative pronoun = him = Arjuna). Bhūtvā = having become (gerund of √bhū = to be/become). Punaḥ = again. Saumya-vapuḥ = gentle in form (saumya = gentle, pleasing, gentle as the moon — soma-like; saumya-vapus = gentle-formed; the four-armed or human gentle form as opposed to the ghora-rūpa = terrible form). Mahātmā = Great Soul (mahā = great; ātman = soul; one of the highest honorific epithets — used for the divine in its most majestic/vast spiritual dimension). V50 closes the cosmic-vision arc: the Great Soul who revealed the terrible-infinite, now in its gentle form, comforts the terrified human devotee.
- saumya-vapuḥ / āśvāsayāmāsa bhītam
- — Gentle-formed / comforted the terrified · The contrast of saumya-vapuḥ (gentle-formed) with the ghora-rūpam (terrible form) of V49 = the verse's structural key. The same mahātmā who was ugra-rūpaḥ (fierce-formed) in V11.31 and ghoram (terrible) throughout the vision is now saumya-vapuḥ (gentle-formed). Neither is the 'true' form — both are the One. The āśvāsa (comfort/reassurance) that follows the saumya form = the healing that comes after overwhelming revelation. The bhakti tradition reads this as the pattern of the divine relationship: the Absolute can overwhelm (viśva-rūpa) AND comfort (saumya-vapuḥ). The same beloved who terrified is the one who holds you afterward. Sanjaya's choice of mahātmā (Great Soul) for Krishna at this moment = the narrator's recognition: the one who comforts the terrified devotee IS the Great Soul — greatness includes the capacity for infinite tenderness.
Having spoken thus to Arjuna, Vāsudeva showed His own form once more, and the Great Soul, taking on a gentle form again, comforted the terrified one.
A modern analogy
Like a teacher stepping out of a profound and overwhelming teaching mode and returning to ordinary warmth: 'You okay? Let's just sit here together for a moment.' The same person, different register. The transition itself is the teaching.
Sit with this: After the most overwhelming revelation in the Gita, the Great Soul became 'gentle in form' (saumya-vapuḥ) and comforted the frightened Arjuna. What does it mean that the Infinite can also be tender? How does that affect how you relate to the divine?
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vasudeva again showed His own form; and the Mighty Being, becoming gentle in form, consoled him who was terrified. [1]
So Vasudeva, having thus spoken to Arjuna, showed again His own Form; and the Great-souled One, assuming His gentle Form, pacified him who was terrified. [4]
These words to Arjuna spake Vasudev, and straight did take Back again the semblance dear Of the well-loved charioteer; Peace and joy it did restore When the Prince beheld once more Mighty BRAHMA's form and face Clothed in Krishna's gentle grace. [7]
Vasudeva, having thus addressed Arjuna, again showed his own form; and the great-souled one, becoming gentle in form, pacified him who was terrified. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Overwhelmed with wonder, hair standing on end, Arjuna bowed and spoke to the God with joined palms.
I am Time, the world-destroyer — even without you, none of these warriors shall survive; they are already slain!
Arise and win glory! These warriors are already slain by Me — be merely the instrument, O Savyasācin!
Beholding Your gentle human form, O Janārdana — now I am composed; my mind restored, I have come back to my own nature!
A blind king asks what happened on the battlefield — and the Gita begins.
You grieve for those who should not be grieved for — and call it wisdom.
Verse 50 of 55 · back to Chapter 11