Arjuna says:
Out of compassion for Me, You have revealed the most profound mysteries; this spiritual knowledge has completely removed my delusion.

O Kṛṣṇa, I have heard in great detail about the beginning and end of all beings, as well as Your inexhaustible glory.

O Supreme Lord, I know You are everything You have described Yourself to be. Now I actually long to see that glorious form of Yours, O Supreme Person.

O Lord, if you believe it is possible, then reveal Yourself completely to me, show me Your unlimited universal Self, O Lord of yoga.

Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
Behold Arjuna, there are hundreds and thousands of My divine forms, of different shapes, colours and sizes.

Arjuna, see the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Aśvin-kumāras and the Maruts. Behold the many wondrous things which have never before been seen.

See Arjuna, the whole universe with all the movable and non-moveable things, and indeed whatever else you wish to see, all existing in one place within My body.

But you will not be able to see this with your physical eyes. Therefore, I give you divine eyes. Behold My mystic power.

Sañjaya says:
Having spoken thus O king, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the great Lord of yoga, then revealed to Arjuna His supreme cosmic form.

There were innumerable mouths and eyes and many other astonishing features. There were numerous divine ornaments and scores of divine weapons held aloft.

He wore celestial garlands and garments, and He was anointed with divine perfumes. Facing all directions, He was full of wonders, resplendent and limitless.

If a thousand suns, each with blazing effulgence, were to rise all at once in the sky, perhaps that magnificence might be something like the radiance of that Supreme Being.

In that cosmic form, Arjuna saw the entire universe with all its divisions situated in one place, all within the body of the God of gods.

Then Arjuna, overcome with amazement, his hair standing on end, bowed his head to the Lord, and with palms pressed together, began to speak.

Arjuna says:
I see, O Lord, in Your body all the gods and the whole host of living beings. There is Brahmā sitting on a lotus, Śiva, the sages and the celestial serpents.

With Your innumerable arms, torsos, mouths and eyes, I see Your infinite form on all sides. There is no end, middle or beginning to You, for You are the Lord of the universe, and the universe is Your body.

I behold You with crown, mace and discus. Your blazing effulgence radiates in all directions. Even though You are everywhere, You are hard to look at, for Your brilliance is immeasurable like a burning fire or the sun.

You are the Imperishable, Supreme One to be realised. You are the Supreme Abode of this universe. You are unchanging; the Guardian of the Eternal Law, I know You are the eternal Supreme Being.

I see You without beginning, middle and end. Your creative power is infinite. You have countless arms, the Sun and Moon are Your eyes. Your mouth is blazing with fire, searing the entire universe with Your radiance.

The space between Heaven and Earth, and all the directions, are filled by You alone. Beholding Your awesome, yet terrible form, O Kṛṣṇa, the three worlds are trembling.

The demigods are entering into You, and some out of fear pray to You with palms joined. The different sages and perfected beings cry out, ‘Hail to You!’, as they glorify You with Vedic hymns and words of praise.

The Rudras, the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Sādhyas, the ViśvaDevas, the Aśvin-kumāras, the Maruts, the ancestors, and the hosts of Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Asuras, and Siddhas — all gaze upon You in amazement.

Your great form has many faces and eyes; there are many arms, thighs, feet. It has many bellies and dreadful fangs. O Kṛṣṇa, beholding this form, all beings are terrified including myself.

O Kṛṣṇa, on seeing You radiant and multi-coloured, touching the highest Heaven, with Your gaping mouths and huge glaring eyes, I am shaken to the core. I have lost all composure and peace.

Seeing Your mouths and awesome teeth, which are like the flames of cosmic destruction, I am completely disorientated and confused. Have mercy on me, O Lord of the Devas! O Abode of the universe!

All the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the other kings, Bhīṣma, Droṇa and Karṇa, along with the leading warriors of our side;

All are rushing into Your fearsome mouths with terrible fangs. Some are even caught between Your teeth and are having their heads crushed.

As the many rivers rush towards the ocean, so do these heroes of the world enter Your blazing mouths.

As moths rush irresistibly into a blazing fire, so too do people of the world madly rush into Your mouths to meet their destruction.

