The Lord, Sri Krisna has revealed the secret of the universe and spirituality, also about the power of the human mind and its helplessness etc. through the ten previous chapters (I-X). But Arjuna was not fully convinced. Therefore Sri Krisna was compelled to give Arjuna the vision of his universal person making him ready for the performance of his moral obligation to fight against Kauravas. Sri Krisna was pleased to have Arjuna the divine vision of His universal divine form covering the whole universe. This vision made Arjuna to belive that there is nothing beyond Krisna and he got ready forthwith to fight.
It is very difficult to convince a person of the Supreme consciousness unless he is inclined to it with deep devotion.
Arjuna said: I am very thankful to you for the deep spiritual wisdom imparted to me with love and affection. The delusion existed in me has completely vanished. As a result of the profound knowledge imparted to Arjuna he felt very happy and his doubts were disappeared. Krisna revealed to Arjuna the subtle and sacred knowledge. It is said that great seer’s words are light.
Arjuna said: I have heard from you the details of evolution and the final dissolution of beings and about the immortal glory of your status.
Arjuna continued: I have no doubt that what you have said is true, yet I am eager to see your Supreme divine person of glory, wisdom, energy, strength, valour and brightness.
Arjuna prayed: Krisna, If you find I am eligible, kindly reveal your Supreme imperishable form to me.
Krisna said: You see my hundreds and thousands of divine forms in different colours and shapes.
Arjuna, You may see suns vasus, Rudras (the god of destruction), Aswini Devas, wind Gods etc. You may also see other wonderful forms you have never seen before. Krisna asked Arjuna: Behold in Me all the animate and inanimate beings and whatever else you want to see.
You cannot see My supreme person by your naked eyes. And I therefore give you the divine eye by which you can see My supreme yogic form.
Sanjaya told Drutharastra that Sri Krisna showed his Supreme person to Arjuna.
Arjuna saw the wonderful cosmic form of Sri Krisna possessing many mouths and eyes, wearing many divine ornaments and with lifted weapons, wearing divine garments and cloths covered by sandal-pastes all over the body and infinite faces directed to all sides. Arjuna saw the divine cosmic form, very much shining and spreading light around.
Arjuna saw the Divine effulgence as if thousand suns rising forth, spreading lights around.
Arjuna saw the entire world in the Supreme person of Sri Krisna in different forms.
Arjuna said to Sri Krisna with utmost reverence: I see in your body all Gods and other beings including the Brahma, seated in the lotus, Siva and many Risis and divine serpents.
I see your supreme person with numerous hands and bellies, faces and eyes. But I cannot see your beginning, middle and end.
I see your person encrowned wielding clubs and discus (chakra) shinning and spreading light like the burning fire and the splendor of sun.
I know you are the imperishable Brahma, the ultimate abode, shelter of all and the protector of the world. I know that you are the immortal Purushothama. It is Paramatma who is imperishable, the sustainer of the universe and the immortal consciousness to be realized.
I see your Supreme form without beginning, middle and end; with infinite powers, numerous hands, having eyes like the sun and the moon. I see your mouth flaming with fire by the radiance of which the whole world is scorching.
I see your form being spread to all directions of the universe. The three worlds shiver seeing your dreadful form.
A group of Gods enter into you, some folding their hands uttering your names and glories, out of fear. The great Risis and siddhas say “Let there be peace” and pray to you by sacred hymns.
Many look upon You with severe anxiety and fear. They include eleven Rudras, twelve Adithyas and eight Vasus, Sadhyas and Visvedevas, two Aswini devas, fortynine Maruths, Manes, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras and Siddhas.
I and the whole world have become terrified and peaceless with shivering, seeing your Supreme person spread the whole universe, brightening with different colours and your big mouth open; endowed with numerous arms, thighs and feet, having a number of bellies looking fierce with many teeth.
I have become frightened and lost my control seeing your Supreme person extending up to heavens, bright, multi coloured with mouths wide open and with large flaming eyes.
I am frightened and lost happiness and balance of mind altogether, seeing your dreadful faces and teeth; flaming like fire of total universal destruction. Therefore, You may please be kind enough to release me from the fear. The vision of the Supreme person of the Lord, though was mild and soothing to Arjuna, in the beginning; it developed into dreadful vision and Arjuna prayed to Krisna to be kind enough to release him from the dreadful sights.
