Arjuna wishes to see the Universal Form of God
arjuna uvaca
1. madanugrahaya paramam
guhyam adhydtmasamjmtam
yat tvayo ' ktam vacas tena
moho 'yam vigato mama
Arjuna said
(1) The supreme mystery, the discourse concerning the Self which thou hast given out of grace for me by this my bewilderment is gone from me. The illusion that things of the world exist in themselves and maintain themselves, that they live and move apart from God has disappeared
2. bhavapyayau hi bhutanam
srutau vistarago maya
tvattah kainalctpattraksa
mahatmyam api di 'vyayam
(2) The birth and passing away of things have been heard by me in detail from Thee, 0 Lotus-eyed (Krsna), as also Thy imperishable majesty
3 evam etad yatha 'ttha tvam
atmanam paramegvara
drastum icchami te rapam
aisvaram purupttama
(3) As Thou hast declared Thyself to be, 0 Supreme Lord, even so it is. (But) I desire to see Thy divine form, 0 Supreme Person.
It is one thing to know that the Eternal Spirit dwells in all things and another to have the vision of it. Arjuna wishes to see
the Universal Form, the visible embodiment of the Unseen Divine, how He is the "birth and passing away of all beings " X, 8 The abstract metaphysical truth should be given visible reality.
4. manyase yadi tac chakyam
maya drastum itt prabho
yogesvara tato me tvam
darsaya 'tmanam avyayam
(4) If Thou, 0 Lord, thinkest that by me, It can be seen, then reveal to me, Thy Imperishable Self, 0 Lord of yoga (Krsna).
The Revelation of the Lord
sribhagavan uvãca
5. pasya me partha rupani satago 'tha sahasrasala
nanavtidhani divyam nanavarnakrtina ca
The Blessed Lord said :
(5) Behold, 0 Partha (Arjuna), My forms, a hundred-fold, a thousand-fold, various in kind, divine, of various colours and shapes
The stupendous self-revelation of Divine power is manifested to Arjuna who understands the true meaning of the cosmic process and destiny. In M.B., VI, 131, it is said that Krsna appeared in His world-form to Duryodhana, who attempted to make Him a prisoner when He approached Duryodhana for a final attempt at reconciliation.
The vision is not a myth or a legend but spiritual experience In the history of religious experience, we have a number of such visions. The transfiguration of Jesus,[1] the vision of Saul on the Damascus Road, Constantine's vision of the Cross bearing the motto "In this sign, conquer," Joan of Arc's visions are experiences akin to the vision of Arjuna.
6. pasva 'dityan vasun rudran
agvinau marutas tatha
bahuny adrstapuravam
pasya 'scaryam bharata
(6) Behold, the dityan, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Asvins and also the Maruts. Behold, 0 Bharata (Arjuna), many wonders never seen before.
7. that 'kastham jagat krtsnam
pasya 'dya sacardcararn
mama dehe guddkesa
yac ca 'nyad drastum icchasi
(7) Here today, behold the whole universe, moving and unmoving and whatever else thou desirest to see, 0 Gudakesa (Arjuna), all unified in My body. It is the vision of all in the One. When we develop our full capacity of apprehension, we see that all (past, present and future) is present.
