Bhagavad Gita BG 11.46
Chapter 11, Verse 46 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रहस्तम् इच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव । तेनैव रूपेण चतुर्भुजेन सहस्रबाहो भव विश्वमूर्ते ॥
kirITinam gadinam cakra-hastam icchami tvam drashtum aham tathaiva tenaiva rupena catur-bhujena sahasra-baho bhava vishva-murte
Meaning
I wish to see You thus — with crown, mace, and discus in hand — in that very form, the four-armed form. Assume that form, O Thousand-armed one, O Universal-formed one.
Understanding
Arjuna's specific request. Kiritinam (the crowned one). Gadinam (the mace-bearer — the gada/mace). Cakra-hastam (with discus in hand — the Sudarshana chakra). He wants to see Krishna's familiar, beautiful, divine-but-not-terrifying form. Icchami tvam drashtum aham tathaiva (I wish to see you just like that — tathaiva: in just that way, in that familiar way). Tenaiva rupena catur-bhujena (in that very form, the four-armed form). Sahasra-baho (O Thousand-armed one — still addressing the Cosmic Form). Bhava vishva-murte (become/assume that, O Universal-formed One). The tenderness: Arjuna, having seen the Infinite, asks to see the Four-Armed Vishnu form — not the two-armed human form yet, but the gentler divine form with familiar symbols of protection and power.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| किरीटिनम् | kiritinam | wearing the crown/diadem |
| गदिनम् | gadinam | holding the mace (gada — one of Vishnu's four attributes) |
| चक्रहस्तम् | cakra-hastam | with the discus/chakra in hand |
| चतुर्भुजेन | catur-bhujena | with the four-armed form |
| विश्वमूर्ते | vishva-murte | O Universal Form, O One whose form is the universe |
| किरीटिनम् | kirīṭinam | crowned |
| इच्छामि | icchāmi | I wish, I desire |
| त्वाम् | tvām | You |
| द्रष्टुम् | draṣṭum | to see |
| अहम् | aham | I |
| तथा | tathā | so also |
| एव | eva | indeed |
| तेन | tena | with that |
| एव | eva | alone |
| रूपेण | rūpeṇa | form |
| सहस्र-बाहो | sahasra-bāho | O thousand-armed one |
| भव | bhava | become, appear |
| विश्व-मूर्ते | viśva-mūrte | O universal form |