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

Vision of the Divine

To Arjuna, His greatest devotee and his part (as the sage Nara in a previous incarnation), He imparts the Yogic vision, by which the divine form suddenly becomes real. Arjuna can now see a most fascinating and wonderful vision with innumerable faces and eyes, many mysterious objects in it, adorned with many divine jewels and brandishing many divine weapons.

 The Supreme Being in that divine vision is wearing divine garlands and He smells of divine essence or fragrance. He is most fascinating to look at, in his eternal form which faces everywhere.

The splendor of the universal form seemed to be equivalent to the combined splendor of a thousand suns if they would have shone simultaneously on the sky. There, on the body of that universal form, Arjuna saw the entire universe differentiated into myriads of forms. By seeing this magnificent vision Arjuna became extremely surprised. By bowing down to the great form, with folded hands, he said, “I can see the divine beings in your great body, I can see all the creatures, the creator Brahma mounted on the lotus, all the sages and the serpents.”

“Your infinite form consists of innumerable hands, trunks, faces and eyes, encompassing everything. There is no beginning, middle, nor any end to this form. Truly, oh Lord of the Universe, this is your Universal form.”

Arjuna saw numerous heads adorned with crowns and innumerable hands holding the maces and discusses. The divine power emanating from that form was lighting up all directions. The form was difficult to see in any direction. Its splendour was like that of a burning fire or sun with immeasurable energy.

Arjuna began to praise that form, “You are indestructable, imperishable and the great object of knowledge. You are the great refuge of the world. You are indeclinable, the upholder of eternal virtue. You are unchanged Purusha or the Supreme Soul. I see You as infinite, without beginning or end, with numerous forms superimposed on the divine form. I see Your faces burning like fire. By that power You are engulfing and heating up the entire universe. You alone have covered the heaven and earth, the intervening space and all directions. By seeing Your mysterious terrible form, the three worlds are terrified. There I see the gods entering You. Some are afraid and are praying to You with folded hands. By uttering the word “swasti”, the great sages and the siddhas, are singing the divine chants full of Your praise.”

Arjuna saw the Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, demigods called sadhyas, vishwadevas, ashvinikumars, Maruts and Ushmapas, the gandharvas, yakshas, demons and siddhas, all looking at that form with great wonder. He continued, “ your form is great, with many faces and eyes, oh mighty armed one, with many arms, thighs and legs, many trunks, many sharp and dreadful teeth. By seeing this terrible form, the worlds are terrified and so I am. That resplendent form with many hues stretches upto the heaven as far as eyes can see, the mouth is gaping, as if intending to devour everything. The eyes are frightfully large and fiery. By seeing this (form) I am frightened. I can’t hold my patience and calmness, nor can I remain tranquil. The faces adorned with the dreadful teeth are looking like the all destructive fire. Seeing it I can hardly remain steady. Oh Lord of the Universe, be graceous unto me.”

Arjuna could see the sons of Dhritarastra, along with all the kings, Bhisma, Drona, Karna and the warriors of the Pandava camp, all entering those terrible mouth with dreadful teeth. Some of them are seen held in that teeth with their heads smashed. He realized that just as the waters of various rivers rush towards the great ocean, so also all the heroes are rushing to embrace the death in that terrible form. Just as the insects being attracted by the fire rush towards it only to get destroyed, so also all the worlds are entering those mouths to get detroyed. The terrible flames issued from those mouths are burning everywhere and devouring everything. The terrible heat resulting from the divine power of Vishnu has encompassed all the world and is scorching everything.

Suffice it to say, no poetic imagination can create such a vivid description.