Gita 11-Vishwaroopa Darshana

A grand visualisation of the Absolute

After the talk, Arjuna feels settled and is slowly free from his conflict and delusion. However, he has a child like curiosity to visually experience the grandeur and opulences of the Lord.

Krishna prepares Arjuna for this grand experience. ‘Be prepared for witnessing a thousand hues and forms.. May you experience what ever you desire to see. This grandeur can only be felt with the divine inner vision as the eyes can only see the limited.

Arjuna experiences a series of visualizations.. chid agni kunda.. a luminosity greater than a thousand Sund.. perhaps in the kilns of his imagery.. perhaps visually unfolding the teachings so far..

The grandeur and finesse of crowns jewelry, perfumes and weapons perhaps in the royal luxurious setting.

The expansive universe serviced by the forces of vasus and maruts..

The trinity gods maintaining the cycle of creation maintenance and destruction..

The thousand hand form enveloping all the life..

And then Arjuna goes pale and horrified.. Perhaps the reality of the war sinks in., He witnesses his soldiers and the Kaurava chiefs entering the fiery mouth of death..

Terrorized, Arjuna asks Krishna, Who are you? He begs to reveal his normal form..

Krishna reveals that he is the principle time that keeps check of the universe and constantly devours.. In his timeline he has already finished the Kauravas.. ‘Go ahead Arjuna and win the war’

Perhaps the power of Visualization and being prepared in the mental arena before the actual proceedings..

We have a decimated view of the divine Conversation. It was between Existence itself personified as Krishna and received by no mere mortal but the great titan Arjuna.. The understanding and visualisation of Arjuna is testimony to his ichha, gyaana and chiti shakthi..

We are separated 1000s of epochs in timeline and our limited understanding of the language and our capabilities.. we need to visualize and hear it again and again to make a tiny impression in us.

The study of scriptures and the study of Gita is for changing our perspective.. our angle of examination.. It provides means to understand ourself and our relation to the world.. Correct the gap and recalibrate your vision. Then merge into the Joy.. Freedom from I.. And then experience of the lord in chapter 11 becomes our experience..

Chapter 11 provides the Vision of the Absolute.. Absolute Space does not have any directions. It is the relative mind that fragments it.. Infinity is beyond the sum of the finites..

Arjuna was split between the roles of the warrior ‘I’, the grand son ‘I’, the brother ‘I’ etc.. The warrior in him was not wavering or offended. Chapter 2 defines the Scope of ‘I’. Fulfill your responsibilities and discover the joy.. Every action should be an expression of joy. Through karma yoga get freedom from I.. For a happy mind alone can be in devotion..Prasanna chetasa..

However, with the responsibilities come ego and thoughts. Like a spoilt kid, the mind needs first disciplining and only then education. The first 6 chapters is about redefining I and disciplining I.. Being busy in karma yoga.. Chapter 7 onwards, the disciplined I is available for devotion..

Live the life carefully and do not get bothered by small things.. Real joy is in discovering truth. Be your friend.. Uddaret atmaatmanam.. Meditation is an unbroken continuous experience

In chapter 7, Krishna tells the elements and mano buddh ahankaara in this world are all from him.. If he is our father and Prakruthi our mother.. we should change our vision. Purusha and Prakruthi are conditioning of Eshwara.. Pancha bhuta becomes matter and Eshwara becomes Jeeva..

Learn to drive in limited ground before venturing into highway.. Learn to meditate in limited self before making life a meditation…The lord loves everyone without discriminating.. na me dweshosthi Priya.. Change your perspective towards the world and let your life become an unbroken experience of meditation..

Chapter 11 is that VISION. Krishna took Arjuna till here so that he is cleansed and prepared.. Arjuna now had a jigyaasa curiosity to have this experience.

With our normal eyes we only see the outer skin charma.. When Astavakra enters Janka kingdom, everybody laughs seeing his crooked form.. Astavakra too laughs. Janaka is surprised.. Astavakra says.. I thought I entered an assembly of wise people.. They seem to be cobblers scanning only the outer forms..

Scriptures are for changing our perspective. We are myopic and need to extend our vision. We only get imagery of the object through optics and we cannot see in real.. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.. The reflective medium is our mind. The fragmented vision of I vs you.. I vs world., I vs God.. God’s vision is disappearance of layers..Journey of spiritual vision is to discard duality and see oneness in everything.

Today we have a variety of assisted tools to augment our moderm vision.. a microscope for micro vision, telescope for distant vision, ECG for heart vision, X ray for bone vision, google maps for road vision and weather telecast for waether prediction. In a similar way, Krishna uplifts Arjuna’s limited vision..

“O Krishna, Out of compassion you have shared the ultimate knowledge.. My delusion is dispelled Mohoyam vigatho mama.. You have detailed about the timeless limitless imperishable Self. If you think I am capable, I am curious to see your divine form.”

“O Arjuna, Behold in me the plurality of forms and shapes and colours..Behold the forces of rudras, vasus, maruts and many other unseen marvels. O Gudakesha, see the entire world in my body !”

“You cannot see them with your bare eyes.. I gift you the divya-chakshu, an inner vision to experience this marvel.”

Regular Charma chakshu vs Divya chakshu.. Vision of the God.. Water does not understand ocean and waves as it is beyond cause and effect. Eyes illuminate every colour and form.. Ears does not differentiate music and noise. That is Divya chakshu. Ability to see peace in confusion.. in hatred see love..

dadami divya chakshu.. pashya yoga aishwaryam.. Discover the divinity in yourself.. and the whole world that it encompasses.. just like a paapi sees the whole world with lens of paapa.. suspicious lens..

