THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 11, VERSE 11, VISVARUPA DARSANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF THE VISION OF THE COSMIC FORM

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 11

VISVARUPA DARSANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF THE VISION OF THE COSMIC FORM:

VERSE NUMBER 11

Text in Transliteration:

divya maalyaambara dharam divya gandhaanulepanam

 sarvaascharyamayam devam anantam visvatomukham

Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:

Divya maalya ambara dharam = wearing divine garlands and apparel; divya gandha anulepanam = anointed with divine unguents; sarva aascharya mayam = the all-wonderful; devam = resplendent; anantam = endless; visvatomukham = with faces on all sides.

Text in English:

Wearing heavenly garlands and raiments, anointed with celestial perfumes, all wonderful, resplendent boundless, with faces on all sides.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

Panorama corresponding to this definition is available even to the physical eye; what to speak then of the spectacle cognized with the divine eye! Godly features alone are in evidence everywhere and at all levels.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Visvatomukham: With faces on all sides, as He is the Self of all beings.

Devam: God. Also means ‘resplendent’.

Anantam: Endless. He Who is free from the three kinds of limitations, viz., Desa-Kala-Vastu-Pariccheda (limitations of space, time and thing respectively) is Anantam. He is Brahman. This philosophical concept is explained below.

The pot is here. This is space-limitation. The pot is now here. This is time-limitation. The pot is not a cloth. This is thing – (material) limitation. There is saffron in Kashmir only. This is limitation of space and thing. You can have apples only in September. This is limitation of time and thing. But Brahman is everywhere, as It is all-pervading. It exists in the past, the present and the future. It dwells in all parts. Hence It is beyond these three limitations. It is therefore endless.