I see Dhrtarastra, along with his sons and soldiers and a host of kings entering into your open mouth. Bhishma, Drona and Karna also enter into your mouth along with some chief warriors on our side, and are crushed under your teeth. Some are stuck up between the gaps of your teeth’s with their heads crushed terribly.
As the streams of various rivers merge into the sea, the powerful warriors enter in your flaming mouth.
As the little flies and insects speedily rush into the blazing fire to meet their end, solders speedily enter into your mouth for their extinction.
Lord, swallowing with your mouth you are licking people on all sides. You are burning the entire universe with the terrible radiance of fire.
Arjuna prayed: I prostrate before you, please tell me who you are in the terrible form? Be pity on me I wish to know more about you the God of creation and your purpose.
Krisna said: I am Kala, the destroyer of the worlds. I am to destroy these people even without you and that all the warriors arrayed in the enemy side should die.
Therefore Arjuna, you arise and get ready to fight and win the glory and enjoy the rich kingdom. The warriors stand before us are already slain by Me and that you are only an instrument.
Krisna asked Arjuna: kill Drona, Bishma, Jayadratha and Karna along with other warriors who stand already killed by Me. You need not fear, victory will be yours and therefore fight.
Sanjaya said: Arjuna bowed before Krisna hearing the words and spoke to him with extreme terror. The entire world worshipping you is very happy and loves you, the demons fearing run away in different directions and the virtuous are bowing before you
Arjuna said: You are the great and primordial cause even to Brahma and the Supreme Guru. How all do not bow before you? You are the visible and subtle, imperishable and the God of all Gods and the Brahma.
Arjuna continued: You are the original deity and the most ancient entity and the ultimate abode of all. You are the knowledge and the knowable. You pervade the whole world in endless forms.
You are Vayu (the wind God), Yama (the God of death), Agni ( the God of fire), the Moon God, Brahma (God of creations) and even the father of Brahma. I humbly bow before you a thousand times.
Arjuna said: Krisna, you are the Lord of the universe with infinite powers. I offer my salutations to you from, in front of you and from behind. I revere and bow to you from all sides. You, have the limitless power, and pervade everywhere and you are everything.
Without knowing the greatness of you I have addressed you ‘O Krisna, O Yadava, O comrade.’ It was due to my ignorance or love. I could not serve you well at plays, reposing, sitting or at meals. Kindly forgive me.
Krisna, You are really the father and Guru of this world. You are the most powerful in the three worlds.
Arjuna prostrated before Krisna: You are the ruler of the universe and worthy of praise. I ask You to pardon me as a father to his son, friend to his friend and husband to his loving wife.
I feel transformed into happiness seeing your wonderful form which I did not see before. But at the same time there is fear in my mind. I pray to you to reveal me your Divine form of Vishnu with four arms; you are the abode of everything and the most gracious.
Kindly reveal to me your Divine crowned form with four arms carrying a conch and discus in either of the two hands and lotus and club in other two hands; though you have thousands of arms.
Krisna said: I showed you my Divine Supreme forms as I am pleased with you. Nobody has seen My universal form, ever before, so effulgent, primal and infinite.
Krisna continued: Arjuna, nobody other than you could see my universal Supreme person even by studying Vedas, doing sacrifices, giving alms, by severe penance or by virtuous actions.
Don’t be perplexed or feared seeing my dreadful forms; you may now behold My beautiful form; four armed form wearing the conch, discus, mace and lotus.
Sanjaya told Dhrutaristra: Lord Krisna showed the beautiful and gentle form with four arms and consoled the frightened Arjuna.
Arjuna said: Krisna, I have regained my former state of composure and calmness seeing your gentle form.
Krisna said: It is very difficult to see My Supreme form. Even gods like to see this form.
It is not possible by the study of Vedas or penance or by sacrifice to see My universal form as you have seen.
Arjuna, it is only by one with determinate and stable mind and devotion can have the vision of my divine Supreme person and enter into Me.
Arjuna, to reach Me one should perform all his right duties devotedly depending on Me, without attachment to any objects and hatred to anybody. In the chapter of Viswaroopa Darshana, the vision of the Supreme person, Sri Krisna suggests that everything in this universe is originated from His own entity, the Supreme consciousness. Arjuna saw the most dreadful of the Supreme and most beautiful and gentle form of the Lord. Arjuna was satisfied. His fears subsided and his faith increased. He got ready for the war.