Indian stream·Bhagavad Gita·Discourse 11: The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

Source context

Theme

theophanic vision of the cosmic universal form (Vishvarupa) as direct perception of divine totality

Soul-faculty

Consciousness Soul

Steiner

• GA 146, 1913-06-05Steiner treats the Bhagavad Gita as presenting supersensible vision of the divine through Krishna's guidance, distinguishing this from the Christ-impulse as a preparatory Eastern stream rather than the central Mystery-of-Golgotha event.
• GA 142, 1912-12-28Steiner identifies the Bhagavad Gita as a synthesis of three spiritual streams, within which the revelation of cosmic spiritual realities — such as the Vishvarupa disclosure — reflects the Vedic philosophical current reaching its highest expression.

Cross-tradition

• Kabbalah (Ein Sof / Shi'ur Qomah)The Shi'ur Qomah tradition describes a vision of the divine body in cosmic magnitude, structurally parallel to Arjuna's confrontation with a form possessing innumerable faces, limbs, and luminosities extending through all space.
• Neoplatonism (Plotinus, Enneads VI)Plotinus describes the intellect's vision of the All as a simultaneous apprehension of every being in the One, which parallels the Vishvarupa's collapse of sequential time into a single overwhelming divine presence.
• Sufism (Ibn Arabi, Futuhat al-Makkiyya)Ibn Arabi's concept of the tajalli (divine self-disclosure) as the entirety of Being manifesting through a single locus shows cross-tradition congruence with Krishna's temporary unveiling of his universal form to a prepared perceiver.

Discourse 11: The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

11:1Arjuna said: This word of the supreme Secret concerning the Self, Thou hast
spoken out of compassion; by this my delusion is taken away.

11:2The production and destruction of beings have been heard by me in detail from
Thee, O Lotus-eyed, and also Thy imperishable greatness.

11:3O supreme Lord, even as Thou describest Thyself, O best of beings, I desire to
see Thy Form omnipotent.

11:4If Thou thinkest that by me It can be seen, O Lord, Lord of Yoga, then show me
Thine imperishable Self.

11:5The Blessed Lord said: Behold, O Partha, a Form of Me, a hundredfold, a
thousandfold, various in kind, divine, various in colours and shapes.

11:6Behold the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Ashvins and also the Maruts;
behold many marvels never seen ere this, O Bharata.

11:7Here, to-day, behold the whole universe, movable and immovable, standing in
one in My body, O Gudakesha, with aught else thou desirest to see.

11:8But verily thou art not able to behold Me with these thine eyes; the divine eye I
give unto thee. Behold My sovereign Yoga.

11:9Sanjaya said: Having thus spoken, O King, the great Lord of Yoga, Hari,
showed to Partha His supreme Form as Lord.

11:10With many mouths and eyes, with many visions of marvel, with many divine
ornaments, with many upraised divine weapons;

11:11Wearing divine necklaces and vestures, anointed with divine unguents, the God
all-marvellous, boundless, with face turned everywhere.

11:12If the splendour of a thousand suns were to blaze out together in the sky, that
might resemble the glory of that Mahatman.

11:13There Pandava beheld the whole universe, divided into manifold parts,
standing in one in the body of the Deity of Deities.

11:14Then he, Dhananjaya, overwhelmed with astonishment, his hair upstanding,
bowed down his head to the Shining One, and with joined palms spake.

11:15Arjuna said: Within Thy Form, O God, the Gods I see, All grades of beings
with distinctive marks; Brahma, the Lord, upon His lotus-throne, The Rishis all, and Serpents, the Divine.

11:16With mouths, eyes, arms, breasts multitudinous, I see Thee everywhere,
unbounded Form. Beginning, middle, end, nor source of Thee, Infinite Lord, infinite Form, I find;

11:17Shining, a mass of splendour everywhere, With discus, mace, tiara, I behold:
Blazing as fire, as sun dazzling the gaze. From all sides in the sky, immeasurable.

11:18Lofty beyond all thought, unperishing, Thou treasure-house supreme, all-
immanent; Eternal Dharma’s changeless Guardian, Thou; As immemorial Man I think of Thee.

11:19Nor source, nor midst, nor end; infinite force, Unnumbered arms, the sun and
moon Thine eyes. I see Thy face, as sacrificial fire Blazing, its splendour burneth up the worlds.

11:20By Thee alone are filled the earth, the heavens, And all the regions that are
stretched between; The triple worlds sink down, O mighty One, Before Thine awful manifested Form.

11:21To Thee the troops of Suras enter in, Some with joined palms in awe invoking
Thee; Banded Maharshis, Siddhas, cry: "All hail!" Chanting Thy praises with resounding songs.

11:22Rudras, Vasus, Sadhyas and Adityas, Vishvas, the Ashvins, Maruts, Ushmapas,
Gandharvas, Yakshas, Siddhas, Asuras, In wondering multitudes beholding Thee.

11:23Thy mighty Form, with many mouths and eyes, Long-armed, with thighs and
feet innumerate, Vast-bosomed, set with many fearful teeth. The worlds see terror-struck, as also I.

11:24Radiant, Thou touchest heaven, rainbow-hued, With opened mouths and
shining vast-orbed eyes, My inmost self is quaking, having seen, My strength is withered, Vishnu, and my peace.

