Gita Chapter 11 - Vishwa Rupa Darsana Yoga

[nikhil1707]

Sloka 7

No one can see the entire universe while sitting in one place. Even the most advanced scientist cannot see what is going on in other parts of the universe. But a devotee like Arjuna can see everything that exists in any part of the universe. Krishna gives him the power to see anything he wants to see, past, present and future. Thus by the mercy of Krishna, Arjuna is able to see everything.


Sloka 8

A pure devotee does not like to see Krishna in any form except His form with two hands; a devotee must see His universal form by His grace, not with the mind but with spiritual eyes. To see the universal form of Krishna, Arjuna is told not to change his mind but his vision. The universal form of Krishna is not very important; that will be clear in subsequent verses. Yet because Arjuna wanted to see it, the Lord gives him the particular vision required to see that universal form.

[sathiavathi]

Lord Krishna bequeathed the supernatural eyes of illumination to Arjuna. Now in this verse Lord the exhibited His almighty, omnipotent,transcendental viswa rupa or divine universal form.The description of this universal form is what is described in this verse and next five verses by Sanjaya, who was also given divine sight to see it by Vedavyasa.

VERSES -10 and11
In this verse Lord's viswarupa or divine universal form is described. This form possessed unlimited faces, eyes and wonders to behold along with dazzling celestial ornaments and gleaming weapons. This universal form was resplendent, self effulgent, infinite and all pervading, wearing divine ornaments and apparel, decorated with heavenly flower garlands and fragrant unguents all exquisitely scented. In every direction extensive wonders marvels and
miracles abounded unlimitedly.

[murugans61]

Hari OM

From the 9th verse onwards, we get a description of the universal form from Sanjaya. He pictures the Lord as a person with all divine ornaments shining with the brilliance of a thousand suns risen together. This is the description of the world only, divinized by the change of outlook. Every exalted object in the creation is an ornament of the Lord.

Pranams

[Arvind]

Hari Om,

Thanks to all for their reflections on Sloka 9-11.
Now let us see Slokas 12-14.

Word to Word Meaning: Arvind
Reflections : All

Pranams
Arvind

[Arvind]

Sloka 12
दिवि सूर्यसहस्रस्य भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता ।
यदि भाः सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मनः ॥

Word to Word Meaning:
दिवि = in the sky
सूर्यसहस्रस्य = of a thousand suns
भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता = were supposed to rise
यदि = if
भाः = splendor
सदृशी सा = like that
स्याद्भासस्तस्य = would be splendor
महात्मनः = of that mighty Being (great Soul)

Sloka Meaning:
If the splendour of a thousand Suns was to blaze all at once (simultaneously) in the sky, that would be like the splendour of that Might Being (great soul).

Sloka 13
Word to Word Meaning:
तत्रैकस्थं = There, resting in One
जगत् = the universe
कृत्स्नं = the whole
प्रविभक्तम = divided
अनेकधा = in many groups
अपश्यद्देवदेवस्य = saw of the God of Gods
शरीरे = in the body
पाण्डवस् = son Of Pandu
तदा = then

Sloka Meaning:
There, in the body of the God of Gods, the Pandava (son of Pandu) then saw the whole Universe resting in One, with all its infinite parts.

Sloka 14
Word to Word Meaning:
ततः स = Then he
विस्मयाविष्टो = filled with wonder
हृष्टरोमा= with hair splitting on end
धनञ्जयः = Arjuna
प्रणम्य = having prostrated
शिरसा = with (his) head
देवं = the God
कृताञ्जलिर = with joined plans
अभाषत = spoke

Sloka Meaning:
Then, Dhananjaya, filled with wonder, with his hair standing on end, bowed down his head to the God and spoke with joined palms.

