Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 22 (BG 11.22) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

Arjun continues his description, asking whether the celestial beings who govern the natural laws and forces—those very deities who were worshipped and revered in the Vedic age—are also among those witnessing this divine form? All of them gazed upon this manifestation in wonder and astonishment. We have already described most of the deities mentioned in this verse in the preceding chapters. The new names introduced here are the Sadhya, the Vishvadevas, and the Ushmaapa. Because we remain unfamiliar with the meanings of these terms today, this verse may not appear meaningful to us. However, Arjun, being a man of the Vedic age and a devoted student of the Vedas, was well acquainted with all of these, and therefore his language could naturally be so. We need only observe what effect the vision of this cosmic form had upon Arjun, and what was the response of the various celestial beings, sages, and others. Each one beheld and understood this boundless form—this formless yet manifest cosmic presence—according to the nature of their own mind. By providing increasingly detailed descriptions, Arjun endeavors to paint a clear picture of the cosmic being upon the canvas of his listeners' hearts.