11:25Like Time’s destroying flames I see Thy teeth, Upstanding, spread within
expanded jaws; Nought know I anywhere, no shelter find. Mercy, O God! refuge of all the worlds!

11:26The sons of Dhritarashtra, and with them The multitude of all these kings of
earth, Bhishma, and Drona, Suta’s royal son, And all the noblest warriors of our hosts,

11:27Into Thy gaping mouths they hurrying rush, Tremendous-toothed and terrible
to see; Some caught within the gaps between Thy teeth Are seen, their heads to powder crushed and ground.

11:28As river-floods impetuously rush, Hurling their waters into ocean’s lap, So
fling themselves into Thy flaming mouths, In haste, these mighty men, these lords of earth.

11:29As moths with quickened speed will headlong fly Into a flaming light, to fall
destroyed, So also these, in haste precipitate, Enter within Thy mouths destroyed to fall.

11:30On every side, all-swallowing, fiery-tongued, Thou lickest up mankind,
devouring all; The glory filleth space: the universe Is burning, Vishnu, with Thy blazing rays.

11:31Reveal Thy Self; what awful Form art Thou? I worship Thee! Have mercy,
God supreme! Thine inner Being I am fain to know; This Thy forth-streaming Life bewilders me.

11:32The Blessed Lord said: Time am I, laying desolate the world, Made manifest
on earth to slay mankind! Not one of all these warriors ranged for strife Escapeth death; thou shalt alone survive.

11:33Therefore stand up! win for thyself renown, Conquer thy foes, enjoy the
wealth-filled realm. By Me they are already overcome. Be thou the outward cause, left- handed one.

11:34Drona and Bhishma and Jayadratha, Karna, and all the other warriors here. Are
slain by Me. Destroy them fearlessly. Fight! thou shalt crush thy rivals in the field.

11:35Sanjaya said: Having heard these words of Keshava, he who weareth a diadem,
with joined palms, quaking and prostrating himself, spake again to Krishna, stammering with fear, casting down his face.

11:36Arjuna said: Hrishikesha! in Thy magnificence Rightly the world rejoiceth,
hymning Thee; The Rakshasas to every quarter fly In fear; the hosts of Siddhas prostrate fall.

11:37How should they otherwise, O loftiest Self! First Cause! Brahma Himself less
great than Thou. Infinite, God of Gods, home of all worlds, Unperishing, Sat, Asat, That supreme!

11:38First of the Gods, most ancient Man Thou art, Supreme receptacle of all that
lives; Knower and known, the dwelling-place on high; In Thy vast Form the universe is spread.

11:39Thou art Vayu and Yama, Agni, moon, Varuna, Father, Grandsire of all; Hail,
hail to Thee! a thousand times all hail! Hail unto Thee! again, again all hail!

11:40Prostrate in front of Thee, prostrate behind; Prostrate on every side to Thee, O
All. In power boundless, measureless in strength, Thou holdest all: then Thou Thyself art All.

11:41If, thinking Thee but friend, importunate, O Krishna! or O Yadava! O friend! I
cried, unknowing of Thy majesty, And careless in the fondness of my love;

11:42If jesting, I irreverence showed to Thee, At play, reposing, sitting or at meals,
Alone, O sinless One, or with my friends, Forgive my error, O Thou boundless One.

11:43Father of worlds, of all that moves and stands, Worthier of reverence than the
Guru’s self, There is none like to Thee. Who passeth Thee? Pre-eminent Thy power in all the worlds.

11:44Therefore I fall before Thee; with my body I worship as it fitting; bless Thou
me. As father with the son, as friend with friend, With the beloved as lover, bear with me.

11:45I have seen that which none hath seen before. My heart is glad, yet faileth me
for fear; Show me, O God, Thine other Form again — Mercy, O God of Gods, home of all worlds—

11:46Diademed, mace and discus in Thy hand. Again I fain would see Thee as
before; Put on again Thy four-armed shape, O Lord, O thousand-armed, of forms innumerable.

11:47The Blessed Lord said: Arjuna, by My favour thou hast seen, This loftiest
Form by yoga’s self revealed! Radiant, all-penetrating, endless, first, That none except thyself hath ever seen.

11:48Nor sacrifice, nor Vedas, alms, nor works, Nor sharp austerity, nor study deep.
Can win the vision of this Form for man, Foremost of Kurus, thou alone hast seen.

11:49Be not bewildered, be thou not afraid, Because thou hast beheld this awful
Form; Cast fear away, and let thy heart rejoice; Behold again Mine own familiar shape.

11:50Sanjaya said: Vasudeva, having thus spoken to Arjuna, again manifested His
own Form, and consoled the terrified one, the Mahatman again assuming a gentle form.

11:51Arjuna said: Beholding, again Thy gentle human Form, O Janardana, I am now
collected, and am restored to my own nature.

11:52The Blessed Lord said: This Form of Mine beholden by thee is very hard to
see. Verily the Shining Ones ever long to behold this form.

11:53Nor can I be seen as thou hast seen Me by the Vedas, nor by austerities, nor by
alms, or by offerings;

11:54But by devotion to Me alone I may thus be perceived, Arjuna, and known and
seen in essence, and entered, O Parantapa.

11:55He who doeth actions for Me, whose supreme good I am, My devotee, freed
from attachment without hatred of any being, he cometh unto Me, O Pandava.

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