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Chapter 11
As by these meritorious deeds, a man cannot be qualified to have a vision of the Lord's cosmic form, similarly His four-armed form, cannot seen by these means, (11/53), it can be seen only by exclusive devotion (11/54). Even the gods, are always eager to behold it. But there is a difference between the two forms. By having a vision of the four-armed form, a devotee can develop love and devotion for the Lord, but by beholding the cosmic form he is scared and so he cannot develop love and devotion. Therefore, the four-armed form, can be seen by unswerving devotion, while the cosmic form can be beheld only by His grace.
Evamrupah sakya aham nrloke drastum tvadanyena:- It does not mean, that Arjuna could view the cosmic form of the Lord, by any means, such as study of the Vedas or by rituals or by gifts, sacrifice or austere penance.. But it menas, that this form can be seen, only by His grace. Sanjaya, had also a vision of the Lord's cosmic form, but that was possible by divine vision, offered to him by sage Vyasa's grace. It means, that me grace of the Lord, saints and devotees, is more significant than the meritorious acts, of strivers. They shower their grace, on all of us without any motive.
Some people, have a misconception that the Lord did not reveal, His cosruic form to Arjuna, but He only told him that infinite universes, vast in a limb of His cosmic body. But actually it is not so. The Lord, Himself asked Arjuna, "Behold within this cosmic body of Mine, the entire creation" (11/7). When Arjuna in spite of his best efforts, could not behold it, Lord Krsna said to him, "You cannot see Me, with these gross eyes of yours; therefore I vouchsafe to you divine eyes" (11/8). Then the Lord, by bestowing upon Arjuna divine eyes, revealed to him His cosmic form. Sanjaya also said, "Arjuna saw in the body of that Supreme Deity, held in one limb, the whole universe with its manifold divisions" (11/13). Arjuna also having a vision of the Lord's cosmic form, said, "I behold, in Your body all the gods and multitudes of different beings, Brahma perched on his lotus-seat, Siva, all the sages and celestial serpents" (11/15). Thus, we see that Lord Krsna, by granting divine eyes, revealed to Arjuna His cosmic form. It was not by the eye of wisdom, that Arjuna perceived Him (Gita 13/34;15/11), it was only by divine eyes, that he beheld Him. The reason is, that by an eye of wisdom, one can distinguish the real from the unreal, but it is only by the divine eye that one could behold Him.
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