विवेचन सारांश

Viśvarūpa-Darśana - Arjuna Graced to see The Mystical & Magnificent Splendor of Paramātmā.

Arjuna acknowledged that Śrī Bhagavān has explained the topmost secret or the Supreme Knowledge of ātmā (guhyamadhyātmasañjñitam) to him as a blessing and out of compassion for him (madanugrahāya).

If one goes to a Jewelers shop and asks to see a very expensive diamond, it is unlikely that the Jeweler will show the diamond to the customer immediately. He will show him some small pieces and will try to gauge the capacity or patrata of the customer to buy the expensive diamond. Once that is established, the Jeweler will bring out the best of the best diamonds he would have in the high-security safe of the store.

Likewise, seeing the capability and greatness of Arjuna, Bhagavān Śrī Krishna had decided to reveal the topmost secret knowledge of the Vedas to him in Bhagavad Gītā. In this chapter, HE goes beyond what is mentioned in the Vedas and Upanishads and has decided to reveal, not in words but in actual revelation, HIS true self the Viśhwarūpa to Arjuna.

Bhagavāns words so far had worked as the light of enlightenment that dispelled the darkness created in Arjuna’s mind through moha, delusion and ignorance. So far, Arjun’s mind was clouded with ignorance that he was under the impression that he was the Doer of all actions. He was unaware, that Śrī Bhagavān is the actual doer, and that HE has already decided the end-result of everything that happens in the Universe. Further, he was deluded under the illusion that death was the final outcome. HIS words that ātmā is imperishable and cannot be killed, wiped away the web of delusion from his mind.

In fact, in the 18th Chapter, we will hear Arjuna say ‘naṣhṭo mohaḥ smṛitir labdhā’, wherein he acknowledges to Bhagavān that his illusion has been truly dispelled now.

In this Shloka, Arjuna continues to praise Śrī Krishna. He describes HIM as Kamalapatrākṣa, the one whose eyes are like the pious Lotus - Petals, an adjective not used anywhere else in the Bhagavad Gītā. With this phrase, Arjuna has praised Śrī Krishna’s Divya-Drishti, HIS divine vision through which HE purifies the visions of others too. He also emphasized that Bhagavān's greatness was Avyayam, ever-lasting, eternal and un diminishable.

In the 20th Shloka of Chapter - 10, Bhagavān had stated that HE is the cause of all Creation

aham ātmā guḍākeśha sarva-bhūtāśhaya-sthitaḥ
aham ādiśh cha madhyaṁ cha bhūtānām anta eva cha

or in the 39th Shloka, HE said, HE is the seed of all things, movable and immovable’

yach chāpi sarva-bhūtānāṁ bījaṁ tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vinā yat syān mayā bhūtaṁ charācharam

Taking reference to that Arjuna, describes Bhagavān as the beginning, the middle and the end of all existence in the universe.

Arjuna also acknowledges that Bhagavān has helped him come out of the delusion that he was the Destroyer of all in the war. He now understands that it is not HIM but the Parameswara, who like being the ultimate Creator is also the ultimate Destroyer.

This shloka also throws light on Arjuna’s intelligence. He secretly desired to see the Viśhwarūpa of Bhagavān. He thus approached Śrī Krishna gently, by describing HIM with adjectives like Avyaya and Kamalapatrākṣa.

Arjuna acknowledged that all that the Paramātmā has said so far was the ultimate truth. He also pleaded that having heard so far, now he wished to see that Cosmic form, HIS Divinity with his own eyes.

However, while one may have a desire to for example, to become a doctor or singer, it must be ascertained maybe through an entrance examination whether the desirous person has the eligibility or patrata to become as he wishes to.

Likewise, Arjuna cautiously qualifies his desire by adding that he was not sure if he was eligible for such a divine view or not in the next Shloka. This surprised Śrī Krishna, who was baffled that Arjuna wished to see more.

The emotions between Śrī Krishna and Arjuna are beautifully described by Dyaneshwar Maharaj ji. He beautifully describes how Arjuna managed to almost control Bhagavān Śrī Krishna through his devotion, his purity, his piousness.  He metaphorizes the relationship between Śrī Krishna and Arjuna as the deep love of a man for a beautiful woman wherein the man listens to and tries to fulfil all the desires of the woman.    