O Viṣṇu! Devouring all the worlds on every side, You lick them up with Your flaming mouths. Your brilliant rays scorch the whole universe, filling it with their radiance.

O Lord, with this fearsome form. Tell me who You are! Salutations to You, O Supreme God. Be merciful, You are the Original Person and I desire to know You. I cannot comprehend Your actions.

Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
I am Time, the mighty force which brings destruction to the world. I have manifested to destroy all these worlds. Even without you, none of the warriors gathered here for battle shall survive.

Therefore rise and win glory! Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They have already been slain by Me; therefore, you should act merely as My instrument, O great Archer!

Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa, as well as other mighty warriors, have already been destroyed by Me, therefore, kill them without hesitation. You shall surely defeat your enemies in battle.

Sañjaya says:
Having heard the words of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna placed his palms together and bowed down. Trembling with fear and awe, he paid his respects and spoke in a choked voice.

Arjuna says:
O Kṛṣṇa, it is right that the world is delighted by You and glorifies You. While the terrified demons flee in all directions, the hosts of perfected beings bow down to You.

And why should they not bow down to You, for You are greater than even Brahmā. O Infinite One, Lord of gods, O Abode of the universe! You are the Imperishable Brahman, the manifest and the unmanifest, and that which is beyond both.

You are the Original Godhead and the most Ancient Person. You are the ultimate support of the universe. You are the Knower and the knowable. You are the supreme goal. This whole universe is pervaded by You, O Lord of infinite forms.

You are Vāyu, Yama, Agni, Varuṇa, the Moon, Prajāpati and the great-grandsire; I bow down to You, I bow down to You a thousand times! Then I still bow down to You!

I bow to You from the front and the back! I bow down to You from all directions, since You are everything. O Lord who has unbounded power and limitless might, You pervade all beings and therefore are all that is.

Either through negligence or affection, I was unaware of Your majesty. Thinking of You as a friend, I spoke rashly and addressed You saying, ‘O Kṛṣṇa, O Yādava, O friend’.

Whatever disrespect I have shown You, while joking, playing, resting, while we were sitting or eating together, while alone or in the presence of others — I beg Your forgiveness, for You are beyond understanding.

You are the Father of this world, of all moving and unmoving beings. You are its Teacher and the One most worthy of reverence. There is none equal to You. How then could there be another greater than You in the three realms? Your glory cannot be matched.

Therefore, bowing down and prostrating myself, I beg Your pardon, O adorable Lord. Please tolerate me as a father does his son, a friend does his friend, and a lover his beloved.

O Lord! I am delighted that I have seen what has never been seen before, but my mind is overwhelmed with anxiety. Be gracious and show me Your other form, O Lord of the gods! Abode of the universe!

I wish to see You wearing a crown, holding a mace and discus in hand. O Viṣṇu! O Thousand-armed one! Show me once more Your four-armed form.

Lord Krishna says:
Arjuna, because of your deep love for Me, your faith, and your kind heart, I have shown you this form, my universal form, the brightest in all the universe.

Neither through the study of the Vedas, nor by sacrifices, nor by recital of the scriptures, nor by charity, nor by rituals, nor by strict austerities, can I be seen like this by anyone else but you in this material world, O Arjuna!

Do not fear or be confused anymore by looking at this terrifying form of Mine. Let it be finished. Let your anxiety subside and your mind be contented, behold again that other form of Mine.

Sañjaya says:
Having spoken in this way to Arjuna, Śrī Kṛṣṇa revealed His four-armed form. That great Being, reassured the frightened Arjuna, and then again Śrī Kṛṣṇa assumed His benign two-handed form.

Arjuna says:
Seeing this human form of Yours, O Kṛṣṇa, my mind is at peace and I have been restored to my normal state.

Lord Krishna says:
TIt is extremely difficult to behold this form of Mine which you have seen. Even the gods are ever longing to see it.

Not through the Vedas, nor by austerities, nor by charity, nor by the performance of sacrifices, can I be seen in the way You have here.

Only by single-minded devotion, Arjuna, is it possible to truly know, see and indeed enter into My Abode.

Whoever serves Me, regards Me as the highest, whoever is devoted to Me, is free from attachment, and shows no malice towards any living being, comes to Me, O Arjuna.