BHAGAVAD GITA - CHAPTER 11 - VISWARUPA DARSANA YOGA

BHAGAVAD GITA

CHAPTER 11

VISWARUPA DARSANA  YOGA

 

Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna's advice to the Confused Arjuna on the Battle field of Kurukshetra.

Each chapter of Bhagavad Gita is designated as a YOGA.

Here is a summary of Chapter.11. Viswarupa Darsana Yoga. There are totally  55 Slokas in it and I have given here a faithful description of what each Sloka says.

Overall, it is a description of  the Universal form of Lord Krishna in which all worlds and all beings reside. All beings take birth, grow and die within this great form of the Lord.

This form is the residence of all Gods, all sages, all worlds, the pancha bhootas and everything in the Universe.

All beings take birth, grow, do all karma and die within this Universal form. It has no beginning or end either in time or in space.

Arjuna's total surrender to the Lord and his unwavering devotion to the Lord makes him eligible to witness this great, never before seen form of the Lord.

All reciters of Bhagavad Gita need to understand the Lord's words and his universal form and practice total surrender to his Universal form.

Now, let us go to the sloka-wise description :

Arjuna asks the Lord as follows :

1. For blessing me, you have told me this extraordinary, secret, which is full of Adhyathma, the secret of the soul and the world. With this teaching, my ignorance (or Moha) has dissolved and gone.

2. O Krishna, I have heard from you, in great detail, the creation and destruction of all beings and your great vibhuti (innate powers) or Mahaathyam which is eternal.

3. O Parameswara (Krishna), O Purushottama, Whatever you have told me in detail about you, all that Eswara  form(form of the Lord of all beings), I desire very much to see myself.

4.  O Lord, O yogeswara (Lord of Yoga), if you feel that I am capable of witnessing your great Eswara form, then, please display to me your eternal Eswara Form.

After listening to Arjuna's request as above, Bhagavan Krishna says as follows :

5.  O Partha, look at my multifarious forms, having multifarious colours and shades, which are extraordinary and divine and which are in thousands and  thousands of countless forms.

6.  O Bharatha (Arjuna)! Look at the Dwadasaadithyas (the 12 sons of Adithi),the Ashta Vasus (the eight Vasus), the yekadasa Rudras (the 11 Rudras),the Aswini kumaras and all the Maruth-ganas (Gods of different wind forms) in me.

Not only them, you can also see so many other wonderful forms in me.

7.  O Gudaakesa(Arjuna)! In this single form of mine, see the entire Universe filled with all living and non living beings. See, whatever you wanted to see and all those other things which you did not expect to see also.

8.   It is not possible for you to see this great form of mine with your ordinary human eye sight. Therefore, I am granting you divine eye sight. With the help of that you can see my divine yogic form.

Here the other onlooker Sanjaya, who is seeing and listening to all this dialogue comes in and tells Dhritarashtra :

9.  O King, having said all this, Lord Krishna, the Yogeswara, showed his extraordinary divine Eswara form to Arjuna.

10.  This Eswara form has countless faces and countless eyes. It has innumerable, extraordinary forms within it. It has countless divine ornaments. It also has innumerable divine weaponry.

11.  This great form of the Lord is wearing beautiful, divine garlands and divine clothes. It is embalmed with divine Gandha (divine scented paste). The entire form is wondrous, infinite, lustrous and full of all faces in the universe.

12.  If thousands of Suns come up in the sky all at once, how the sky will sparkle with brightness, that is the splendour of that great Mahathma (Lord or the Greatest Soul).

13.  While witnessing that great form of the Lord, Arjuna saw the whole universe which is actually divided in many ways, all at one place in the body (or Viswa rupa)  of the Lord of all Lords standing before him.

14.  On seeing that unbelievable, extraordinary wonder of the universe, all situated within Lord Krishna's Viswa Rupa (or universal form), Arjuna was completely overcome with disbelief and surprise. He, with great joy, prostrated before the huge, extremely bright Viswarupa form of the Lord with folded his hands (in Namaskar), and said as follows :

15. O Almighty Lord! In your body, I am seeing all the Gods, all the living and non living beings, even the Great Eesa(Sankara), the Brahma sitting on his Lotus, all the great Sages, and all the great serpents of the world.

16.  O Lord of the whole Universe, O Viswarupa (the personification of the whole Universe), I am seeing You with  countless hands, countless stomachs, countless faces and countless appearances. But, I am unable to see the beginning, middle or the end of your divine form which is before me.

