45. adrstapurvam hrsito 'smi drstva
bhayena ca pravyathitam mano me
tad eva me darsaya deva rupam
prasida devesa jagannivasa
(45) I have seen what was never seen before and I rejoice but my heart is shaken with fear. Show me that other (previous) form of Thine, 0 God and be gracious, 4 Lord of the gods and Refuge of the Universe !
There is not only the form of the Transcendent and Universal Being which is so terrifying in some of its aspects but also the form of Personal God, a mediating symbol of Godhead which is so reassuring to the terrified mortal. Arjuna, who is unable to stand the blinding blaze of light that devastates Krsna's whole being, wishes to see the more pleasing form. The Light which for ever shines beyond the worlds is also the Light within, the teacher and friend in his own heart.
46. ktritinam gadinam cakrahastam
icchami tvam drastum aham tathai
'va tenai 'va rupena caturbhujena
sahasrabciho bhava visvamurte
(46) I wish to see Thee even as before with Thy crown, mace, and disc in Thy hand. Assume Thy four-armed shape, 0 Thou of a thousand arms and of universal form Arjuna is asking Krsna to assume the shape of Visnu of whom He is said to be an incarnation.
The Lord's Grace and Assurance
sribhagavan uvaca
47. maya prasannena tava 'rjune 'dam
ripam param darsitam atmayogat
tejomayam visvam anantam adyam
yan me tvadanyena na drstapurvam
The Blessed Lord said :
(47) By My grace, through My divine power; 0 Arjuna, was shown to thee this supreme form, luminous, universal, infinite and primal which none but thee has seen before This vision is not the final goal of man's search ; in that case the Gita would have ended here. The fleeting vision must become
permanent experience of the seeker. Trance or samadhi is neither the end nor an essential element of religious life. The blinding flashes, the ecstatic flights must be transmuted into permanent faith. Arjuna cannot any more forget the thrilling scene he saw but he has to work it into his life. The vision only opens; it does not enhance. Even as we test and confirm what we see by the eye, by the evidence of other senses, the knowledge acquired by the vision requires to be completed by the other elements of life.
48. na vedayaynadhyayanaar na danair
na ca kriyabhir na tapobhir ugraih
evamrupah sakya aham nrloke
drastum tvadanyena kurupravira
(48) Neither by the Vedas, (nor by) sacrifices nor by study nor by gifts nor by ceremonial rites nor by severe austerities can I with this form be seen in the world of men by any one else but thee, 0 hero of the Kurus (Arjuna)
49. ma te vyatha ma ca vimuyhabadvo
drstva rupam ghoram idrn mame 'dam
vyapetabhih pritamanah punas tvam
tad eva me rupam idam prapasya
(49) May you not be afraid, may you not be bewildered seeing this terrific form of Mine. Free from fear and glad at heart, behold again this other (former) form of Mine.
samjaya uvaca
50. ity aryunam vasudevas tatho 'ktva
svakam rupam darsayam asap bhuvah
asvasayam asa ca bhitam enam,
i bhutva punah saumyavapur mahatma
Samjaya said :
(50) Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vasudeva (Krsna) revealed to him again His own form. The Exalted One, having assumed again the form of grace, comforted the terrified Arjuna
