Bhagavad Gita — Vishwarupa Darshana Yoga, Shloka 30
Vishwarupa Darshana Yoga
लेलिह्यसे ग्रसमानः समन्ताल्लोकान्समग्रान्वदनैर्ज्वलद्भिः । तेजोभिरापूर्य जगत्समग्रं भासस्तवोग्राः प्रतपन्ति विष्णो ॥
lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantāl lokān samagrān vadanair jvaladbhiḥ | tejobhir āpūrya jagat samagraṁ bhāsas tavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo ||
You lick, as You devour from every side, all the worlds with Your flaming mouths; filling the entire universe with Your radiance, Your fierce rays scorch it, O Vishnu.
आप ज्वलित मुखों से चारों ओर समस्त लोकों को ग्रसते हुए मानो चाट रहे हैं; आपके तेज से समस्त जगत भरकर आपकी तीव्र किरणें तपाती हैं, हे विष्णो।
You lick (as it were), devouring on all sides all the worlds with your blazing mouths; filling the entire universe with radiance, your fierce beams burn (shine intensely), O Viṣṇu.
The vocative 'Viṣṇu' is significant: it frames the terrifying aspect within a recognized divine identity associated with pervasion and preservation, balancing fear with theological familiarity.
FAQs
Arjuna’s language blends fear with recognition: the psyche tries to integrate an overpowering experience by naming it (Viṣṇu) and describing its felt intensity (radiance).
Radiance symbolizes the all-pervading power of consciousness/order that both reveals and dissolves; the cosmic form is not merely an object but the condition of all objects.
This verse culminates the escalating description of the vision, preparing for Arjuna’s direct question about the identity and intention of the terrifying form.
It can be read as a reminder that reality’s vastness can feel unsettling; practices of naming, study, and contemplation help integrate such experiences without panic.