Category Archives: vishvam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 47, Chapter 11

30 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in 11.47, aadyam, anantam, arjuna, atmayogaat, chapter 11 verse 47, darshitama, drishtapoorvam, idam, param, prasannena, roopam, tejomayam, tvadanyena, vishvam

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Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
mayaa prasannena tavaarjunedam roopam param darshitamaatmayogaat |
tejomayam vishvamanantamaadyam yanme tvadanyena na drishtapoorvam || 47 ||
 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
Being pleased, I have shown this supreme form to you, O Arjuna, with my power. My form is luminous, universal, infinite and primal, which no one except you has seen before.
 
mayaa : I have
prasannena : being pleased
tava : to you
arjuna : Arjuna
idam : this
roopam : form
param : supreme
darshitama : have shown
atmayogaat : with my power
tejomayam : luminous
vishvam : universal
anantam : infinite
aadyam : primal
yat : which
me : I
tvadanyena : except you
na : not
drishtapoorvam : seen before
 
Previously, Shri Krishna had displayed his “soumya roopa”, the pleasant cosmic form, which was replaced by his “raudra roopa” his terror-inspiring form. Arjuna was extremely frightened when he saw it. Later, he acknowledged that he could not see it any more and begged Shri Krishna to stop showing it. In this shloka, Shri Krishna reassured Arjuna that there was no intent to scare Arjuna through the fearful form. It was only out of his compassion that the fearful cosmic form, a result of Ishvara’s power of maaya, was displayed.
 
Like Arjuna, we may also want to know why this terrible form was displayed. From a practical standpoint, it is an illustrative reminder to view creation and destruction with equanimity in our lives. Most of us tend to get attached to pleasant and favourable circumstances, and reject or run away from unpleasant circumstances. Ishvara’s universal form has room for both, and gives equal validity to both these aspects. Through this form. Shri Krishna wants us to view the same Ishvara in all aspects of life, pleasant and unpleasant.
 
Furthermore, Shri Krishna wanted to again caution us against objectifying this universal form, in other words, to think of ourselves as unique and distinct from it. We are part and parcel of that universal form, it is not outside us. To drive home this point, he summarizes the key aspects of this form. It is full of luster (tejomaya), it is that which is all pervading (vishwam), it is infinite (anantam), it is primal and beginningless (aadyam). He also points out the exclusivity of this form to Arjuna, which is elaborated in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 38, Chapter 11

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by in 11.28, aadidevaha, anantaroopam, asi, asya, chapter 11 verse 38, dhaama, nidhaanam, param, puraanaaha, purushaha, tatam, tvam, tvayaa, vedyam, vettaa, vishvam, vishvasya

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tvam aadidevaha purushaha puraanastvamasya vishvasya param nidhaanam |
vettaasi vedyam cha param cha dhaama tvayaa tatam vishvamanantaroopam || 38 ||
 
You are the primal lord, the ancient person. This universe is your supreme abode. You are the knower, the knowable and the supreme abode. By you is this universe pervaded, O one with infinite forms.
 
tvam : you
aadidevaha : primal lord
purushaha : person
puraanaaha : ancient
tvam : you
asya : this
vishvasya : universe
param : supreme
nidhaanam : abode
vettaa : knower
asi : are
vedyam : knowable
cha : and
param : supreme
cha : and
dhaama : abode
tvayaa : by you
tatam : pervaded
vishvam : universe
anantaroopam : having infinite forms
 
Arjuna’s understanding of Ishvara becomes clearer and clearer as this chapter unfolds. He acknowledges Ishvara’s creative power by addressing him as “aadideva”, the primal or first lord, the one who created Brahmaa, the creator. He also acknowledges that Ishvara has the power to create “anantaroopam”, an infinite number of forms, which is what we experience as “vishwam”, this magnificent universe. The first name of Ishvara in the Vishnu Sahasranaama, the thousand names of Vishnu, is vishwam.
 
Ishvara has not created the universe and stepped aside from it. He dwells in it as the ancient “purusha” or person, just like we dwell as the person in our body, the “city of nine gates” from the fifth chapter. Also, Ishvara is not located in just one specific area or corner of this universe. He is present everywhere. He is the “tatam” in the phrase “yenam sarvam idam tatam” from the second chapter. He pervades this entire creation, just like water pervades all ocean waves.
 
We know that even an inert object like a TV screen can conjure up an infinite number of names and forms. But Ishvara is far from inert. He is of the nature of awareness, of knowledge. He is the knower of everything that is to be known, all the forms that he has created. And when all these forms are dissolved, they end up in him, the final resting place, the “parama dhaama” or supreme abode.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 11

02 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in 11.19, anaadi, anantabaahum, anantaveeryam, antam, chapter 11 verse 19, deepta, hutaashavaktram, idam, madhya, netram, pashyaami, shashi, soorya, svatejasaa, tapantam, tvaam, vishvam

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anaadimadhyaantamanantaveeryamanantabaahum shashisooryanetram |
pashyaami tvaam deeptahutaashavaktram svatejasaa vishvamidam tapantam || 19 ||
 
I see you without beginning, middle and end, with infinite prowess and infinite arms, with the moon and sun as your eyes, with blazing fire out of your mouth. Your radiance burns this universe.
 
anaadi : without beginning
madhya : middle
antam : end
anantaveeryam : infinite prowess
anantabaahum : infinite arms
shashi : moon
soorya : sun
netram : eyes
pashyaami : I see
tvaam : you
deepta : blazing
hutaashavaktram : fire coming out of mouth
svatejasaa : your radiance
vishvam : universe
idam : this
tapantam : burns
 
Ishvara’s infinite nature is highlighted by Arjuna in this shloka. He repeatedly tried to search for the beginning, middle and end of Ishvara’s cosmic form, but fails to do so. He does find something for his mind to hold onto. The moon and the sun are seen as the eyes of the cosmic form. This is useful because it lets us, to the best of our mind’s ability, as a pointer to remembering Ishvara’s cosmic form when we see the moon or the sun.
 
Next, Arjuna describes Ishvara’s powerful prana shakti. Our prana powers all of our physiological functions. It enables us to digest food, move our hands and legs, circulate the blood and so on. Similarly, the cosmic prana of Ishvara also powers the universe, but is infinitely more powerful than our prana. This is revealed through the infinite arms seen by Arjuna, that represent the infinite prowess and power to perform actions.
 
Now, Arjuna begins to see a transformation in the cosmic form. It shifts from a pleasant picture to something a little different. Ishvara’s mouth begins to emit fire, representing the prana in him that consumes food. The food here, however, refers to the offerings we make in the form of sacrifices. The offering, or “hutam”, is consumed by Ishvara resulting in the fire from his mouth heating or powering the universe. This image reinforces the sacrificial wheel of the universe that was described in the third chapter.