Chapter 11: The Universal Form
Bg 11.50
TEXT 50
sanjaya uvaca
ity arjunam vasudevas tathoktva
svakam rupam darsayam asa bhuyah
asvasayam asa ca bhitam enam
bhutva punah saumya-vapur mahatma
SYNONYMS
saïjayaù uväca—Saïjaya said; iti—thus; arjunam—unto Arjuna; väsudevaù—Kåñëa; tathä—that way; uktvä—saying; svakam—His own; rüpam—form; darçayämäsa—showed; bhüyaù—again; äçväsayämäsa—also convinced him; ca—also; bhétam—fearful; enam—him; bhütvä punaù—becoming again; saumya-vapuù—beautiful form; mahätmä—the great one.
TRANSLATION
Saïjaya said to Dhåtaräñöra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, while speaking thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form, and at last He showed him His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna.
PURPORT
When Kåñëa appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devaké, He first of all appeared as four-armed Näräyaëa, but when He was requested by His parents, He transformed Himself into an ordinary child in appearance. Similarly, Kåñëa knew that Arjuna was not interested in seeing a four-handed form of Kåñëa, but since he asked to see this four-handed form, He also showed him this form again and then showed Himself in His two-handed form. The word saumya-vapuù is very significant. Saumya-vapu is a very beautiful form; it is known as the most beautiful form. When He was present, everyone was attracted simply by Kåñëa's form, and because Kåñëa is director of the universe, He just banished the fear of Arjuna, His devotee, and showed him again His beautiful form of Kåñëa. In the Brahma-saàhitä it is stated that only a person whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of love can see the beautiful form of Çré Kåñëa.