Similarly, Bhagavān is so pleased with Arjunas devotion and his purity, that he is willing to go above and beyond to fulfil his wishes.

While studying the Bhagavad Gītā, our aim is to Gītā Padhe, Padhaye Jeevan mein laye that is Learn, Teach and Imbibe the teaching of Gītā in our lives. For the third part that is to imbibe the teachings in our lives, we may have to sometime read in between the lines. We have to take note of the character of Arjuna and learn from him to have Bhagavān come to us, just like HE did to Arjuna.

In this Shloka, Arjuna very humbly and respectfully requests Paramātmā to reveal HIS imperishable form, only if HE determined Arjuna to have the eligibility to do so.

Interesting to note here is how Arjuna did not address Śrī Krishna as his friend, but recognized HIM as Yogeśvara, the Master of Yoga, who was capacitated to provide everything in the world; nothing is beyond HIM. Through this Arjuna subtly implies that even if he lacked the capacity, Bhagavān had the power to bestow the capability on him.

There is the story of Dnyaneshwar Maharaj ji and a male buffalo. Dnyaneshwar Maharaj ji as a child was challenged to prove his belief that all ātmās are the same and are connected. He was asked to the buffalo (incidentally named gnyanu) recite the Vedas that he was well versed in. Surrendering to Śrī Krishna, Dnyaneshwar Maharaj ji put his hand over the buffalo's head and started chanting the Vedas. Soon the buffalo too started reciting the shlokas, much to everyone’s surprise. Such is the power of Yogeśvara.

There is a beautiful Shloka from Śrīmad Bhagavad that describes the power of the Yogeśvara:

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande paramānanda-mādhavam

It says, by the grace Yogeśvara, even the mute can speak, and lame can climb mountains!

Arjuna was very aware of the power of Yogeśvara, and hence requested HIM to give him the capacity to view HIS true form.

Arjuna through this unwavering devotion had cast such a magical influence on Śrī Krishna, that HE immediately conceded to his requests to grace him with the Viśhwarūpa Darśhana.

Obliging Arjuna's fervent request, Śrī Krishna revealed HIS Viśhwarūpa - ultimate Cosmic form, composed of countless divine forms of different sizes, colours shapes and moods with  infinite glories; encompassing all that exists in the universe.

Bhagavān told Arjuna to look at HIM and behold 

• the 12 sons of Aditi,
• the 8 Vasus,
• the 11 Rudras and
• the 2 (twin) Aswini Kumars.

These put together are 33 koti. People often misunderstand the 33 koti Devatas described in our scriptures as 33 crores (numeric) Devatas. But in our scriptures, koti means the apex (prime) demigods that can be seen in the Cosmic form of the Paramātmā.

Beyond the 33 koti are the 49 Marutas and many more marvels never revealed before.

It is almost impossible to view the sun in our sky with the naked eye. Here was Bhagavān showing Arjuna the power and illumination of thousands of splendid sun, all at once.  

Arjuna was a very seasoned and well-travelled personality with high intellect. He had travelled to Swarga Loka as well as Patal Loka while in gross body. To him Bhagavān would now show HIS limitless and mesmerizing eternal Cosmic form, never ever seen before by anyone. What Śrī Krishna was revealing was way beyond anything that Arjuna could even perceive.

Here Paramātmā addressed Arjuna as Gudakesha and continues saying that the entire Cosmos was present in HIS self, and Arjuna should be able to see in HIS being, whatever can be imagined, including movable and immovable creations in the universe.

Bhagavān in this Shloka addresses Arjuna as Gudakesha. Gudakesha is one who has complete mastery and hence control over his sleep. By addressing him as Gudakesha, HE tries to remind Arjuna of his immense concentration power and how he should be active and listen attentively to what Bhagavān was saying.

This could be because, though Śrī Krishna was repeatedly asking Arjuna to see the Viśhwarūpa, Arjuna was not able to see anything. HE was repeatedly saying Pasya (to see) to Arjuna. Arjuna with a blank and baffled expression kept asking what to see and where to see.

Both were perplexed till Śrī Krishna realised that Arjuna was humanly debilitated to see HIS Cosmic form. He did not possess the power required to see Ishwar’s Celestial form.

