Arjuna requests Krishna to show his universal form to confirm his divinity for all. Krishna reveals his universal form to Arjuna, which is so immense that it spans the entire cosmos. Arjuna sees all of creation and beings like demigods, sages, and ancestors within Krishna's form. Overcome by fear and awe at beholding Krishna in this way, Arjuna asks Krishna to confirm his identity.
Arjuna requests Krishna to show his universal form to confirm his divinity for all. Krishna reveals his universal form to Arjuna, which is so immense that it spans the entire cosmos. Arjuna sees all of creation and beings like demigods, sages, and ancestors within Krishna's form. Overcome by fear and awe at beholding Krishna in this way, Arjuna asks Krishna to confirm his identity.
Arjuna requests Krishna to show his universal form to confirm his divinity for all. Krishna reveals his universal form to Arjuna, which is so immense that it spans the entire cosmos. Arjuna sees all of creation and beings like demigods, sages, and ancestors within Krishna's form. Overcome by fear and awe at beholding Krishna in this way, Arjuna asks Krishna to confirm his identity.
source of everything, others may not. So in order to establish Kåñëa's divinity for all, he is requesting Kåñëa in this chapter to show His universal form. CCP:-
Chapter will culminate in the devotion.
Arjuna already understood the position of the Krishna in 10.11 then whatever he is asking thereafter is just for the benefit of the people in general. VERSE 11.2:- CCP:-
Arjuna addresses Krishna with the intimate
words; bg is leading to the most intimate form of the lord. LINK: - Arjuna makes the request. VERSE 11.3:-
One who claims to be Kåñëa should be
prepared to show his universal form to confirm his claim to the people. CCP:- CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM Tattham- as you have spoken so you are, there is no higher reality above the Krishna. Arjuna wanted to see the aishwarya form of the lord. VERSE 11.4:-
It is said that one can neither see, hear,
understand nor perceive the Supreme Lord, Kåñëa, 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. Kåñëa is not obliged to reveal Himself unless one surrenders fully in Kåñëa consciousness and engages in devotional service. Thus it is not possible for persons who depend on the strength of their mental speculations to see Kåñëa. CCP:-
Arjuna is placing the request very humbly.
Difference between the humility and the pride is humility begs and waits pride demands and complains. Prabhupad showed this verse to the hayagriva prabhu who wanted to get the Darshan of the lord. Service means no demands you can have the desire but don’t demand. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM VERSE 11.5:-
universal form, which, although a
transcendental form, is just manifested for the cosmic manifestation and is therefore subject to the temporary time of this material nature. As the material nature is manifested and not manifested, similarly this universal form of Kåñëa is manifested and nonmanifested. It is not eternally situated in the spiritual sky like Kåñëa's other forms. As far as a devotee is concerned, he is not eager to see the universal form. CCP:-
This vision of the lord is extraordinary not
seen in any tradition. Many saint had the experience of the lord but here Arjuna is not only experiencing but also seeing the lord externally. 1-4 arjunas request. We see with our intelligence, we can’t make the sense of the things if no experience. In the person who is congenially blind even if they are treated they can’t see as they are not exposed to the things. So we see with our intelligence. Our knowledge proceeds from the familiar to in familiar. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM Without the bank of the previous experience we can’t see, here seeing the virat rupa no one has the previous experience. These four verses are the orientation course for the Arjuna to see the universal form. To see ordinary to be god and god to be ordinary both are illusion. Arjunas request to see the universal form is primarily for the people in general to avoid them getting misguided. VERSE 11.6:- CCP:-
Here who is who in the universal form is
being revealed here. VERSE 11.7:- CCP:-
Lord is telling this is my form.