Hari Om

[Schandra]

Hari Om

Shloka 9

Sanjaya describes the events to Dhiridirashtra. He refers to Lord Krishna as Hari to impress upon the king that Shri Krishna is none other than the Lord Vishnu Himself, hoping that the blind king realizes that the Lord is on the side of the Pandavas and will certainly embrace victory and should therefore call off the impending war.Sanjaya continues to use glorious terms to describe the Lord. The word MahaYogeswara is one who is endowed with great powers of purification. This purification is necessary to attain the divine eye to behold the Viswarupa of the Lord. Though normally this purification process takes a long time, the Lord with His powers bestows this on Arjuna instantly albeit temporarily. The Lord then goes on to show His form which is the greatest form since it is all pervading and all inclusive and is always present.

Shloka 10 and 11

Sanjaya describes the Viswarupam. All though he says that the Lord has innumerable eyes,mouths, Arjuna with his purification process learns to see all the mouths and eyes as that of the Lord. The innumerable wonders are all His as are the ornaments and the countless divine weapons that He is holding. These weapons are divine since they belong to the Lord and also since they are used to protect Dharma.
All the many divine garlands and apparel He adorns are His. His body is anointed with divine perfumes. The Lord has numerous faces facing every single direction. His limit cannot be perceived since He is limitless both in space and time. This Viswarupam is therefore the most wonderful of sights one can ever imagine to behold.

[sathiavathi]

verse-12
The unparalleled and incomparable nature of the supreme Lord's divine universal form is being
stated in this verse.The effulgence of this universal form is being compared to the simultaneous rising of surya-sahasrasya or thousand suns. This is to give a general idea of the magnificient splendour of Lord's phenomenal universal form manifested. This affirms that there is nothing else to compare with the visvarupa in the material existence.

verse-13
In this verse sanjaya describes how Arjuna behold the entire universe in the brilliant and wonderful form of the Lord. It was not that Arjuna saw only a perticular part of the universe,he saw the entire divisions of universe jumbled together in a confused mass . He saw the universe extended as it is , with all its details clearly defined.

verse-14
The sight of that majestic form of the Lord , full of innumerable wonderful sights,supremely effulgent and invested with infinite glory, created such a deep impression on Arjuna's mind that the sentiment the friendship that he had cherished for the Lord from his early days vanished and he looked very small in his own eyes in comparison with the infinite glory of Lord. He was inspired with a feeling of deep reverence for the Lord , and the intensity of that feeling reacting on his body like an electric current bent down his head at the feet of the lord.There after with joined palms He began to offer his praises to the lord with utmost humility and reverence.

[Arvind]

Verse 12
The effulgence of the Lord's Visvarupa or Divine Universal Form is being described. If in the heavens a thousand suns burst forth simultaneously all at once it could give an indication of the dazzling radiance and splendour the universal form and no other comparison is suitable. As 1000 suns rising simultaneously cannot be envisioned except by imagination and is practically an impossible reality it is difficult to envision. Thus the comparison infers that the universal form is beyond compare to anything ever seen or imagined.

Verse 13
Here in this Sloka it is said that Arjuna saw the entire world in the body of Krishna, this is the demonstration of the Many in One. The universe though may appear to be different in its various attributes is in reality One, or centered in the One and pervaded by the One Reality. This much is the essence that needs to be understood from this.

Verse 14
Having seen the magnitude of the Lord's glory , greatness and pervasiveness, Arjuna is filled with wonder , humility and devotion, therefore he bows down before the Lord with joined hands.

Pranams

[lakssg]

VERSE 9
Sanjaya now tells Dritharashtra as though giving him a last warning to prevent the war. Dritharashtra being the decision maker even at this point he can save his his children who are sure to face failure/ death in this war. Sanjaya is indicating this addressing lord Krishna as Maha Yogeswara who showed the whole universe to Arjuna . he tells the blind king- Krishna is none other than hari- the great Narayana.

Verse 10
Sanjaya now describes the divine universal form of lord. The lord showed a form which has millions and millions of mouths and eyes , endless wonderful sights, numerous divine ornaments and numerous divine weapons.

Verse 11
Sanjaya continues- The divine form is decorated with divine garlands apparels of different colours and varieties ,divine perfumes .lord is full of all wonders – incomprehensible , endless are his glories limitless. Whichever direction you turn you can see his face everywhere.

