Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 13 to 14

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Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 13 to 14

(Verse Translation by Swami Gambirananda, Gita Bhasya and commentary

by Swami Chinmayanandaji)

 

Tatraikastham jagatkritsnam pravibhaktamanekadhaa;

Apashyaddevadevasya shareere paandavastadaa. Verse 13

 

13. At that time, Pandava saw there, in the body of the God of gods,

the whole diversely differentiated Universe united in the one (Cosmic

form).

 

Tada, at that time

pandavah, Pandava, Arjuna

apasyat, saw

tatra, there, in that Cosmic form

sarire, in the body

devadevasya, of the God of gods, of Hari

krtsnam, the whole

jagat, Universe

anekadha, deversely

pravibhaktam, differentiated-into groups of gods, manes, human

beings, and others

ekastham, united in the one (Cosmic form).

 

In that Divine Form of the Lord, Arjuna perceived how the entire

world of manifold varieties had been brought together and packed to

rest at one and the same place. We have already noticed that the

concept of the Cosmic-Man is the vision of the Universe through a

mind which has ceased to act with the concept of time or space. This

vision of " the many in one " is not so much a physical perception as

an intellectual comprehension. It is not that the Universe has shrunk

into the size of Krishna. It is quite sufficient if Arjuna has the

required sense of oneness in the world of matter and if he looks at

the Universe through his understanding so that, intellectually, he

can come to estimate the oneness of the Universe.

To quote a parallel in modern science, we may consider the attempt of

Chemistry to classify all the existing substances. When so many

things in the world are brought on the laboratory tables, it is found

that they are constituted of the elements, in all about one hundred

and three in number. This understanding of the elements soon yields

place when the atom-contents in them are discovered to be nothing

other than the electrons, protons and neutrons. If a scientist, who

knows these three were to look through his knowledge, at the manifold

substances, it would be very easy for him to see that all things of

the world are in the three factors, which are the contents of each

atom. If fact now there are only three elements in the world, the

triple factors in the Atom. Similarly here, when Arjuna gained his

special knowledge through the grace of Krishna, he comes to recognise

the whole Universe in the very body of the God-principle, the Total-

intellect.

 

ARJUNA'S PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL REACTIONS ON SEEING THIS FORM,

ARE BEING VERY CAREFULLY NOTED AND REPORTED BY SANJAYA

 

Tatah sa vismayaavishto hrishtaromaa dhananjayah;

Pranamya shirasaa devam kritaanjalirabhaashata. Verse 14

 

14. Then, filled with wonder, with hairs standing on end, he,

Dhananjaya, (Arjuna), bowing down with his head to the Lord, said

with folded hands:

 

Tatah, then, having seen Him

sah, he, Dhananjaya

became vismaya-avistah, filled with wonder

and hrsta-roma, had his hairs standing on end. Becoming filled with

humility, pranamya, bowing down, bowing down fully

 

[With abundant respect and devotion.] sirasa, with his head

devam, to the Lord, who had assumed the Cosmic form abhasata, he said

krta-anjalih, with folded hands, with palms joined in salutation:

 

 

On seeing this transcendental vision, emotions of wonderment and

consequent horripilations are noticed in Arjuna. Though Sanjaya is

far away, he not only seems to see minute physical details of each

soldier upon the battle-field but also seems to have a power to peep

over the body into the mind-and-intellect equipment of each

individual. The inner wonder-emotion in Arjuna's mind is as much

evident to Sanjaya, as was his hair standing on his body. Arjuna,

with folded palms, bending his head low, now opens his mouth for the

first time to talk. That Arjuna did not speak so long is in itself a

positive indication of the choking emotion that he must have felt at

the sight of this sweetly unnerving Divine-Form.

 

WHAT WERE THE ACTUAL WORDS OF WONDER-MENT THAT BURST OUT FROM

ARJUNA? ... LISTEN: How? 'I am seeing the Cosmic form that has been

revealed by You'- Arjuna thus expressing his own experience,