Krishna was giving Arjuna temporary provisional glimpse of omniscience. VERSE 11.8:-
Devotees who are correctly situated in a
transcendental relationship with Kåñëa are attracted by loving features, not by a godless display of opulence. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM Though Kåñëa gave celestial eyes to Arjuna, He did not give him a celestial mind. If He gave that type of mind to Arjuna, Arjuna would take pleasure in that celestial form. CCP:-
Here pasya is literally means to see but in
9.5 it meant to understand. Universe is like computer with the different level of access Devatas have higher level access than the humans. Arjuna has the spiritual vision of the Krishna so for him this seeing of the virat rupa is like downgrading. Virat rupa form is not lovable, it displays the lords power and pervasion but not lovable. Lord is perceived differently by different people but not all the forms are conducive for devotional service. LINK: - camera is zooming out, sanjay will report to the dhritrashtra. VERSE 11.9:- CCP:-
Mahayogeshvar indicates that the lord is
capable to show the universal form. VERSE 11.10, 11, 12:- CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM CCP:-
Bhavet yugapat uttitha – suns effulgence
increases very much during the time of dissolution, if such suns show the effulgence that is less than this form. Many times word can’t reach to the exact description but they can act as the pointer, so they are not useless. We may not be able to glorify the supreme lord adequately but we should glorify the lord as much as we can for our own purification. VERSE 11.13:- CCP:-
Tatra bcoz sanjay was in the palace and was
describing to the dhritrashtra. VERSE 11.14:- CCP:-
Arjuna is here folding the hand it indicates
that he was not fearful, but wonderstruck. VERSE 11.15:- CCP:- CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM Arjuna is seeing the universe from the top to the bottom. VERSE 11.16:- CCP:-
Aneka means they are so many that we can’t
number it. Arjuna is not able to see the beginning, middle and the end of the universal form. This is the reference for the form to be called vishvarupa. Krishna is inside the universe, he is the universe and he is outside the universe. VERSE 11.17:- CCP:-
Kiritinam and gadinam can be taken as the
reference to the Vishnu. LINK: - his description start becoming glorification. VERSE 11.18:-
You are to be known (veditavyam). This is
described by statements of the Vedas such as atha parä yayä tad akñaram adhigamyate, yat tad adåçyam: the higher knowledge is that by which the indestructible Brahman is CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM apprehended, which cannot be seen. (Muëòaka Upanisad 1.1.5). You alone are the ancient person (sanätanaù puruñaù), mentioned in the mantra sa käraëaà käraëädhipädhipo na cäsya kaçcij janitä na cädhipaù: He is the cause, master of the senses; He has no lord or creator. (Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.9) CCP:-
Description is of the perception and the
identification, what was blinding he is now identifying. VERSE 11.19:-
prasäde viñmaye harñe dvi-trir-uktaà na
duñyati: repetition of statements two or three times due to joy, astonishment or kindness is not a fault. CCP:-
Till now only the vision was described now
the perception of other sense perception of the Arjuna is also described. VERSE 11.20:-
Others also were given celestial eyes by the
Lord to see this form. If only Arjuna could see that form, it would have been like a sleeping person seeing chariots or other CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM objects in a dream, while others could not see them. The Lord did this so that many others could bear witness His powers. CCP:-
Beginning of the description of the fear.
Conflict of emotion is going through the minds of the Arjuna. Others celestials were also seeing this form and getting affected. LINK; - effect on the universe. VERSE 11.21:- CCP:-
Effect on the demigods and the sages is
shown they are afraid of the virat rupa. LINK: - who all demigods he is seeing as he is seeing he is discerning. VERSE 11.22,23,24,25:-
Uñma-pä refers to those who drink hot vapor
of food.That refers to the Pitås. The çruti says üñmabhägä hi pitaraù: the Pitås eat the steam. (Taittiréya Brähmaëa, Yajur Veda, 1.3.10.6) CCP:- CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM Like in the horror movie audience get frightened here Arjuna is getting frightened. In verse 24 Arjuna is identifying this form as the Vishnu, but later getting overwhelmed he asks who are you. In too much emotional turmoil the person looses the orientation. VERSE 11.26, 27:- CCP:-
Destruction is integral part of the material
existence. Lord destroys the temporary to pave the way for the permanent; this destruction shows that we should not have attachments and affection for the temporary. VERSE 11.28,29:-
CCP:-
Here samruddhi is used in negative sense,
speed is always not good. Too analogies used voluntarily entering and naturally going in the mouth of the lord- bhishma and drona going involuntarily as due to some reasons they have to fight with the pandavas so they are getting destroyed but CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM the duryodhana and party is voluntarily entering in the mouth of the lord. Although so much warning duryodhana foolishly went ahead with the war. This action of the duryodhana is compared with the moth example. Vedant desika – river when goes to the ocean continues to be water similarly devotees after the death continue to serve the lord in the spiritual world.- when non devotee dies he loses everything and has to suffer his karma in the next body. river while moving towards the ocean they nourish devotees nourish others.devotees are benevolent in this world and they serve after the death lord. VERSE 11.30:- CCP:-
Second time using the word Vishnu.