There is a story of an elderly person who goes to the market and sees an Optics shop with a sign board which read ‘here you get spectacles to read’. The shopkeeper was also shouting and advertising the reading eyeglasses. The person on hearing the shopkeeper, got very excited and went inside to buy the spectacles that would enable him to read. The shopkeeper, after assessing the power, gave him a pair of glasses but the person could not read with those glasses. The shopkeeper then tried with a different pair, but that as well as other pairs could not make the man read. In the end, the shopkeeper exasperated asked the elderly gentleman if he was illiterate and even knew how to read. To this the person responded that he could not. Hence no spectacles in the would have been able to make him read!

Arjuna’s situation is similar to the elderly gentleman in the Optics shop. While all that he desires was right in front of his eyes, he was incapacitated to see it due to the limitation of his own human vision.

Śrī Krishna acknowledged that Arjuna was not able to see this Viśhwarūpa, with the limitation of his human vision.

We have our natural vision and then there is an enhanced vision. Like there are many microscopic organisms, which we are unable to see with our naked eyes but can see under the microscope. Similarly, we may not be able to see many stars in the sky without the aid of the telescope. The microscope and the telescope give us an enhanced vision.

Bhagavān decided to endow Arjuna with the enhanced vision through Divya Dhristi or the divine vision so that he would be able to view the Yogam aishwaryam  - the majestic opulence, the mystical and magnificent splendor of Paramātmā.

It is to be recollected that this is the second time the Divya Drishti appears in the Gītā. Earlier, before the start of the war, Maharishi Vedavyas ji had offered it to the blind king Dhritarashtra so that he could see the war between his sons and the Pāṇḍavas. But Dhritarashtra declined the offer since he did not wish to see the evils of the war in his old age. He therefore requested for it to be given to his aid, Sanjaya, who could then narrate to him the happenings on the battlefield. This enabled Sanjaya also to see the Cosmic form of the Paramātmā even before Arjuna could see it.

Let us now see how Sanjay is depicting this splendor in front of him.

Sanjaya beautifully described what he could see through his Divya Dhristi. He addressed Śrī Krishna as ‘Mahayogesvaro Harih’ because he could see Śrī Vishnu HIS ultimate Divine form, the Yogeshvar, the Hari. He says that the divine form he was witnessing was Param, the Ultimate. No other form can be more prosperous and divine than what he was beholding.

He informed king Dhritarashtra that the Master of Yoga, Śrī Vishnu bestowed the Divya Dhristi to Arjuna, and revealed HIS divine glorious form in its entirety.

Sanjaya elaborated that the Cosmic form he was beholding was divine with innumerable faces and eyes with different and distinct expressions, wearing divine ornaments, and wielding different weapons that were never seen before. It was a wonderful sight to behold!

The phrase anekādbhutadarśanam was used as an example to emphasize the importance of taking care about Dīrgha (long) & Hrasva (short) pronunciation during recitation of the shlokas. Adbhuta dharshanam means divine and wonderful sight. Making the Hrasva 'Bhu' into Dīrgha 'Bhū' will give a wrong meaning of Bhūta darshanam.

Sanjaya continues to describe the magnificent view he was beholding in front of his eyes never ever witnessed before. Countless divine garlands anointed with beautiful divine fragrance adorn HIS body. HE has revealed HIMSELF as the limitless entity holding everything. The Divine form of the Paramātmā is not limited by any space, it was infinite, and full of wonderment.

Such was the splendour of the form that it’s radiant blaze (bhava) so brilliant, equal to thousands of Suns shining together (yugapadutthita), and its magnificence beyond the capacity of one’s imagination.

This shloka was specially made famous by Dr. J Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the Atomic Bomb. He was an ardent seeker of Sanskrit language and the Shlokas. On 16th July 1945, when the first nuclear test of the Atom Bomb was conducted, Dr. Oppenheimer witnessing the blast from an aircraft quoted this Shloka to describe the fission generated blazing light and heat. Dr. Oppenheimer equated the reaction with the brilliant radiance of a thousand blazing suns in the sky described in this shloka.

This Sloka described how magnificently all different celestial bodies were visible inside HIS form. The entire universe is placed inside Paramātmā’s Being. It is not only the Celestial bodies, but Sanjaya further continued that different creatures with distinctly different features, were present in one place, that is, within the divine Cosmic form.