 17.  I see you with a Crown on your head, a huge mace and a chakra (the wheel weapon) in your hands. There is huge brightness and shining everywhere and rays of light emitting from all over you.

It is very difficult to look at you with this Sun-like flames emitting from all over you. You are aprameya, the immeasurable one. I am seeing  you only, where ever I see with my eyes.

18. I now believe strongly that - You are the eternal and the endless one, You are the most divine, You are the only one who must be known, You are the abode of the entire Universe, You are the one who always protects the Dharma(righteousness), You are the eternal and everlasting one and You are the most ancient Purusha.

Arjuna continues :

19. I behold you as the one with no beginning, no middle and no end; but one with unlimited brightness, and one with countless hands. I behold you as the one whose eyes are the Sun and the Moon, as one whose face is lit with great fires, as the one whose brightness is lighting up the whole universe.

20.  O Mahathma, The huge space between the earth and the sky, all the sides and all the corners are completely filled up with you.

All the worlds are frightened by looking at your fiery, fearsome  and wondrous form.

21. Groups of Gods are all entering into you. I see some others  making Namashkaar to you with folded hands and praising you in deep fear. Groups of Sages and Siddhas are saying 'Swasti' and praising you with many Stotrams (with many kinds of slokas in praise of the Lord).

22. All the eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, Vasoos, Saadhyaas, Vesve devathas, Aswinee Kumara Devathas, Gods of Winds (Marudhganas), Ancestors(pitrus in divine forms), Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras, Siddhas - are looking up at you in great wonder and surprise.

23. O Lord Krishna (Maha Baho)! All worlds including me are terrified by looking at your great sight with so many countless  heads, faces, eyes, hands, feet, thighs, stomachs and fearsome sharp teeth.

24. O Lord Vishnu (Krishna)! Your total appearance is touching the skies and it is extremely bright. It has all the colours. All of your countless mouths are wide open. Your countless eyes are huge and bright. On seeing your great sight, my heart is terrified and I am unable to keep my courage and peace.

25. O Lord of all Gods, O the abode of all worlds!  I am unable to distinguish the four sides and four corners of the world after seeing  your multitude of faces which are all as bright as the Pralayagni (the great fires which consume all worlds at the end of their life) and all of which show fearsome, wide open, huge teeth. I am totally uncomfortable before this great sight of you. Kindly become graceful towards me.

26.  These sons of Dhritarashtra, all the kings gathered here, Bheeshma, Drona, Karna, and all the warriors on the side of Pandavas, all these warriors....

27. all these people are very eagerly entering into your wide-open mouths which are exhibiting huge fearsome teeth. I see some others with their heads already cut into small pieces by your huge, sharp teeth.

28. All water streams of various rivers  flow naturally and invariably into the great seas. In the same way, all these great kings are helplessly entering into your fiery, bright faces which are having huge open mouths to swallow them.

29. Just as Grasshoppers are drawn helplessly towards flaming fires for their self destruction, so also, all these crowds of people are speedily entering into your open mouths for their own self destruction.

30. O Lord Vishnu!  You are also eating away all worlds, from all sides of your flame filled mouths. Your unbearable sparkling brightness is filling the worlds with huge, flaming brightness and torching them.

31. O Lord of all Gods! Tell me who you really are, having such fearful appearance. I prostrate before you. Please become Graceful towards me. I am unable to know your manifestations or your deeds. Kindly let me know you who is the most ancient one.

So said Arjuna to Lord Krishna.

Now, Lord Krishna  takes over :

32.  O Arjuna! I am here as the destroyer of all worlds, as the fully grown Kaala (the god of death), as one who is ready to destroy all people of the worlds. Therefore, even if you are not present, all these warriors in your opposite camp will not survive.

33.  O Savya sachi (Arjuna)! Therefore, get up and become ready. Defeat your enemies and attain fame. Enjoy your total kingdom. These warriors are already killed by me. You must only become the immediate, apparent cause of their death.

34.  These warriors who are already killed by me, like Drona, Bheeshma, Jayadradha, Karna and all other warriors, now again, you must kill them. Do not  become sorrowful for it. Do the battle. You can win all enemies in the war.

At this point, Sanjay tells Dhritharashtra as follows :

35. After hearing these words of Lord Krishna, Arjuna with folded hands and trembling, fearful voice said as follows :

36.  O Hriseekesa (Krishna)! Because of your great fame, this world is happy and joyful. The Rakshasas (Demons) are running away to all sides. All Siddhas are looking at you with happiness and folded hands. This is the most suitable and apt happening in your presence.

