Viśvarūpa Darśana Yoga
The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form
Arjuna said: By the supremely confidential words concerning the Self that You have spoken out of compassion for me, this delusion of mine has been dispelled.
The origin and dissolution of beings have been heard by me in detail from You, O lotus-eyed one, and also Your imperishable greatness.
O Supreme Lord, as You have described Yourself, O Supreme Person, I wish to see Your divine sovereign form.
If You think it is possible for me to see it, O Lord, O Lord of Yoga, then show me Your imperishable Self.
The Supreme Lord said: Behold, O Partha, My forms by the hundreds and thousands, of various kinds, divine, of various colors and shapes.
Behold the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Ashvins, and the Maruts. Behold many wonders never seen before, O Bharata.
Behold now the entire universe, with all moving and non-moving beings, standing here as one in My body, O Gudakesha, and whatever else you wish to see.
But you cannot see Me with your own eyes. I give you divine vision - behold My sovereign yoga.
Sanjaya said: O King, having spoken thus, the great Lord of Yoga, Hari, then showed to Arjuna His supreme sovereign form.
With many mouths and eyes, with many wondrous sights, with many divine ornaments, with many divine weapons uplifted.
Wearing divine garlands and garments, anointed with divine fragrances, all-wonderful, resplendent, infinite, with faces on all sides.
If the splendor of a thousand suns were to rise simultaneously in the sky, that might resemble the radiance of that great Soul.
There, in the body of the God of gods, Arjuna then saw the entire universe, with its manifold divisions, all standing as one.
Then Dhananjaya, filled with wonder, his hair standing on end, bowed his head before the Lord with folded hands and spoke.
Arjuna said: O God, I see in Your body all the gods and multitudes of various beings, Lord Brahma seated on the lotus, all the sages, and the divine serpents.
I see You with many arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes, with infinite form on all sides. I see no end, no middle, and no beginning in You, O Lord of the universe, O Universal Form.
I see You with crown, mace, and discus, a mass of radiance blazing everywhere, hard to look at, shining on all sides like blazing fire and sun, immeasurable.
You are the imperishable, the supreme object of knowledge. You are the ultimate resting place of this universe. You are the inexhaustible protector of eternal dharma. You are the eternal Supreme Person - this is my conviction.
I see You without beginning, middle, or end, of infinite power, with infinite arms, the sun and moon as Your eyes, Your mouths blazing fire, scorching this universe with Your radiance.
The space between heaven and earth and all the directions is pervaded by You alone. Seeing this wondrous and terrible form of Yours, the three worlds tremble with fear, O Great Soul.
Hosts of gods enter into You; some, frightened, praise You with folded hands. Hosts of great sages and perfected beings cry 'Svasti!' and praise You with abundant hymns.
The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Vishvedevas, Ashvins, Maruts, ancestors, hosts of Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras, and Siddhas - all gaze upon You in amazement.
Seeing Your great form with many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed, with many arms, thighs, and feet, many bellies, terrible with many fangs - the worlds are terrified, and so am I.
Seeing You touching the sky, blazing, of many colors, with mouths wide open and large blazing eyes - my inner self trembles, and I find neither courage nor peace, O Vishnu.
Seeing Your mouths terrible with fangs, resembling the fire of cosmic dissolution - I lose my sense of direction and find no shelter. Be gracious, O Lord of gods, O refuge of the universe.
All the sons of Dhritarashtra, along with hosts of kings, Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, together with the chief warriors on our side also -
They rush into Your fearsome mouths, terrible with fangs. Some are seen caught between the teeth with their heads crushed.
As many torrents of rivers flow toward the ocean, so these heroes of the human world enter Your blazing mouths.
As moths rush with great speed into a blazing fire for their destruction, so also do these people rush into Your mouths with great speed for their destruction.
You lick up and devour all the worlds from every side with Your blazing mouths. Your fierce radiance fills the entire universe and scorches it, O Vishnu.
Tell me, who are You of such fierce form? Salutations to You, O best of gods, be gracious. I wish to know You, the primal one, for I do not understand Your activity.
The Supreme Lord said: I am Time, the mighty destroyer of worlds, engaged here in destroying all beings. Even without you, all the warriors standing in the opposing armies shall cease to exist.
Therefore arise and gain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They have already been slain by Me; be merely an instrument, O Savyasachin.
Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna, and other brave warriors have already been slain by Me. Slay them - do not be distressed. Fight, and you shall conquer your enemies in battle.
Sanjaya said: Having heard these words of Keshava, the crowned Arjuna, trembling, with folded hands, bowing down, spoke again to Krishna with a choked voice, greatly frightened, prostrating.
Arjuna said: It is fitting, O Hrishikesha, that the world rejoices and is filled with love by glorifying You. The demons flee in fear to all directions, and all the hosts of perfected beings bow to You.
And why should they not bow to You, O Great Soul, who are greater even than Brahma, the original creator? O Infinite One, Lord of gods, refuge of the universe - You are the imperishable, that which is beyond being and non-being.
You are the primal God, the ancient Person. You are the supreme resting place of this universe. You are the knower, the knowable, and the supreme abode. The universe is pervaded by You, O one of infinite form.
You are Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the moon, Prajapati, and the great-grandfather of all. Salutations to You a thousand times, and again and again salutations to You.
Salutations to You from the front, from behind, and from all sides, O All! You are of infinite power and immeasurable prowess. You pervade everything, and therefore You are everything.
Thinking of You as a friend, I have presumptuously addressed You as 'O Krishna,' 'O Yadava,' 'O friend' - not knowing this greatness of Yours, through negligence or through love.
And for whatever disrespect was shown to You in jest, while playing, resting, sitting, or eating, whether alone or in the presence of others - I ask Your forgiveness, O immeasurable one.
You are the father of this world, of all that moves and does not move. You are its most venerable teacher, the greatest. There is none equal to You in the three worlds - how then could there be one greater, O one of incomparable power?
Therefore, bowing down and prostrating my body before You, I seek Your grace, O praiseworthy Lord. As a father forgives a son, a friend a friend, a lover the beloved - please bear with me, O God.
I am delighted having seen what was never seen before, yet my mind is disturbed with fear. Show me that same familiar form, O God. Be gracious, O Lord of gods, O refuge of the universe.
I wish to see You as before, with crown, mace, and discus in hand. Assume that same four-armed form, O thousand-armed one, O universal form.
The Supreme Lord said: By My grace, O Arjuna, this supreme form has been shown to you through My own yoga power - radiant, universal, infinite, and primeval - which no one other than you has ever seen before.
Neither by Vedic study, nor by sacrifices, nor by charity, nor by rituals, nor by severe austerities can I be seen in this form in the human world by anyone other than you, O best of the Kurus.
Do not be distressed or bewildered by seeing this terrible form of Mine. Free from fear and with a pleased mind, behold again this same form of Mine.
Sanjaya said: Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vasudeva again showed His own form. The great Soul, assuming again His gentle beautiful form, consoled the frightened Arjuna.
Arjuna said: Seeing this gentle human form of Yours, O Janardana, I am now composed, my mind is collected, and I have returned to my own nature.
The Supreme Lord said: This form of Mine that you have seen is very difficult to behold. Even the gods are ever desirous of seeing this form.
Neither by the Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by charity, nor by sacrifice can I be seen in this form as you have seen Me.
But by exclusive devotion alone can I be known, seen in truth, and entered into, O Arjuna, O scorcher of foes.
He who works for Me, who considers Me supreme, who is My devotee, who is free from attachment, and who is without enmity toward all beings - he comes to Me, O Pandava.