Bhagavad Gita 11.48 is Chapter 11, Verse 48, in Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga (The Universal Form). Below are the Sanskrit text, a transliteration, a plain-English translation and an explanation.
na veda-yajñādhyayanair na dānair na ca kriyābhir na tapobhir ugraiḥ evaṁ-rūpaḥ śakya ahaṁ nṛ-loke draṣṭuṁ tvad anyena kuru-pravīra
"Not through Vedas, sacrifice, study, charity, rituals, or severe austerities can I be seen in this form in the world of humans by anyone other than you, O hero of the Kurus."
What This Means:
Krishna lists what DOESN'T produce this vision: Vedic study, sacrifice, learning, charity, rituals, or intense austerity. NONE of these can grant THIS vision. Only grace, only to Arjuna.
Going Deeper:
This undermines spiritual materialism. No accumulation of spiritual practices earns this. It's grace, not achievement. Arjuna's devotion (not his austerities) opened the door.
How To Apply This:
You can't earn ultimate revelation through effort alone. Practice sincerely, but know that the deepest seeing is gift, not payment. Humility prevents spiritual entitlement.
Key Sanskrit Terms: