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Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 11.2

Vishwa Roopa Darshana Yoga (The Yoga of the Vision of The Cosmic Form)

(Slokas 15-31)

When he saw the Cosmic Form of the Lord, Arjuna, filled with wonder, with his hair standing on end, bowed down and spoke the following words with joined palms in prayer position.

15. Arjuna uvācha:
paśyāmi dēvāṃs-tava dēva dēhē
sarvāṃs-tathā bhūta-viśēṣa-saṅghān
brahmāṇam-īśaṃ kamalāsanastham
ṛṣīṃścha sarvān-uragāṃścha divyān

Arjuna said:

I see all the gods, O God, in your body and hosts of all grades of beings; Brahma, the Lord of Creation, seated on a lotus, all the rishis and celestial serpents.

16. Anēka-bāhūdara-vaktra-nētraṃ
paśyāmi tvāṃ sarvatō'nanta-rūpam
nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na punastavādiṃ
paśyāmi viśvēśvara viśvarūpa

O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see in You, infinite forms, manifold arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes; I see in You no end, no middle and no beginning.

When Arjuna was able to see the Cosmic Form, (because of the divine vision that was provided to him by Bhagavan Krishna), he started describing the Cosmic form as follows:

Brahma, who is the creator of all beings, was seen. He was seated in the Lotus, which came out of the navel of Vishnu Bhagawan. All the Rishis and celestial serpents like Vasuki were also seen.

Arjuna said that he could not see the beginning, the middle, or the end of Bhagavan. It is obvious because as we learned earlier in chapter 10, the Lord stated that He is beginningless and unborn. Naturally, since He has no beginning, He has no middle and no end with reference to time or space. The Lord is beyond time and space.

Arjuna saw many mouths, many stomachs, and many eyes of the infinite form of the Lord. This represents the organs of all beings including human beings, animals and birds since the Lord is in every being as per our scriptures. The Taittiriya Upanishad describes how the Lord first desired to create and then did tapas (penance). Then He created the human beings and all other beings and then He entered into every one of them. The message of Taittiriya Upanishad Is that the Lord is in every one of us, and it is our responsibility as human beings in this birth itself to find God in ourselves and in every being in this world (human beings, animals, birds etc.)

This is called Realizing your true nature (or Self-realization). Our goal in this life itself is to Realize our true nature while living . This is called Jivan Mukthi (Realization while living ).

We have already seen in the earlier chapters about the different methods of achieving the goal of Self-realization. (Realizing that we are not this body alone, but we have divinity in every one of us)

The methods are

1) Karma yoga (selfless work for the benefit of everyone)

2) Bhakthi yoga (devotion), and

3) Jnana yoga (Self-knowledge or Knowledge of your true nature)

A person can follow any of the three methods or a combination of all three methods based on their mental makeup.

We must understand from the teaching of our Vedas that God is in every one of us and every one of us is in God (that is why Arjuna saw the entire universe and all the creations inside Bhagavan’s body)

17. kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ chakriṇaṃ cha
tējō-rāśiṃ sarvatō dīptimantam
paśyāmi tvāṃ durnirīkṣyaṃ samantād
dīptānalārka-dyutim-apramēyam

I see You with crown, club and discus; a mass of radiance shining everywhere, very hard to look at, all round blazing like burning fire and sun and immeasurable.

Arjuna saw the Lord with His famous discus, club, and crown and the shining radiance was so bright that he could not look at it straight. It was like a burning fire or sun. Vishnu Bhagavan carries in his hands the conch, the discus, the club and the lotus.

This is extremely symbolical. Each one of these represents some purpose as per Swami Chinmayanandaji.

“In India, the lotus flower represents peace and joy. The conch blows and calls the man to duty. If the generation does not listen to the higher call in themselves, (restlessness, wars, social and communal unrest visits them), then the club descends to shape and discipline the generation. Even after this punishment, if the generation does not improve, then comes the discus to annihilate the irredeemable generation.” --- Swami Chinmayanandaji

18. tvam-akṣaraṃ paramaṃ vēditavyaṃ
tvam-asya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam ।
tvam-avyayaḥ śāśvata-dharma-gōptā
sanātanas-tvaṃ puruṣō matō mē

You are the Imperishable, the Supreme Being worthy to be known. You are the great treasure house of this universe. You are the imperishable protector of the eternal dharma. In my opinion, you are the ancient Purusha.

Arjuna’s eyes get dazzled, even with the divine vision given by the Lord, and he was unable to recognize the Cosmic form in its entirety. Therefore, the cosmic form of the Lord is explained as immeasurable.

The universe is constantly created and also destroyed as per God’s Will as per our scriptures.

The different Upanishads describe in many ways how the universe is created and destroyed. But the Lord remains the same as before the universe was created and so Bhagavan is described in the scriptures as “aksharam” (Imperishable).