37.  O Mahathma! O the infinite (Ananta)! O Lord of all Gods! O the omnipresent one! You are the Sath and Asath (the eternal unchanging and the ever-changing) and that beyond all these also. Everything is you. You are the creator of even Brahma and you are greater than him. Everybody  remains with folded hands before you.

38. You are the most ancient God. You are the infinite  form. You are the most ancient Purusha. You are the most suitable abode of this Universe. You are the Omniscient. You are the most suitable one to know and attain to. The entire Universe is filled with you.

39.  You are the Vayu(air), Agni(Fire), Yama (the destroyer), Varuna (God of rains), Chandra (Moon). Prajapati (responsible for creation), most ancient Great Grandfather of all, therefore, I , with folded hands make Namaskar to you thousands of times. Again and again. and again.

40. O the personification of all beings and all things! I fold my hands and make Namaskhar to you from the front, from the back, and from all sides. You possess  infinite power and infinite courage. You are present everywhere.

41. I did not know this extraordinary greatness of you. Therefore , in ignorance, or accidentally, or out of love for you, or out of friendship with you, or out of carelessness, I may have called you as Hey Krishna, Hey Yadava, Hey Sakha (Friend) and so on...

42. O Achyutha (Krishna)! while going out for walks, while eating, while sitting, while lying on the bed, while joking, while alone, while  without you or while behind you, or before others, I may have ridiculed you or disrespected you. O the limitless and unfathomable one! please excuse me for all of these faults of mine.

43. O the most powerful one! You are the creator and you are the father of all these worlds and of all living and non living beings. You are the most respectable one. You are the Guru (the teacher). You are  the greatest. There is nobody equal to you in any of these three worlds. There is nobody greater than you.

44.  Therefore, you are the Lord (the Esa). You are the most suitable one to praise and to pray. I am therefore prostrating before you and seeking your blessings.  O Lord Krishna! Like a father, excuse me as if I am your son. Excuse me as a friend, treating me as your friend. Excuse me as the best lover would excuse his lover. Only you can excuse me in all these ways.

45. I am extremely happy by what I have seen as your never before seen form. But my mind is suffering in fear. O Lord of all Gods, O the abode of all worlds! Please, kindly show me your earlier pleasant form which is familiar to me.

46. O Viswa Roopa (one in the form of this entire Universe)! I am deeply desirous of seeing you with Your Chakra (wheel weapon), Gadha (Mace weapon), Kireeta (Crown). O the mighty one with thousands of arms! I want to see your form with your four arms only.

On hearing this request of Arjuna, Lord Krishna now says as follows :

47. O Arjuna, because I was pleased with you, because of the power of my Yoga, you could see my brightest, universal, infinite, most ancient form which no one has seen earlier.

48. It was impossible to see this form of mine - for anyone else (other than you) so far, in the human world, either by chanting of the Vedas or by performing Yajnas or by great charity (Donations and generosity), or by good karmas, or by deep desires, or by great penances(Tapas).

49. By seeing this terrible form of mine, do not be afraid. Do not feel confused  and perturbed in mind. Get rid of all fear. Feel calmness and contentment. Then, look at my erstwhile, pleasant form.

Sanjaya now comes into the Picture and tells Dhritharashtra :

50. The Great Lord Krishna, having told like this, consoled the fear-struck Arjuna and resumed his  earlier pleasant form before him.

Arjuna is now happy and says as follows :

51. O Janardana (Krishna)! After seeing your normal, pleasant, human form, I have regained my own, normal composure, my peacefulness and happiness.

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna as follows :

52. This form of mine which is impossible to see for any one, that you have seen. Even all Gods are always desirous of seeing this great form of mine.

53. This great form of mine which you have seen, is impossible for anyone to see either by recital of Vedas, or by Penances (Tapas),or by Great Charity (Dhaana) or by Yagna (sacrifices,offerings).

54. O Parantapa (Arjuna)! Only through extraordinary devotion, it is possible to see me in this  great, Universal form, to know the truth about me and to attain me.

55. O Arjuna! He who surrenders all Karma to me, who shows deep interest in me and devotion to me, who gives up all attachments and who gives up all enmities towards all beings, he only attains to me.

Conclusion : Here ends the Eleventh chapter called Viswarupa darsana Yogah - in the Yoga sasthra, which is a Part of the Brahma Vidya, in the Upanishad of Bhagavad Gita. It is a part of the Dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna.