[Schandra]

Hari Om

Shloka 12

The radiant splendor of the Lord is described by Sanjaya in this verse. The sun cannot be viewed directly due to its brightness.this is the effect of the one sun sun that we see. Sanjaya uses this sun as the benchmark to describe the Vishwarupa Darshanam as being equal to a thousand suns shining at once! This comparison puts it in perspective and makes even the most lay person understand the incomparable nature of the Lord's Divine Universal Form.

Shloka 13

Arjuna sees with the help of the ' divine eye' the entire universe which is divided in manifold form, resting upon the infinite body of the Lord. This is a physical expression of Advaita.

Shloka 14

Due to the change in perspective and understanding brought about by the Viswarupa Darshanam , Arjuna is wonder struck at the magnificence of the Lord. He now has an extraordinary understanding of what he considered so far as just the ordinary world around him. This realization leading to the understanding of how small and insignificant one is in comparison to the Lord ,Arjuna bows his head and folds his hands together in total surrender to His grandeur.

[Arvind]

Hari Om,

Thanks everyone for their reflections on Slokas 12,13 and 14.

Let us now see Slokas 15-18.

Word to Word Meaning: Arvind
Reflections : All

Pranams
Arvind

[nikhil1707]

Sloka 9

Sanjaya said — Having thus spoken, Sri Krsna, who is the great Lord of Yoga, namely, the Lord of supremely wonderful attributes — Sri Krsna who is Narayana, the Supreme Brahman now incarnated as the son of Arjuna’s maternal uncle and seated as a charioteer in his chariot — showed Arjuna, the son of Pritha His paternal aunt, that Lordly form uniquely His own, which is the ground of the entire universe, which is manifold and wonderful, and which rules over everything. And that form was like this:


Sloka 10

A form aneka-vaktra-nayanam, having many faces and eyes; aneka-adbhuta-darsanam, possessing many wonderful sights; as also aneka-divya-abharanam, adorned with numerous celestial ornaments; and divya-aneka-udyata-ayudham, holding many uplifted heavenly weapons. This whole portion is connected with the verb ‘(He) showed’ in the earlier verse. Moreover,


Sloka 11

Divya-malya-ambara-dharam, wearing heavenly garlands and apparel-the God wearing celestial flowers and clothings; divya-gandha-anulepanam, anointed with heavenly scents; sarva-ascaryamayam, abounding in all kinds of wonder; devam, resplendent; anantam, infinite, boundless; and visvato-mukham, with faces everywhere-He being the Self of all beings. ‘He showed (to Arjuna)’, or ‘Arjuna saw’, is to be supplied. An illustration is once more being given of the effulgence of the Cosmic form of the Lord:

[Arvind]

Sloka 15
अर्जुन उवाच
पश्यामि देवांस्तव देव देहे सर्वांस्तथा भूतविशेषसङ्‍घान्‌ ।
ब्रह्माणमीशं कमलासनस्थमृषींश्च सर्वानुरगांश्च दिव्यान्‌ ॥

Word to Word Meaning:
अर्जुन उवाच = Arjuna spoke
पश्यामि = (I) see
देवांस्तव = all Gods
देव = O God
देहे = in your body
सर्वांस्तथा = and also
भूतविशेषसङ्‍घान्‌ = hosts of various kinds of beings
ब्रह्माणमीशं = (and) Brahma the Lord (of Creation)
कमलासनस्थमृषींश्च = seated on a lotus and also the sages
सर्वानुरगांश्च = and all the serpents
दिव्यान्‌ = divine

Full Sloka Meaning:
I see all the Gods, O God, in Your body, and (also) hosts of various classes of beings, Brahma, the Lord of Creation, seated on a Lotus, all the Rsis and celestial serpents.

Sloka 16
अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रंपश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम्‌ ।
नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिंपश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप ॥

Word to Word Meaning:
अनेक = With manifold
बाहूदर = arms
वक्त्रनेत्रं = stomachs, mouths and eyes
पश्यामि = I see
त्वां = thee
सर्वतो = on every side
अनन्त = of boundless
रूपम्‌ = forms
नान्तं = neither (your) end
न मध्यं = nor middle
पुनस्तवादिं = nor beginning
पश्यामि = I am (able) to see
विश्वेश्वर = O Lord of the Universe
विश्वरूप = O Cosmic Form !

