arjuna uvāca madanugrahāya paramam guhyam adhyātmasañjñitam |
yattvayoktam vacastena moho'yam vigato mama ||11.1||
Arjuna said:
As a result of the words taught by you (Lord!) in order to bless me with the greatest secret known as (knowledge) centred on the self, this delusion of mine is gone.
Self-knowledge which is the greatest secret is taught by Lord Krsna to Arjuna, therefore Arjuna's delusion about what is ātmā - self and anātma - non-self, which are expressed as sorrow and conflict over all the people he was going to destroy, has now gone away (more or less). Self-knowledge is nothing but discrimination between what is self and non-self (ātmā-anātmā-vivekah). Even though discrimination knowledge is there on the part of Arjuna, but there are still some inhibiting factors.
After hearing Lord Krsna said "pervading the entire universe with one pāda I remain", Arjuna wants to see a single form of Īśvara where there is nothing excluded at once. It is called the comic form visva-rūpa. What we are able to see are limited alone because we are limited by our own capacity for perception. Just like when we see the sun is covered by cloud, in reality our sight is covered by cloud, not the sun. One should have a pair of special eyes - divya-caksuh to see the cosmic form of Īśvara - visva-rupa-darshanam. There are special eyes which are gained by upasana, bhakti, etc. which can has the sight of the Lord, but it will not be total, and it will be temporary. But the special eyes which see the Lord in total are from one who abides in self-knowledge, which we call them eyes of wisdom. But this is not the case for Arjuna. Because of Arjuna's request, Lord Krsna made him see the total form of Īśvara, but only temporary. In fact he is not ready for it, and get frighten. Next Arjuna started to ask for the cosmic form of Īśvara.
bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānām śrutau vistaraśo mayā |
tvattah kamalapatrāksa māhātmyam api cāvyayam ||11.2||
Indeed the creation and dissolution of things (and beings) have been heard in detail by me from you, Krsna, you whose eyes are like the lotus petal! and also (your) perennial glory (was heard).
evam etad yathāttha tvam ātmānam parameśvara |
drastum icchāmi te rūpam aiśvaram purusottama ||11.3||
Just as you have been telling about yourself, Lord! in the same manner I long to see the form of yours as the Lord, Purusottama (Krsna)!
manyase yadi tacchakyam mayā drastum iti prabho |
yogeśvara tato me tvam darśayātmānam avyayam ||11.4||
If you think it is possible for me Lord! to see that (form of yours), then, Lord of the yogins! you please show me your perennially eternal self.
Lord Krsna has told in details the relationship between Brahman as the cause and world as the effect, and glories of Īśvara where every form is his form, yet he doesn't under go any change to appear as many. Then Arjuna wishes to see that form where everything is rested inside Īśvara in one time.
śrībhagavān uvāca paśya me pārtha rūpāni śataśo'tha sahasraśah | nānāvidhāni divyāni nānāvarnākrtīni ca ||11.5||
Śrī Bhagavān said: See, Pārtha (Arjuna)! hundreds, and thousands of My forms of many varieties, effulgent and of many colours and shapes.
paśyādityān vasūn rudrān aśvinau marutastathā |
bahūnyadrstapūrvāni paśyāścaryāni bhārata ||11.6||
Bhārata (Arjuna)! See the ādityas, vasus, rudras, two aśvins as well as the maruts. See (also) many (other) wondrous (forms) never seen before.
ihaikastham jagat krtsnam paśyādya sacarācaram | mama dehe gudākeśa yaccānyad drastum icchasi ||11.7|| Today, here, in My body, please see the entire world, movable and immovable, in one place, and anything else, Gudākeśa (Arjuna)! which you wish to see.
na tu mām śakyase drastum anenaiva svacaksusā | divyam dadāmi te caksuh paśya me yogam aiśvaram ||11.8|| But it is not possible for you to see Me merely with your own eyes alone. I will give you a divine eye. Please see My wondrous power.
Hundreds and thousands forms have the meaning of countless here. The forms which Lord Krsna is going to show, they are not just countless but also infinite variety. And they are forms where we can never imagine, which have never been seen before. What else does Arjuna wish to see? Śańkara says, is the question of who is going to win this battle. Arjuna wondered whether his side would win or not. He will see the past, present and future including the outcome of this war. It is all settled. Duryodhana by his deeds has already brought about the destruction of his clan. Arjuna need not do anything more than play his part. It is like a fruit that has already ripened, one simply has to touch it and it will fall. Arjuna is only an instrument - nimitta in the whole process.
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