Bhagavad Gita - Adhyay 11 - The Cosmic Vision (VishwaRoop Darshan Yog) - Post 12

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In this chapter of Bhagavad Gita, Arjun understands most of the things which Shri Krishna is trying to impart. Here Arjun asks Shri Krishna to show him his "Ultimate form." In the answer to this, Shri Krishna shows Arjun a glimpse of the incredible vastness and majesty. 

Shri Krishna encompasses, showing Arjun the whole universe enfolded in the body of the God of gods. The vision is also a terrifying one, as Shri Krishna reveals himself with billions of heads, fangs and weapons. Arjun is humbled and awed by the vision. He described what he saw, including a vision of Shri Krishna devouring all of the Kauravas. 

Further Arjun asked Shri Krishna "Who are you, in this terrifying form?" Shri Krishna answered that he is Death (Mrityu) and that Arjun must fight in the battle because the Kauravas will die regardless. Krishna has already killed them; Arjun is merely his instrument. Arjun bows to Shri Krishna and apologizes for any over familiarity he might have shown. Now that he sees this terrifying form of Shri Krishna, Arjun is both amazed and afraid. He begs Shri Krishna to return to his previous, more human form. 

Shri Krishna explains he has shown his horrific form to no one but Arjun. He gently admonishes him, telling him not to be afraid but to stay serene and lighthearted.

In this chapter, Shri Krishna puts his glimpse on our mind. He says that our mind has some limitations. It tends to get attracted to some things and gets repelled from other things. To explain this limitation, Shri Krishna first showed Ishvara's pleasant form, and then followed it with his frightful, menacing form. Everything that existed in the pleasant form was violently destroyed by the same Ishvara. 

Shri Krishna later emphasized that creation and destruction were to be viewed in the same light, because creation cannot happen without destruction. Both have their place in the universe. This means that when one's actions or karmas are exhausted on earth, they are destroyed. There is no randomness or personal bias in who gets destroyed. 

At the end of this chapter. Shri Krishna instructs Arjun on how to attain Ishvara. He says that the key rule is Ananya Bhakti, or single-pointed devotion which is combined with karma yoga, jnana yoga, subduing likes and dislikes and giving up attachment to the material world, we are able to access Ishvara in his cosmic form. 

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