Verse 11.5

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 11.5:

पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ।
नाना-विधानि दिव्यानि नाना-वर्णाकृतीनि च ॥ ५ ॥

paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ |
nānā-vidhāni divyāni nānā-varṇākṛtīni ca || 5 ||

śrī bhagavān uvāca–the all-opulent Lord said; paśya–behold; me–My; pārtha–O Arjuna, son of Pṛthā; rūpāṇi–forms; śataśaḥ–by the hundreds; atha–and; sahasraśaḥ–thousands; nānā-vidhāni–variegated; divyāni–divine; nānā–various; varṇa–colours; ākṛtīni–and shapes; ca–and.

Śrī Bhagavān said: O Pārtha, behold My hundreds and thousands of various multi-coloured divine forms.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

“Initially, I will reveal to Arjuna the first puruṣa–Kāraṇodakaśāyī–who is My aṃśa, or partial expansion, and who is the indwelling witness of material nature. He is described in the Puruṣa-sūkta as having thousands of heads, eyes and feet. I will then make Arjuna understand My svāṃśa, or My own expansion, whose feature of all-devouring time is relevant to the present context.” Thinking like this, Śrī Bhagavān instructs Arjuna, “Be attentive.” In saying this, He directs Arjuna’s attention toward Himself. By using the two words paśya and rūpāṇi, Śrī Bhagavān is saying, “In this one svarūpa of Mine, there are hundreds of forms (hosts of opulences). Behold them.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Śrī Bhagavān, understanding Arjuna’s internal desire, is commanding Arjuna’s attention so He can show him His form as Antaryāmī, the indwelling witness of material nature. This form has hundreds of heads, eyes and forms as described in the Puruṣa-sūkta, and it is Śrī Bhagavān’s personal expansion (svāṃśa-rūpa). He also wants Arjuna’s attention so that He can show him the unlimited opulences existing in just one of His aṃśas, or plenary portions. In other words, on the pretext of drawing Arjuna’s attention, Bhagavān is blessing him to be qualified to see this form. Kṛṣṇa also addresses Arjuna as Pārtha, to indicate His personal relationship with him.