Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga
Moved by everything Krishna has said, Arjuna asks to see his cosmic form directly, and Krishna grants him a divine eye capable of bearing the sight. What follows is the Gita's great visionary climax: Arjuna sees Krishna's body as the entire universe at once, countless mouths and eyes and arms, every god and every being contained within it, blazing like the light of a thousand suns risen together. Most terrifying of all, he watches warriors from both armies rushing into the god's flaming mouths like moths into a fire, and Krishna identifies himself in this form as Time itself, already come to destroy them regardless of what Arjuna does — Arjuna is told to rise and fight simply as the instrument of a destruction already decided. Overwhelmed and afraid, Arjuna begs Krishna to withdraw the terrible form and become again the gentle, familiar friend he knows, which Krishna does; the chapter closes with Krishna explaining that this cosmic vision was a rare act of grace, unattainable through study, ritual or austerity alone — it is only through single-minded devotion (bhakti) that he can be truly known, seen and entered.
“If the splendor of a thousand suns were to blaze forth all at once in the sky, that would be like the splendor of that great being.”
“I am mighty Time, the destroyer of worlds, come forth here to annihilate these people; even without you, none of these warriors arrayed in the opposing armies shall survive.”
“Therefore arise, win glory, conquer your enemies, and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. By me alone have they already been slain; be merely the instrument, Arjuna.”
“Having seen this form never seen before, I am filled with joy, yet my mind trembles with fear. Show me, my Lord, that other form of yours; be gracious, Lord of the gods, refuge of the world.”
“Speaking thus to Arjuna, Krishna once again revealed his own gentle form, and comforted the terrified Arjuna by resuming his familiar, gracious shape.”
“But by devotion alone, undivided, I can be known in this form, truly seen, and entered into, Arjuna.”
The verse that resolves the vision — knowledge and awe give way to bhakti as the real means of union.
Chapter summaries composed for MyBrahman; verse translations from the public-domain Kashinath Trimbak Telang translation (1882, Sacred Books of the East, vol. 8) where directly checkable, and/or widely-attested traditional renderings of famous verses, cited by standard chapter.verse numbering.