Here, Lord Krishna is displaying his Viswa rupa, the Universal form to Arjuna.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BHAGAVAD GITA - CHAPTER 10 - VIBHUTI YOGA

 

BHAGAVAD GITA

CHAPTER 10

VIBHUTI  YOGA

 

Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna's advice to the Confused Arjuna on the Battle field of Kurukshetra.

Each chapter of Bhagavad Gita is designated as a YOGA.

Here is a summary of Chapter.10. Vibhuti Yoga. There are totally  42 Slokas in it and I have given here a faithful description of what each Sloka says. Overall, it is a description of  the Lord's all pervasive, extraordinary greatness. Lord Krishna Says - Arjuna, identify me in all that is best in the Universe. The Lord gives examples of so many kinds - to understand his greatness, or, his Vibhuti.

Now, let us go to the sloka-wise description :

In Vibhuti Yoga, Lord Krishna is telling Arjuna about his extraordinary greatness or Vibhuti and how and where to identify it in the Universe.

1. O Arjuna! Because you possess so much friendliness and devotion for me, I also seek your welfare. Listen to me as I repeat those advices which are most suitable for you.

2. I am the most ancient and I am the root cause of all. So, neither the Gods, nor the sages know how I came to be.

3. I am the one without birth and without a beginning. I am the Lord of the whole Universe. Whoever understands me, he gets liberated from all ignorance and from all sins.

4. Intellect (deciding faculty), wisdom (Jnanam),clarity (not falling into illusions or sammohah), Patience (and forgiveness), honesty, control over the five senses, control over the external organs, happiness, sorrow, what is, what is not, fear, courage.... All these are all happening because of me only :

5. Non violence, equality, contentment, Tapas ( penance), Generosity,  fame, notoriety, different types of feelings of all beings... all these are also happening because of me only.

6. The Saptarshis (Seven Great Sages),the more ancient four sages (sanaka, sanandana, Sanatana, Sanat kumara), the 14 Manus (Svaarochisha, Svaayambhu etc) are all my devotess. They were born because of my will, as my Maanasa putras (born from my mind).

7. Who ever really understands this greatness and  Yoga of mine, that person, undoubtedly, becomes an unwavering yogi.

8. I am the root cause of the whole creation. Everything in this creation is functioning because of me only. Knowing this, the wise sages become my devotees and always worship me.

9.  My devotees keep their minds on me, devote their life to me, talk about me to each other, thereby they become extremely joyful and enjoy their life.

10. With the whole mind and thoughts on me and with great devotion, whoever serves me, to them, I grant that buddhi yoga which enables them to reach me.

11. To liberate them, I stay fixed in their Antahkarana (deepest consciousness), I kindle the light of wisdom in them and remove the darkness of their ignorance.

12.  Now Arjuna asks the Lord : You are the Para-brahma, Parandhaama, you are the most sacred one. You are the eternal, you are the most divine Purusha (deity), You are the most ancient almighty, you are the birthless. You are the lord.

13. All great sages, the divine sages of Narada, Asitha, Devala and Vyasa - all of them know you. Now, you are  telling all this for my sake yourself.

14. O Bhagavan, O Krishna, All that you are telling me, I totally accept as the truth. Your great, real identity is unknown even to the Gods and Demons.

15. O Purushottama (the greatest of all purushas), O  creator of all beings, O lord of all beings, O Lord of all Gods, O Lord of the entire Universe, Only you know the greatness and real identity of yourself.

16. You only are competent to declare, the extraordinary greatness of yourself, in all its completeness, that with which, you are pervading the entire universe

17. O Bhagavan, O Yogeswara! How will I always think, pray and know you? In what manner, I must devote to you, pray you and meditate on you.

18. O Janardana! Please tell me about the greatness of your Yoga again. I am not fully contented and satisfied by so far listening to your eternal and beautiful  teachings.

19. After listening to all these Arjuna's Requests, the Lord takes over again. He continues as follows : O Arjuna, there is no end point at all to the extent of my great Vibutis. I am detailing my Vibhutis, again, especially for you

20. O Arjuna (Gudaakesa) ! The Athma which resides in the hearts of all beings is none other than Myself. I am the start , the middle and the end of all beings.

21.  I am the Vishnu among the twelve Adityas(Dwadasaadityas), who are the children of Adithi).

I am the Sun among all glowing entities in the universe.

I am the Mareechi among all (forty nine) Maruthths.

I am the Moon among all stars.

Note : All this simply signifies that, the best in everything is none other than myself.

22. I am the Saama Veda among the Vedas.

I am the Indra among all Devas(Gods).