Full Sloka Meaning:
I see Thee of boundless form on every side, with manifold arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes; neither Thy end, not the middle, nor also the beginning do I see, O Lord of the Universe, O Cosmic Form!

Sloka 17
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रिणं च तेजोराशिं सर्वतो दीप्तिमन्तम्‌ ।
पश्यामि त्वां दुर्निरीक्ष्यं समन्ताद्दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम्‌ ॥

Word to Word Meaning:
किरीटिनं = (the) one with a crown
गदिनं = and a club
चक्रिणं च = and the discus
तेजोराशिं = a mass of radiance
सर्वतो = everywhere
दीप्तिमन्तम्‌ = shining
पश्यामि = I see
त्वां = thee
दुर्निरीक्ष्यं = very hard to be looked at
समन्ता = all round
द्दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिम = blazing like burning fire and sun
अप्रमेयम्‌ = incomprehensible

Full Sloka Meaning:
I see Thee with a Crown, Club and Discus; a mass of radiance shining everywhere, very hard to look at, all round blazing like burning fire and Sun, and incomprehensible.

Sloka 18
त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यंत्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्‌ ।
त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे ॥

Word to Word Meaning:
त्वमक्षरं = You are the imperishable
परमं = the supreme Being
वेदितव्यं = worthy to be known
त्वमस्य = you (of) this
विश्वस्य = of the universe
परं = the great
निधानम्‌ = treasure house
त्वमव्ययः = you are the imperishable
शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता = protector of the eternal Dharma
सनातनस्त्वं = ancient
पुरुषो = Purusha
मतो मे = in my opinion

Full Sloka Meaning:
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 Purusa.

Pranams

[sathiavathi]

HARI OM

VERSE-15
What was seen in the supreme Lord's universal form is being described in this verse. All hosts of various beings and denizens from all over creation some viviparous, some oviparous, all different categories of living entities. The heavenly sages from the higher planetery systems are seen led by Vashistha and others as well as the serpents from the lower planetery systems led by Taraka and the ruler of demigods Brahma is seen seated on the Lotus arising from Garbhodakasayi Vishnu's navel. Siva was seated on the lap of Brahma.

Verse-16
Everywhere from every angle of vision could be seen infinite amounts of unlimited arms, stomachs, faces and eyes. The word Visvasvara means the Lord of the universe and the divine universal form denotes the supreme Lord to whom all the cosmos is a part of his transcendental body. As the supreme Lord Krishna is Ananta or endless it is understandable that he has no beginning , middle or end and this was perceived by Arjuna.

Verse-17
Lord's divine universal form is specifically mentioned as being adorned with unlimited diadems, unlimited sceptres, unlimited flaming discs and unlimited accoutrements. A beaming bright lustre in an effulgent mass of splendour. The visvarupa has the radiance of blazing fire and dazzling sunlight making it difficult to gaze upon and impossible to discern its immeasurable appearance.

Verse-18
Supreme Lord's almighty power is beyond material conception.He is the ultimate destination for the seekers of liberation from material existance. He alone is imperishable, the supreme salvation for all living entities. He is the supreme refuge for all creation. Lord Krishna is eternal , immutable , the preserver, the protector and the sustainer of sanathan dharma or the eternal spiritual principles of righteousness for all times and he is absolutely without a doubt the original supreme lord of all lords and created beings.

[Arvind]

Sloka 14
In the Supreme Lord Krishna's Visvarupa or Divine Universal Form could be seen all species of life. Those manifesting from wombs, from eggs, from seeds and from fermentation. The four faced Brahma seated upon the lotus flower emanating from the navel of Bhagavan Vishnu was seen along with Shiva sitting upon his lap and all the demigods can be seen on different parts of his body. Also great sages and rishis can be seen as well.

