VISHWAROOPA DARSHANA

Vishwaroopa Darshana or cosmic form is a revelation by the one without a second existence, which is Krishna, the eighth avatar (reincarnation) of Lord Vishnu. Virat roopa is also the reaffirmation of the Advaitha philosophy (monism).  The empirical reality, that this world is Maya. When Arjuna expresses his sadness to kill his relatives in the battle ground of Kurukshetra war, Krishna tells Arjuna that “I am the doer”.  Vishwaroopa is considered as the supreme form of Lord Vishnu and the entire Universe is contained in Lord Vishnu. 

Naughty Krishna was the embodiment of mischief.  Krishna displayed his cosmic form more than once.  As a young boy growing up in Gokula, Krishna displayed his cosmic form to his foster mother Yashoda.  When playing along with his young friends. Krishna started eating mud as if he was eating a rare dish prepared at home.  His young friends were horrified and rushed to his mother Yashoda to inform her about Krishna eating mud. Yashoda rushed to young Krishna and asked him to open his mouth. When Krishna opened his mouth Yashoda saw the whole universe in his mouth.

Krishna displayed his cosmic form to Duryodhana when he went to him as a messenger to try stopping the inevitable war between the Kouravas and the Pandavas. Duryodhana true to his wicked nature wanted to arrest Krishna. To his astonishment he saw Krishna wherever he turned. Everyone and everything looked like Krishna. Krishna appeared with many arms and weapons like the sudarshan chakra, gadhe and inside his body he had deities, sages and even Kouravas and Pandavas. Duryodhana couldn’t withstand this sight.

The third time Krishna displayed his cosmic form was in the battleground of Kurukshetra war between the Pandavas and the Kouravas. Faced with moral dilemmas Arjuna tells Krishna ‘How shall I kill my cousins and relatives in the war’. Then Krishna tells him about life and death and reveals his Vishwaroopa to Arjuna. All creatures of this universe were a part of him. He is the infinite universe without a beginning or an end, containing peaceful and ghastly forms. Unable to bear this terrible sight of Krishna’s Vishwaroopa Arjuna begs Krishna to return to the form he knew.

Krishna is an amazing phenomenon. Through his cosmic forms, Krishna cautions all the wicked characters in the universe, not to tempt ‘The Providence’.

(Next week discussion on: Bhagavad-Gita).