This is the vision which demonstrates that there is destruction in the world, what you offer I will accept, virat rupa is accepting what is offered. LINK:- arjuna is asking who are you? VERSE 11.31:- CCP:- CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM Relationship changes here Arjuna is more respectful to the lord. From tvam to bhavan change of the attitude of the arjuna with increased respect to the lord. LINK; - response of the Krishna, vishvarupa speaks. VERSE 11.32:-
As stated in the Kaöha Upaniñad (1.2.25),
yasya brahma ca kñatraà ca ubhe bhavata odanaù måtyur yasyopasecanaà ka itthä veda yatra saù
Eventually all the brähmaëas, kñatriyas and
everyone else are devoured like a meal by the Supreme. CCP:-
It was the tradition for the winning party
to sleep on the battle ground to claim the land they have own so the pandavas were sleeping on the battlefield and during that night ashvatthama slaughtered the pandavas sons. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM On pandavas side satyaki,Krishna and the five pandavas were the surviving people. On the kaurava side ashvatthama,kritvarman and yuyutsu survived. Kala is ferocious for the non devotees not for the devotees. Rite here has two meanings 1) except you all will be killed. 2) Even without you they will be killed. Cannibalism is outlawed by the international law. By going in to the literalistic explanation of the scriptures then all the scriptures of the world can be faulted. This metaphorical destruction is to simply show that the everything in the world is under the jurisdiction of the absolute truth. VERSE 11.33:-
This world is moving according to the plan
of the lord to reclaim the conditioned souls it is not without the purpose. CCP:-
Devotional service is not meant to deprive
the devotees from the enjoyment but to stop materialistic enjoyment a devotee can enjoy CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM in the service, creating something for the lord a devotee also enjoys. Here it is not the fixing of the battle but the fixing of the consciousness of the Arjuna in the devotional service. Krishna doesn’t need us to do anything but he is not looking for the results at the material level but for change of the consciousness, making us to turn back to him. Here Krishna is giving the assurance to the Arjuna not the license. Our own intelligence is not as good as the gods and we are meant to serve the Krishna when we serve Krishna then it is the best use of our intelligence. It is not that by surrendering to the lord we don’t use our skills but we can use them in the service of the lord, here Krishna is acknowledging Arjuna for his skills. When we carry out the broad plan of the Krishna then specific are automatically taken care of, we should chant properly, study scriptures, carry out whatever services asked then seeing our sincerity Krishna will reveal the specific plan. It doesn’t means devotees every plan will be successful. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM A devotee keeps finding the ways to serve the Krishna. God is always there with the devotees but devotee sometime fails as god want to protect the devotees to increase the dependence of the devotee on the Krishna wants us to realize victory doesn’t come by our own Endeavour but by the grace of the Krishna, overall the devotee never fails. Jatayu although lost the war against the ravana but he won against the Maya. Battle is one segment and the war is the mega set/complete events. We may sometime lose the war against the Maya but we have to continue serving the lord. A normal person maximum success can get is as per the karma but the devotee has no limitation for the success. VERSE 11.34:- CCP:-
Jayadrathas name is mentioned as lord knows
that he is going to play the important role in the war, and the difficult task of killing him will also be accomplished by the Arjuna by the will of the lord. VERSE 11.35:- CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM CCP:-
Ksatriya are trained to see the blood and
the violence but seeing the furious form of the lord he become fearful, lord and bewilder anyone. KALA RUPA- In material consciousness the things which are materially big are respected. Universal for is the conceptualization of the universe as the lords form. This form is for the taking our consciousness to the absolute by the matter. Here it is revelation by the lord to the Arjuna to the arjunas imagination. Virat rupa is conceptualization and the kala rupa is revelations by the lord to the Arjuna, to assure him of the success. Arjuna is asking who you are as he understood the virat rupa but not the kala rupa. VERSE 11.36:-
This verse is famous in mantra-çästra for
its ability to give protection from Räkñasas.-VCT CCP:-
Now Arjuna is making the sense of what he
has seen. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM This verse is part of the raksasa raksha mantra. LINK; - what they should not glorify as you are supremely glorious VERSE 11.37:-
Brahmä does not create tattvas, but only
combines their products. CCP:-
Brahman refers to the – brahmaji /
brahmajyoti/brahmanas. VERSE 11.38:- CCP:-
We can have so much material knowledge but
it will not give us the supreme happiness. Many objects to be known but no one can benefit as the Krishna. LINK: - now he starts offering obeisances. VERSE 11.39:- CCP:-
Arjuna is conveying that whatever the
manifestations of the power in this world they are the forms of the lord as the vibhutis. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM LINK: - where to offer the prayers as universal form is all pervading. VERSE 11.40:-
unlimited physical strength (véåya)
immeasurable mental strength (amita vikrama) yo’yaà tavägato deva samépaà devatä-gaëaù sa tvam eva jagat-srañöä yataù sarva-gato bhavän
O Lord, the devatäs who approach You are
indeed You, the creator of the universe, because You are everywhere. Viñëu Puräëa1.9.70 -BV Whoever comes before you, even if he be a demigod, is created by You, O Supreme Personality of Godhead."-SP CCP:-
You are all pervading.
