:: Chapter 11 ::  The Universal Form

Text 1

arjuna uvaca
mad-anugrahaya paramam
guhyam adhyatma-samjnitam
yat tvayoktam vacas tena
moho 'yam vigato mama

Synonyms

arjunah uvaca--Arjuna said; mat-anugrahaya- just to show me favor; paramam--supreme; guhyam--confidential subject; adhyatma--spiritual; samjnitam--in the matter of; yat--what; tvaya--by You; uktam--said; vacah--words; tena--by that; mohah--illusion; ayam--this; vigatah--is removed; mama--my.

Translation

Arjuna said: By my hearing the instructions you have kindly given me about these most confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now been dispelled.

Purport

This chapter reveals Krisna as the cause of all causes. He is even the cause of the Maha-Visnu, from whom the material universes emanate. Krisna is not an incarnation; He is the source of all incarnations. That has been completely explained in the last chapter.

Now, as far as Arjuna is concerned, he says that his illusion is over. This means that Arjuna no longer thinks of Krisna as a mere human being, as a friend of his, but as the source of everything. Arjuna is very enlightened and is glad that he has such a great friend as Krisna, but now he is thinking that although he may accept Krisna as the source of everything, others may not. So in order to establish Krisna’s divinity for all, he is requesting Krisna in this chapter to show His universal form. Actually when one sees the universal form of Krisna one becomes frightened, like Arjuna, but Krisna is so kind that after showing it He converts Himself again into His original form. Arjuna agrees to what Krisna has several times said: Krisna is speaking to him just for his benefit. So Arjuna acknowledges that all this is happening to him by Krisna’s grace. He is now convinced that Krisna is the cause of all causes and is present in everyone's heart as the Super soul.

Text 2

bhavapyayau hi bhutanam
srutau vistaraso maya
tvattah kamala-patraksa
mahatmyam api cavyayam

Synonyms

bhava--appearance; apyayau--disappearance; hi--certainly; bhutanam--of all living entities; srutau--have been heard; vistarasah--in detail; maya--by me; tvattah--from You; kamala-patra-aksa--O lotus-eyed one; mahatmyam--glories; api--also; ca--and; avyayam--inexhaustible.

Translation

O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity and have realized Your inexhaustible glories.

Purport

Arjuna addresses Lord Krisna as "lotus-eyed" (Krisna’s eyes appear just like the petals of a lotus flower) out of his joy, for Krisna has assured him, in the previous chapter, aham krtsnasyajagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha: "I am the source of the appearance and disappearance of this entire material manifestation." Arjuna has heard of this from the Lord in detail. Arjuna further knows that in spite of His being the source of all appearances and disappearances, He is aloof from them. As the Lord has said in the Ninth Chapter, He is all-pervading, yet He is not personally present everywhere. That is the inconceivable opulence of Krisna which Arjuna admits that he has thoroughly understood.

Text 3

evam etad yathattha tvam
atmanam paramesvara
drastum icchami te rupam
aisvaram purusottama

Synonyms

evam--thus; etat--this; yatha--as it is; attha--have spoken; tvam--You; atmanam--Yourself; parama-isvara--O Supreme Lord; drastum--to see; icchami--I wish; te--Your; rupam--form; aisvaram--divine; purusa-uttama--O best of personalities.

Translation

O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see You here before me in Your actual position, as You have described Yourself, I wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of yours.

Purport

The Lord said that because He entered into the material universe by His personal representation, the cosmic manifestation has been made possible and is going on. Now as far as Arjuna is concerned, he is inspired by the statements of Krisna, but in order to convince others in the future who may think that Krisna is an ordinary person, Arjuna desires to see Him actually in His universal form, to see how He is acting from within the universe, although He is apart from it. Arjuna's addressing the Lord as purusottama is also significant. Since the Lord is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is present within Arjuna himself; therefore He knows the desire of Arjuna, and He can understand that Arjuna has no special desire to see Him in His universal form, for Arjuna is completely satisfied to see Him in His personal form of Krisna. But the Lord can understand also that Arjuna wants to see the universal form to convince others. Arjuna did not have any personal desire for confirmation. Krisna also understands that Arjuna wants to see the universal form to set a criterion, for in the future there would be so many imposters who would pose themselves as incarnations of God. The people, therefore, should be careful; one who claims to be Krisna should be prepared to show his universal form to confirm his claim to the people.

Text 4

manyase yadi tac chakyam
maya drastum iti prabho
yogesvara tato me tvam-
darsayatmanam avyayam

Synonyms

manyase--You think; yadi--if; tat--that; sakyam--is able; maya--by me; drastum--to be seen; iti--thus; prabho--O Lord; yoga-isvara--O Lord of all mystic power; tatah--then; me--unto me; tvam--You; darsaya--show; atmanam--Your Self; avyayam--eternal.

Translation

If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that unlimited universal Self.

Purport

It is said that one can neither see, hear, understand nor perceive the Supreme Lord, Krisna, by the material senses. But if one is engaged in loving transcendental service to the Lord from the beginning, then one can see the Lord by revelation. Every living entity is only a spiritual spark; therefore it is not possible to see or to understand the Supreme Lord. Arjuna, as a devotee, does not depend on his speculative strength; rather, he admits his limitations as a living entity and acknowledges Krisna’s inestimable position. Arjuna could understand that for a living entity it is not possible to understand the unlimited infinite. If the infinite reveals Him, then it is possible to understand the nature of the infinite by the grace of the infinite. The word yogesvara is also very significant here because the Lord has inconceivable power. If He likes, He can reveal Himself by His grace, although He is unlimited. Therefore Arjuna pleads for the inconceivable grace of Krisna. He does not give Krisna orders. Krisna is not obliged to reveal Himself unless one surrenders fully in Krisna consciousness and engages in devotional service. Thus it is not possible for persons who depend on the strength of their mental speculations to see Krisna.