[Arvind]

Sloka 16

Arjuna says he saw in the universal form the Lord with many arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes. What it means is the Lord pervades everything. He is working through our arms, He is digesting through our stomachs, eating through our mouths and seeing through our eyes. Yet the insignificant and arrogant jiva out of ignorance says "I do everything'.
Not only does he pervade the animate, but also the inanimate.
Further Arjuna expresses that the Lord's Cosmic Form is so grand that no beginning, middle or end can be attributed to it. Akasa or space itself is unlimited extending millions of light years, what to talk of the Lord its Source! Even the galaxies millions of light years away appear as a peck of dust.

[Arvind]

Sloka 17

Arjuna now explains that he also sees the familiar form of the Lord as we know -see Thee with a Crown, Club and Discus; a mass of radiance shining everywhere, very hard to look at, all round blazing like burning fire and Sun, and incomprehensible.

The Crown of the Lord studded with gems is shining like the radiant sky above us. The Discus in your hand is spinning and is representative of the fact that the Lord wields Time. Time is known by Change, and Change is known by movement of day and night, which also rotate like the wheel. The club is representative of blowing punishment on those who do not follow Dharma or respond to their Higher call in themselves.

Also, there is a mass of radiance shining at all sides, burning like the fire and Sun, and therefore very difficult to see.

And yet this Vision of the Lord though expressed in language of words is inadequate to express in words. Therefore Arjuna says it is aprameya, incomprehensible for such a Vision cannot be captured by words of language.

[nikhil1707]

Sloka 12
What Arjuna saw was indescribable, yet Sanjaya is trying to give a mental picture of that great revelation to Dhritarashtra. Neither Sanjaya nor Dhritarashtra was present, but Sanjaya, by the grace of Vyasa, could see whatever happened. Thus he now compares the situation, as far as it can be understood, to an imaginable phenomenon (i.e., thousands of suns).

Sloka 13

The word tatra (“there”) is very significant. It indicates that both Arjuna and Krishna were sitting on the chariot when Arjuna saw the universal form. Others on the battlefield could not see this form, because Krishna gave the vision only to Arjuna. Arjuna could see in the body of Krishna many thousands of planets. As we learn from Vedic scriptures, there are many universes and many planets. Some of them are made of earth, some are made of gold, some are made of jewels, some are very great, some are not so great, etc. Sitting on his chariot, Arjuna could see all these. But no one could understand what was going on between Arjuna and Krishna.

Sloka 14

What happened after seeing Lord Krishna’s visvarupa or divine universal form is now being explained. After beholding this amazing form Arjuna overcome with wonder is astonished by the sight of this supremely transcendental and omnipotent reality. With hairs standing on end he prostrated himself upon the ground with hands humbly joined together

[Payyubg]

Sloka 15:

Arjuna is awestruck at what he sees. He is able to see all the gods and numerous other beings. He sees brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. He also sees serpents. In other words he sees the highest beings to the lowest beings , the entire universe within Bhagawan's Cosmic form.


Sloka 16:

In hit his next sloka Arjuna sees the oneness in all of Bhagawan's creations. There is no distinction between the various creatures. Non concept of I , you , he , she or it.
All he can see is countless arms and stomachs and eyes. He is unable to see a beginning, middle or end. All these creatures exist and dissolve in this oneness - which is the ultimate truth.

Sloka17:

Arjuna then sees the crown , club and the discuss. These are the symbols of lord Vishnu . Arjuna describes a very bright light just like burning fire and the sun, which is very hard to look at. This light represents the consciousness or pure awareness. Arjuna is unable to put into words what he is experiencing. He is overwhelmed by the experience and is unable to quantify, comprehend or articulate the magnificence of what he is a witness to. He feels his words are in adequate to describe what he is seeing.

Sloka 18:

Despite the overwhelming experience , Arjuna however , comes to realize and concludes that Bhagawan is the supreme being, he is imperishable, ancient purusha who is worthy of knowing. He is the treasure of the universe and the defender and guardian of the everlasting dharma. Bhagawan is the substratum who holds everything , but is changeless himself. He is the ultimate truth, the ultimate witness to everything and anything both tangible and intangible.

[Arvind]

Hari Om,

Thanks to all for their reflections on Slokas 15-18.
Let us now see Slokas 19-21.

Pranams
Arvind