Arjuna was struck with amazement on seeing this majestic and breathtaking spectacle. Mesmerised & overwhelmed, he bowed down with folded hands to the Divine Cosmic Persona of Paramātmā standing in front of him.

Just by hearing these slokas, our mind is filled with immense admiration and awe. We can imagine Arjuna’s euphoria on witnessing this divine Viśhwarūpa. He was witnessing live the divine glory which Sanjaya too was viewing from afar through his Divya Drishti.

The difference however, between Arjuna’s and Sanjaya’s vision is like one witnessing a cricket match live on the ground sitting in the gallery and another viewing a telecasted version. The one sitting in the gallery will have a 360-degree panoramic view of the field whereas the one seeing the televised version would see only that on which the camera is focused.

What Arjuna sees is 'Vasudevah sarvam iti,' the existence of Paramātmā, HIS Divinity everywhere. Sanjaya however gets to see it like an event happening on the battlefield, akin to a televised cricket match.

Hence there is a difference in the bhava of the two descriptions. However, both descriptions are glorifying, and immensely blissful.

Wherever Arjuna’s emotion changes drastically in the Gītā, the chanda or meter of the shloka also changes from Anushtup to Trishtup chanda. This was observed in the 2nd chapter too, when Arjuna was drowning in sorrow and says

gurūnahatvā hi mahānubhāvān,
śhreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣhyamapīha loke
hatvārtha-kāmāṁstu gurūnihaiva
bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān

Similarly, emotionally charged with what he was witnessing in front of his eyes,  Arjuna starts singing in the trishtup chanda.

Arjuna started to describe the beautiful glory of the vision in front of him, in a melodious rhythm. He is awestruck with the splendorous view, never seen before in front of him.

The beautiful details of Arjunas account of what he sees will be covered in the next session.

The session concluded by offering the entire discourse at the lotus feet of Bhagavān Śrī Krishna and Param Pujya Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj.

This was followed by a Questions and Answers session and chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa.

Questions and Answers:

Neetu Giri Ji

Q: My son is in the 12th standard but is very distracted with mobile and friends, not utilizing his time properly in studies. This is making me very anxious too. How can I cope with such a situation in a calm manner?

A: I can relate to your situation completely. One problem is that we usually pass on our stress and anxiety to our children. In your case, it is good to see that you understand the issue at hand. Now let us consider that if you have an issue and turn to two friends for advice where one is calm and composed and the other is nagging and anxious. To whom would you turn too? Likewise, your son himself is probably fighting with his anxieties of the 12th grade. He would therefore welcome calm and constructive guidance from you rather than constant nagging on what he is doing wrong. Try to become his friend and have a
conversation at par instead of always lecturing him. That will increase your acceptance to him, and you will be able to reach his thought process and influence
him positively. Stay optimistic about him and try to find the best possible way to reach him.

MB Kaushik Ji

Q: Is there a difference between the Viratrūpa and Viśhwarūpa?

A: Yes, there is a difference between the two. Viratrūpa is a smaller form than the Viśhwarūpa.  Though huge Viratrūpa is finite whereas Viśhwarūpa is infinite. It is a small part of the Viśhwarūpa.

Q: If Paramātmā is Ajanma who is never born or never die, then why was Śrī Krishna born and has to die too?

A: Śrī Krishna ji is a personified form of the Paramātmā here. Ishwar has manifested in ront of us in the form of a mortal human being, Śrī Krishna. When we say that Śrī Krishna had died, it is his mortal form that ceased to exist. HE continues to exist in a form not visible to the limited capabilities of our eyes.

Anita Agrawal Ji

Q: What is the form Śrī Krishna had shown Mata Yashoda Ji in his mouth when he was eating mud?

A: In that case Bhagavān had not transformed himself. He had just shown the entire universe inside his mouth. Mata Yashoda Ji could see Nandagaon, herself and little Krishna Ji in his mouth. After showing her the vision, Krishna Ji realized that she would start worshipping him as Bhagavān and stop treating her as her son if she had recollection of this experience. So, he erased the memory of the experience from her mind. As such, this darshan is not known to have a name.