The Hindu dharma (or Sanatana dharma) is eternal. The Lord is the protector of this eternal dharma.

śāśvata-dharma-gōptā Sanatanas tvam means “You are the protector of Sanatana Dharma”.

The question arises in the devotee’s mind “How did Lord protect the Hindu Dharma?”

The Lord did this with His many avatars during the various cycles of creation.

The following are some instances where Bhagawan protected the Hindu Dharma:

1) He retrieved the Vedas from the demon Hayagriva in the Matsya (Fish) avatar.

2) He killed asura Hiranyakashipu (father of Prahalad) in Narasimha avatar.

The asura Hiranyakashipu , the sworn enemy of Narayana Bhagavan, had ordered the teachers of the children in his vast kingdom (Bala Vihar teachers) to erase the name of Lord Narayana and change it to Hiranyakashipu in the scriptures in every place. Thankfully, by Bhagavan’s Grace, that did not happen.

At this time, we should remember the following sloka from Bhagavad Gita:

“paritraanaaya saadhunaam vinashaaya ca duskrtaam

dharmasamsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge-yuge” (Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4, sloka 8)

“To protect the good people, to destroy the wicked people and to establish Dharma, I am born in each period of time or each cycle of creation (yugam), again and again”.

For further details of this sloka, please see chapter 4.

19. anādi-madhyāntam-anantavīryam

ananta-bāhuṃ śaśi-sūrya-nētram
paśyāmi tvāṃ dīpta-hutāśa-vaktraṃ
svatējasā viśvam-idaṃ tapantam

I see You without beginning, middle or end, infinite in power, of infinite arms, the sun and the moon being Your eyes, the burning fire Your mouth, heating the whole universe with Your radiance.

20. dyāvā-pṛthivyōr-idam-antaraṃ hi
vyāptaṃ tvayaikēna diśaścha sarvāḥ,
dṛṣṭvādbhutaṃ rūpam-ugraṃ tavēdaṃ
lōkatrayaṃ pravyathitaṃ mahātman

This space between heaven and the earth and all the quarters are filled by You alone. Having seen this, Your wonderful and terrible form, the three worlds are trembling with fear, O great souled Being.

We have already seen that the Lord has no beginning and so he has no end with reference to time and space. Arjuna sees that the entire space from earth to heaven and all quarters are Him and Him alone. Now, Arjuna says that the three worlds are extremely afraid of this infinite form of the Lord.

21. amī hi tvāṃ surasaṅghā viśanti
kēchid-bhaītāḥ prāñjalayō gṛṇanti
svastītyuktvā maharṣi-siddhasaṅghāḥ
stuvanti tvāṃ stutibhiḥ puṣkalābhiḥ

Verily, into you enter these hosts of devas, some extol you in fear with joined palms, “May it be well”, thus saying, bands of great Rishis and Siddhas praise you with sublime hymns.

Someone like Arjuna, the rajasic warrior, will be afraid of this infinite form of Bhagawan. But those who are very evolved spiritually like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa or Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi, will look at this form and marvel and say “swasti”. Swasti means “May it be well” meaning this too shall be for a particularly good reason that Bhagawan is showing this form. They will feel like this since they have totally identified themselves with the Lord due to their persistent meditation as in the case of Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi or intense bhakthi as in the case of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

It has been described in Bhagavata Puranam that when Narayana Bhagawan took the form of Narasimha, after he killed Hiranyakashipu, everyone was afraid to go near him including goddess Lakshmi. So, finally they approached Prahalada and requested him to pacify Bhagavan. It is stated that Prahalada was not afraid of Narasimha avatar, but he was very happy to see the Lord. He went near the Lord and sang hymns in His praise and Bhagavan became pacified.

Everyone in the jungle will be afraid of the king of the jungle, the lion, but the lion cub will not be afraid. Is it not?

Here, Prahalada is the lion cub and Bhagavan is the lion.

22. rudrādityā vasavō yē cha sādhyā
viśvē'śvinau marutaśchōṣmapāścha
gandharva-yakṣāsura-siddha-saṅghā
vīkṣantē tvāṃ vismitāśchaiva sarvē

The Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, Viśvedevas, the two Aśvīns, Maruts, the Ushmapas, the hosts of Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Asuras and Siddhas – they are all looking at You, all quite astonished.

Just a brief explanation of the above terms.

The Rudras here refers to the Spirits of destruction. Adityas are the suns. Vasus are the Lord of seasons. The spirits of the sky are Saadyas. The lesser Lords are visvedevas. The horsemen twins are Ashwins. The storm Lords are maruts. The hot liquid drinkers are usmapas. The heavenly musicians are Gandharvas. Yakshas, asuras and siddhas were also looking at the terrible form of the Lord.

