Gita for Youth - Yoga of Universal Form (Viswaroopa Darsan Yoga)

Chapter 11: The Yoga of Universal Form

Arjuna then said, “In giving me the discourse on the great and mysterious spiritual knowledge You have bestowed your supreme grace and a great favour on me, which has dispelled my delusion. I have now heard about the origin and the dissolution of the universe. I have also heard about Your infinite greatness, oh lotus eyed. Since You are the soul of all souls, the Supreme Lord of all beings, I am desirous of seeing Your Supreme form. If You consider me to be capable enough to view that form, then, oh master of all Yogas, show me that eternal Self (of Yours).”

Arjuna is probably a little skeptical. Like all mortals he too wants a sign to believe Him. Or perhaps he has completely believed his Lord and Guru. He, as a great devotee, has merely one desire, of seeing the form of the chosen ideal. Whatever be the case, the Lord grants him the desire and together with him we are fortunate enough to view that greatest form through the description of the poet.

Sri Krishna told Arjuna to see His myriads of divine forms which are of various shapes and colours. The gods like the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Maruts, the two Ashvins, and other mysterious beings and scenes which were never seen (by Arjuna) can be seen in that great vision which He is about to impart. There, in that great body one would see the entire Universe, with all the mobile and immobile, sentient and non sentient beings. In that great form can be seen any object that Arjuna is desirous of seeing. However that form cannot be seen with the normal pairs of eyes. A special vision needs to be provided which would enable one to see that form.

God is beyond all sense perception. Therefore He cannot be revealed with the organs of senses like eyes and ears. He also cannot be perceived with the normal mind and intelligence. However he is perceived only by very pure mind and very pure intelligence (Sri Ramakrishna – The Gospel). The vision of God is really a revelation that comes as an inner inspiration. It is not seen, it is realized. But that realization is much stronger and much more real than ordinary sense perception. Only great Yogis can see Him when they reach the pinnacle of their devotion or knowledge. This is known as the Siddha state. This revelation is also the key to Nirvana or liberation. The form or formless both can be revealed depending on the inclination and desire of the individual aspiring after the vision. But everything ultimately depends on His grace. It is He who reveals Himself out of compassion. As Kathopanishad says - the Atman cannot be perceived by words (of scriptures), nor by intellect, nor by Vedas. It is only perceived by those who have an intense desire for its realization. Such desire is only obtained through its grace.