I am the Manas among all senses(Indriyas).

I am the consciousness among all living beings.

23. I am Sankara among the Eleven (Yekaadasa)Rudras.

I am the Kubera (the Lord of riches) among all Yakshas and Rakshasas.

I am the Agnihotra(the Fire God) among all Vasus.

I am the Meru mountain among all mountains.

24.  Know that - I am the Brihaspathi the best among all Purohits.

I am Skanda(the commander of the Heaven's armed forces), among all Commander-in-chiefs.

I am the Ocean among all water bodies.

25. I am the Bhrigu among all the Great sages.

I am the OM among all sounds.

I am the Japa Yajna among all Yajnas.

I am the Himalayas among all sthavaras (Hills)

26. I am the Aswattha tree among all trees.

I am the Narada among all Divine Sages.

I am the Chitraratha among all Gandharvas.

I am the Kapila Muni among all Siddhas.

27. I am the Ucchaisrava, born with Nectar(Amritham) in the Milky ocean, among all Horses.

I am the Airavath, among all Elephants.

I am the Emperor among all human beings.

Know this, O Arjuna.

28. I am the Vajra among all weapons.

I am the Kaama Dhenu among all Cows.

I am the Kandarpa (Manmatha, the Lord of desire) among the procreating forces,.

I am the Vasuki among all serpents.

 29. I am the Anantha or Adisesha among all Cobras.

I am Varuna(Lord of rains)among all the beings of water.

I am the Aryama, among the Pitru devathas(Ancestors).

I am the Yama among all those who do Samyamanam.

30.  I am the Prahlada among all Daityas(Progeny of Dithi).

I am the Kaala(Time) among all mathematicians.

I am the Lion (the king of all animals) among all animals.

I am the Garuda (the son of Vinatha) among all birds.

31. I am the Pavana or Vayu among all the cleansers.

I am Lord Rama, among all those who wield the Bow weapon.

I am the crocodile among all fish.

I am the Ganges among all rivers and other water streams.

32. O Arjuna! Among creations, I am the Start, the middle and the end.

Among all studies, I am the Adhyathma Vidya, the learning of 'who I am'.

I am the argument of all the arguers.

33. I am the Akaara (the letter A) among all letters.

I am the Dwandwa among all Samasas (in Grammar).

I am the never ending time.

I am the Dhaatha with infinite faces.

34. I am the Mrityu who destroys all and everything.

I am the birth of all those who are going to be born.

I am the fame, the treasures (Sree), the spoken word, the remembrance power, the courage and the patience in all women.

35.Likewise,I am the Brihath Sama among all the Saamaas(sruthis suitable for singing).

I am the Gayathri Chanda among all the Chandas.

I am the Maarga seersha among all months.

I am the Vasantha rithu among all rithus (Seasons).

36.I am the Gambling trait (Dyootham)  in all deceiptful people.

I am the Tejas (inner brightness) in all bright people.

I am the victory in all victorious people.

I am the Sathva Guna in the Sathvika people.

I am also the agriculture which gives all food.

37.I am the Vaasudeva among all men of Vrishni dynasty.

I am the Dhananjaya among all Pandavas.

I am the Vyasa among all sages.

I am the Sukracharya among all Kavis/Poets.

38.I am the  Danda (rod used for punishing) of all those who wield Danda.

I am the Neethi (specific inner characteristic) of all those who seek Victory.

I am the silence among all secrecies.

I am the wisdom in all wise men.

39. O Arjuna! The root seed for the birth of all beings is Myself.

There is nothing which is not myself in all this moving and non moving world of beings.

40. O Parantapa(Arjuna)! There is really no end to all my extraordinary Vibhutis (greatnesses).

I have explained them in a simplified form to you.

41.Know this, that -Everything that has some vibhuti, some Sree or some tejas, some energy, some strength all those are born from a small part (or the Amsa) of my Tejas.

42.O Arjuna! what is the purpose and usefulness of knowing all this in so much more detail?

In this entire Universe, I am everywhere with just one small Amsa or part of my Yoga sakthi.

Conclusion : Here ends the Tenth chapter called Vibhuti Yogah - in the Yoga sasthra, which is a Part of the Brahma Vidya, in the Upanishad of Bhagavad Gita. It is a part of the Dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna.

Here, Lord Krishna is telling the easiest way of discovering the Lord everywhere in the Universe. Where ever you see some greatness in this Universe, know that, it is the Lord's own greatness reflected in a small way. The Lord is reflecting himself in all such greatness.