23. rūpaṃ mahat-tē bahu-vaktra-nētraṃ
mahābāhō bahu-bāhūru-pādam
bahūdaraṃ bahu-daṃṣṭrā-karālaṃ
dṛṣṭvā lōkāḥ pravyathitāstathāham

Having seen your immeasurable form, with many mouths and eyes, O mighty armed! with many arms, thighs and feet, with many stomachs and fearful with many tusks, the worlds are terrified, and so too, am I.

24. nabhaḥ-spṛśaṃ dīptam-anēka-varṇaṃ
vyāttānanaṃ dīpta-viśāla-nētram
dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṃ pravyathitāntarātmā
dhṛtiṃ na vindāmi śamaṃ cha viṣṇō

On seeing You, with Your form touching the sky, flaming in many colors, with mouths wide open, with large fiery eyes, I am terrified at heart, and I find neither courage, nor peace, O Vishnu!

25. daṃṣṭrā-karālāni cha tē mukhāni
dṛṣṭvaiva kālānala-sannibhāni
diśō na jānē na labhē cha śarma
prasīda dēvēśa jagannivāsa

Having seen your mouths fearful with tusks, blazing like pralaya fires, I know not the four quarters, nor do I find peace, be gracious, O Lord of the devas! O abode of the universe!

26. amī cha tvāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ
sarvē sahaivāvanipāla-saṅghaiḥ
bhīṣmō drōṇaḥ sūtaputrastathāsau
sahāsmadīyairapi yōdhamukhyaiḥ

27. vaktrāṇi tē tvaramāṇā viśanti
daṃṣṭrā-karālāni bhayānakāni
kēchid-vilagnaā daśanāntarēṣu
sandṛśyantē chūrṇitair-uttamāṅgaiḥ

All the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, with hosts of kings of the earth, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa – and our chief of soldiers also – are rushing into Your mouths, with terrible teeth and fearful to look at. Some are found sticking in the gaps between the teeth with their heads crushed to powder.

If we look at the strength of the people who are killed, we can understand how difficult it is to kill them. Bheeshma due to his sacrificial oath, had the power to choose his time of death. Drona also was the most powerful archer. And Karna had the shakti, given to him by his father Surya (the Sun God). However, the Lord is more powerful than any human or any weapon, or phenomenal forces like Agni (god of fire) or Vayu (wind god), or Varuna (water deity), since all of them came from God Himself.

28. yathā nadīnāṃ bahavō'mbu-vēgāḥ
samudram-ēvābhimukhā dravanti
tathā tavāmī nara-lōka-vīrā
viśanti vaktrāṇyabhivijvalanti

Verily, as many torrents of rivers flow towards the ocean, so these heroes in the world of men enter Your flaming mouths.

29. yathā pradīptaṃ jvalanaṃ pataṅgā
viśanti nāśāya samṛddha-vēgāḥ
tathaiva nāśāya viśanti lōkāha
tavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛddha-vēgāḥ

Arjuna says, “As moths rush hurriedly into a blazing fire for their own destruction, so also these creatures hastily rushing to Your mouths for destruction”.

30. lēlihyasē grasamānaḥ samantāt
lōkān-samagrān-vadanair-jvaladbhiḥi
tējōbhir-āpūrya jagat-samagraṃ
bhāsas-tavōgrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇō

Devouring all worlds on every side with Your flaming mouths, You are licking (in enjoyment). Your fierce rays, filling the whole world with radiance, are burning, O Vishnu!

31. aakhyāhi mē kō bhavān-ugrarūpō
namō'stu tē dēvavara prasīda
vijñātum-ichchāmi bhavantam-ādyaṃ
na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim

Tell me who You are, so fierce in form? Salutations to You, O God supreme! Have mercy. I desire to know You, the original Being, I know not indeed your purpose.

Arjuna says that “all the devas and asuras are looking at you in fear and wonderment, at your open flaming mouth and fierce form“.

We should remind ourselves that it was Arjuna who asked the Lord to show his original form in the beginning. But then when the Lord shows Arjuna His fierce form, Arjuna gets frightened and asks the question as to who He is. Fear leads to the loss of discrimination, and it can do this to a human being.

Arjuna is used to seeing the compassionate form of Lord Krishna and also the philosopher in Lord Krishna when Sri Krishna explained how to progress in meditation, how to be detached and how to be the same to all beings. But he was not used to this terrible form.

A spiritually advanced Rishi or sage would appreciate the kinder, gentler form of the Lord and the terrible form of the Lord in equal manner. But Arjuna is not ready for this evenness of mind (samatvam) yet, since he's still a warrior. So, he asked the Lord “Who are You in this terrible form and what is Your purpose of showing me this Infinite form of Yours?”

The Lord answers His devotee’s questions and explains His purpose and who He is in this fearsome form in subsequent slokas.

We will see those details in chapter 11.3.

Hari Om!

Dr. Shanmugam