Wonderstuck, Sanjaya then narrates the vision of Arjuna to Dritharashtra who was alas blind and had never seen a raising sun..

“ I see the radiance of a 1000 suns raising together.. illumining 1000s of devatas..divine weapons, tools, wonderful fragrances and the light that ignites the world.” Ascharyavat.. ‘aah aah charya’.. full of wonder..
“I see the entire universe undivided in him.”

Arjuna is wonderstuck and his hair sanding out. With folded hands he says these words.

“I see your convoluted cause and effect form.. brahma, isha, rishis and the divine serpents in you.”

The subtle faculties inside us and processing of shabd-spars-roopa-rasa-gandha are our inner devathas.. leading to cause and effect..creation and destruction..

“I see the anantha roopa infinite form.. You are expressing as infinite waves and forms. Na antah na madya na punah.. no beginning and end.. you are the potential.”

“I see your divine form.. kiriti-chakra-gadha-shanka.. Your infinite blazing radiance makes it difficult for me to see you.”

When we listen to the inner voice shanka.. we get padma.. other wise blown up by gadha.. if we keep repeatedly going against our inner compass.. sudarshan chakra of birth and death and samsaara starts to envelope.

“I see your formless form.. Aksharam veditavyam.. You are infinite and worthy of knowing.. Twamasya vishwasya param nidhanam.. You are the susbstratum for existence of this world.. Avyaya shaswatha dharma gopta You are the holder of the unchanging eternal principle..

“I see your viraata roopa. Anantha bahu.. With your 1000 hands and faces and infinite strength and luminosity.. you are propelling the sustenance of this world..

The candle light falters in front of the Sun. The sunlight falters in front of the eye.. The mind stronger than eye.. And the light of the Self sees everything as homogeneous ..

“I see your ugra roopam.. the terrible form expanding in all directions between the earth and sky. The Gods are taking shelter in you. The Rishis are offering prayers and Pushkalas. The maruts, rudras, ashwinis, yakshas, asuras, gandharvas governing this universe are in your awe. Like others, I am terrified at your mighty form.. many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, legs, stomachs, and terrifying teeth..”

“Seeing your form touching the sky and filled with many hues, with wide open mouths and blazing eyes.. my heart is trembling with fear. I have lost my courage and peace..I forget where I am.. Have mercy on me.”

“I see the sons of Dritharashtra with Drona, Bheeshma, Karna and a few of our men entering your feary mouth.. some of the heads getting crushed in between your teeth.”

“Like the many rivers merging into the ocean.. these warriors merge into you.. Like the firefly getting attracted by the glitter of the fire and speeding towards its destruction. You seem to be licking and devouring these beings in your fiery mouth.”

“O terrible one. I bow to you.. Be merciful to me.. Who are you? I would like to know your workings pravrutti..”

The lord replies..

“I am the time kaala and I destroy annihilate decimate. Nimitta matra Saavyasaachi.. You are just a tool for execution.. don’t hesitate.. Your arch opponents have already been slain by me in my timeline.. Keep your spirits high.. Go fight and win the battle..”

Time is that principle that supports creation and destruction..manifestation and unmanifestation casting off the past like old clothes.. Perhaps it is stationery unchanging and we are moving passages.. Like a boy standing on top of a tree and having vision of a distant incoming cart all the way till it leaves the sight.. The vision of the God encompasses the future and the past.. We are like children under the tree having a limited vision..

We have to live an alert life like war footing.. always ready to execute..

Arjuna with a mix of feelings.. revere, respect, fear, love does namaskar again and again.. with choked throat sa gadgadam tells this prayer..

“O adi kartre the primodial creator.. O ananta the infinite.. O devesha.. O Jagannivasa.. You are beyond sat asat.. tvam asya viśhvasya paraṁ nidhānam… You are beyond cause effect, the forefather.. the knowledge and destination . You are the life forces.. A 1000 salutations..”

“Due to ignorance and proximity, I looked at you as just a friend.. Forgive my shortsightedness..You are the ultimate father teacher of the whole world.. Forgive me like a father like a friend..”

“I feel terrified seeing this adrushta unseen infinite form.. Show me your familiar shanka chakra kiriti form.”

The eternal and all inclusive view of life with ups and downs.. good and bad is Vishwa Roopa Darshan. When life throws challenges and confuses you, it is an opportunity to look inward and tune to divine vision.. If not for Arjuna’s dilemma, he would not have received this divine talk

Krishna then tells

“Maya prasannena tava arjuna idam.. Out of my compassion I have revealed.. not because of outward veda, gyana, tapa, dana, yagna etc..Do not be scared of that ugra form. I will reveal my familiar form..”

Every pain is an opportunity to cleanse the self. And then God establishes by himself in the heart..

Purpose of studying the scriptures is to recognize our nature, discover our infinite potential. The wise man who has included the entire world in the definition of I, he has the Divya drishya.. Like a mother who includes her child in her definition.

From the consciousness we have Kriya Shakti and Gyana Shakti emerging. With time, they start drifting and loose correlation. In this manner, disintegration of knowledge and action happens. We should recognize the world around us, honor our knowledge and inner voice and stop deceiving ourselves and see the divinity flowing through all.. Unless we get this vision, we will be groping in darkness.. with an illusion of incompleteness and the desire that conquer of external world material will give us inner peace..