Gita 11.24

Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga

नभःस्पृशं दीप्तमनेकवर्णं व्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् । दृष्ट्वा हि त्वां प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा धृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च विष्णो ॥

nabhaḥ-spṛśaṁ dīptam aneka-varṇaṁ vyāttānanaṁ dīpta-viśāla-netram | dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṁ pravyathitāntarātmā dhṛtiṁ na vindāmi śamaṁ ca viṣṇo ||

In essence: Touching the sky, blazing with infinite colors, mouths gaping wide - Arjuna's inner self trembles, finding neither courage nor peace.

A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply

Sadhak-Guru Dialogue

Sadhak: "Arjuna calls Krishna 'Vishnu' here. Is this significant?"

Guru: "Until now, how has Arjuna addressed Krishna?"

Sadhak: "As friend, teacher, 'Madhava,' 'Keshava' - personal names."

Guru: "And now?"

Sadhak: "He says 'Vishnu' - the all-pervading one. He's acknowledging the cosmic identity."

Guru: "Yes. The friendly Krishna has revealed the universal Vishnu. Arjuna's names shift because his perception shifts. This is not his charioteer anymore."

Sadhak: "He says his 'antarātmā' is disturbed. Can the soul be disturbed? I thought the soul is always peaceful."

Guru: "What is the relation between the individual soul and the cosmic being?"

Sadhak: "The soul is a part of the divine, a spark of the infinite fire."

Guru: "So when the infinite fire reveals itself in full blaze, how would the spark respond?"

Sadhak: "It would... resonate? Vibrate in response?"

Guru: "Exactly. Arjuna's deepest self is not separate from what he sees. His antarātmā trembles because it recognizes its source - and that recognition is overwhelming. The soul is peaceful when identified with itself. When confronted with its infinite origin, it trembles with the intensity of reunion."

Sadhak: "So this is not spiritual failure but intensity of connection?"

Guru: "The most intense connection possible. Too intense for composure."

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🌅 Daily Practice

🌅 Morning

Nabhaḥ-spṛśam contemplation: Step outside and look at the sky. Consider that what Arjuna saw 'touched' this sky - filled all this space. Let the vastness above you become a window into cosmic presence. Feel appropriately small, but also connected - you are looking at the same sky Arjuna described.

☀️ Daytime

Dhṛti-śama check: Throughout the day, notice when you lose composure (dhṛti) or peace (śama). These are the same faculties Arjuna lost. When disturbed, ask: what overwhelming reality am I glimpsing? Sometimes disturbance comes from genuine perception of something too big to process. Name it.

🌙 Evening

Inner self inquiry: Before sleep, sit quietly and direct attention to your 'antarātmā' - that deepest sense of 'I' beyond thoughts and emotions. Ask: are you peaceful tonight? disturbed? Notice without judgment. Recognize that even this innermost self can be touched by encounters with vastness.

Common Questions

Why can't Arjuna find peace even though he's having direct divine vision?

Direct divine vision of the cosmic form is not the same as the peaceful vision of the personal Lord. Arjuna is seeing reality without filters - including its terrible aspects. Peace comes from relationship with the divine; terror comes from seeing the divine's absolute nature that transcends relationship. Later, Krishna will show His gentle form again and Arjuna will find peace. This verse shows that complete vision of reality is initially shattering before it becomes liberating.

What does 'touching the sky' mean literally? Is this a physical description?

'Nabhaḥ-spṛśam' indicates that the cosmic form fills all vertical space - from earth to the highest heaven, there is no gap. This is not primarily physical but ontological: every level of reality is pervaded by this form. The sky was the ultimate symbol of vastness for ancient people; saying the form 'touches the sky' means it reaches the limits of the conceivable. Yet even that doesn't capture it, as the form exceeds even sky.

Why does the vision have 'many colors'? What's the significance?

Colors symbolize qualities, states, and distinctions. 'Aneka-varṇam' - many colors - means all possible qualities exist simultaneously in the cosmic form. Light contains all colors; similarly, divine reality contains all possibilities. The vision is not monochrome transcendence but full-spectrum immanence - every quality that ever existed or could exist is present. This makes the vision overwhelming because there is no single quality to focus on.

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