LINK:- Arjuna offering apologies, fro intimate dealings, not knowing the lords position. VERSE 11.41, 42:- CCP:-
Here rasa is changing, not to be found in
the vrindavan. Sakhya of vrindavan is visrambha Sakhya where there is no awareness of majesty of CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM the Krishna; Arjuna had gaurava Sakhya where there is awareness of greatness of the Krishna. VERSE 11.43:- CCP:-
Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (6.8): na tasya käryaà karaëaà ca vidyate na tat-samaç cäbhyadhikaç ca dåçyate
The Supreme Lord, Kåñëa, has senses and a
body like the ordinary man, but for Him there is no difference between His senses, His body, His mind and Himself. Nobody can even be equal to you; I was foolish to think that I’m greater than you in terms of the position materially. LINK: - why he deserves the forgiveness. VERSE 11.44:-
Touching eight parts of my body on the
earth, [Note: Eight limbs are the two hands, two feet, chest, head, voice and mind. CCP:-
When there is love then there is trust then
one can see beyond the externals. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM When there is no trust then relationship is like the walking on the land mine. This is not the vatsalya rasa as the lord is father and the devotee is like the child. A devotee in general should act in positive way that will create the trust then we will be able to understand the accidental mistakes. VERSE 11.45:- CCP:-
Normally in this world big is considered
more important or better, but the Arjuna doesn’t want to see the universal form anymore but the two handed form. LINK;- Arjuna wants to establish the divinity of the Krishna so want to see the Vishnu form of the lord to establish beyond doubt that he is the supreme. VERSE 11.46:-
Arjuna knew that Kåñëa is the original
Personality of Godhead assuming His temporary universal form. He is now asking to see the form of Näräyaëa, a spiritual form. This verse establishes without any doubt the statement of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam that Kåñëa is the original Personality of Godhead and all other features originate CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM from Him. He is not different from His plenary expansions, and He is God in any of His innumerable forms. In all of these forms He is fresh like a young man. CCP:- LINK:- Krishna is teasing arjuna before showing the Narayan form. VERSE 11.47:-
Duryodhana did not accept the peace offer,
but at that time Kåñëa manifested some of His universal forms. But those forms are different from this one shown to Arjuna. It is clearly said that no one had ever seen this form before. CCP:-
Krishna is trying to emphasize that this
form is very to see. Duryodhana was shown the universal form but not the kala rupa. VERSE 11.48:- CCP:-
Krishna is building the point that the by
any material method one cannot see the form of the lord. LINK: - Krishna responds here to the Arjuna. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM VERSE 11.49:-
A devotee is not much interested in the
universal form, for it does not enable one to reciprocate loving feelings. CCP:-
Devotee is not interested in the virat rupa
as they cannot have the loving reciprocation. To rveal the action the camera is moved in different direction. LINK ;- lord shows the chatur bhuja and the two handed form to arjuna. VERSE 11.50:- CCP:-
In this verse the universal form changes to
the four armed then to the two handed from. VERSE 11.51:-
Here prakriti means the nature or the
energy. CCP:-
We are currently existing at the physical,
mental and the spiritual level, a devotee is not dead emotionally. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM A devotee can also be devastated, disturbed, lost by some incidence. Kala rupa is not the pleasant form but ugra form, terrifying. Intelligence means knowing what to do when we don’t know what to do. A devotee doesn’t want anyone to suffer but he also understands the plan of the Krishna. Kala rupa is the tough love of the lord. We expect the Krishna to set the external normal, but we should seek the shelter in the Krishna. Disturbance indicates that our shelter is not in the Krishna but in the externals. External changes are primarily meant to help us to make the internal changes. We are not supposed to be passive to external changes but need to focus on the Krishna. Manusham means human like form not the mortal form. God doesn’t have the form like us but we have the form in the image of the god. VERSE 11.52, 53:- CCP:-
Krishna is saying seeing this form is very
rare not the beyond this from. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM Here ijyaya refers to the fire sacrifice not to the deity worship. LINK; - what is required to get the Darshan of the lord. VERSE 11.54:-
That form was exhibited by Kåñëa at the
request of Arjuna so that in the future, when one represents himself as an incarnation of God, people can ask to see his universal form. CCP:-
To see the lord means to see with the
understanding. Krishna is not saying you will get something beyond me. Study, austerity, charity doesn’t involve the heart but only by offering the heart one can understand the Krishna. Particular qualification is required for the particular path. Other processes can be utilized in the devotional service but they by themselves cannot give Krishna. Universal form is temporary. Greatness of the form is not on the number of the limbs but the intimacy the form offers. CHAPTER 11 THE UNIVERSAL FORM LINK;- Krishna summarizes the chapter, this verse is the sum and substance of the gita. VERSE 11.55:-
nirvairaù sarva-bhüteñu- who is friendly to
every living being. CCP:-
Krishna is saying do karma for me,do my
work,not doing the work and then offering it to the Krishna. Mat paramo- makes me the goal of the life. We can have the temporary goals but the Krishna should be the permanent goal. Whether our permanent goal is Krishna or not will be tested when temporary and the permanent goal conflict each other. Bad association our external sanga creates the internal sanga. Give up the tendency to do the things other than the Krishna. Devotee in general doesn’t have the animosity to anyone. Krishna concludes this chapter with the glories of the BG.
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