Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 11 - Shloka (Verse) 5

व्याख्या--'पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः'--अर्जुनकी संकोचपूर्वक प्रार्थनाको सुनकर भगवान् अत्यधिक प्रसन्न हुए; अतः अर्जुनके लिये 'पार्थ' सम्बोधनका प्रयोग करते हुए कहते हैं कि तू मेरे रूपोंको देख। रूपोंमें भी तीन-चार नहीं, प्रत्युत सैकड़ों-हजारों रूपोंको देख अर्थात् अनगिनत रूपोंको देख। भगवान्ने जैसे विभूतियोंके विषय कहा है कि मेरी विभूतियोंका अन्त नहीं आ सकता, ऐसे ही यहाँ भगवान्ने,अपने रूपोंकी अनन्तता बतायी है।

अर्जुन इस प्रकार प्रेरित हुए श्रीभगवान् बोले --, हे पार्थ तू मेरे सैकड़ोंहजारों अर्थात् अनेकों रूपोंको देख? जो कि नाना प्रकारके भेदवाले और दिव्य अर्थात् देवलोकमें होनेवाले -- अलौकिक हैं तथा नाना प्रकारके वर्ण और आकृतिवाले हैं अर्थात् जिनके नील? पीत आदि नाना प्रकारके वर्ण और अनेक आकारवाले अवयव हैं? ऐसे रूपोंको देख।

To reassure His extremely devoted friend Arjuna by promising to grant what was prayed for, He speaks—'Evam' (Thus).

Urged thus, the Lord spoke.

'Pashya'—Behold My 'shatashah atha sahasrashah'—innumerable forms, which are 'nanavidhani'—of many kinds, 'divyani'—supernatural (not material), and whose 'varna' (colors) are 'nana'—varied like blue, yellow, etc., and whose 'akritayah' (forms) are specific arrangements of limbs.

Since you are 'Partha'—the son of Pritha, the object of My love and My friend, therefore 'behold'—indicating this, He addresses him as 'O Partha'.

Being thus requested, the Lord spoke—'Pashya' (Behold).

By 'hundreds' etc., infinite (forms) are mentioned.

They are of various colors and various shapes.

The Blessed Lord said—'Pashya' (Behold) My forms which are the abode of all things,

and 'shatashah sahasrashah' (by the hundreds and thousands), 'nanavidhani'—of various kinds, 'divyani'—supernatural,

'nanavarnakritini'—having various colors like white, black, etc., and various shapes; behold them.

Being thus requested, and intending to show His most wonderful form, He prepares Arjuna by implying 'Be attentive'—The Blessed Lord said.

'Pashya' (Behold)—in these four verses. Although the Form is one, the plural 'rupani' (forms) is used because of its manifold nature. Behold My immeasurable, various, 'divyani'—supernatural—forms.

'Varnah' means white, black, etc. 'Akritayah' means specific arrangements of limbs. Those having various colors and shapes are 'nanavarnakritini'.

Showing the specific state of Arjuna resulting from his query as the reason for the Lord revealing Himself, he explains the connection of the Lord's statement 'Pashya' etc. with 'Evam' (Thus).

Considering the manner to be described later, [the commentator] says 'Sarvashrayani' (Abodes of all). Being a Bahuvrihi compound, it is in the neuter gender [agreeing with 'Rupani']. The solar orbs etc. are infinite substrata. Or, the word 'Ashraya' (Abode/Support) refers to the 'Ashrita' (Content/Supported) metaphorically or due to a difference in intent.

By 'hundreds and thousands,' the possession of infinite supernatural forms embraced within the divisions of Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, etc., is shown.

The form existing in one solar orb—similar to that are the countless forms existing in solar orbs across infinite universes. Similarly with other forms like the Vishvarupa. Some maintain that this meaning is also intended by the Vedic text 'Rupam rupam pratirupo babhuva' (He became the original form corresponding to every form) [Katha Up. 5.9-10].

The utterance 'Pashya' (Behold) implies 'I will act in such a way that you will see.' By 'Nanavidhani', the infinity of specific details like ornaments, weapons, marks, number of arms, etc., for each form is intended here; hence [the Bhashya] says—'Nanaprakarani'.

'Aprakritani'—Here, the word 'Divya' does not mean 'existing in heaven (div)', because His pervasion of earth etc. will also be described later, and the intent is to assert the distinctness of the substance (non-material nature).

'Nanavarnatvam' (Varied colors) is due to the variation of white, red, yellow, and black colors across the four Vyuhas like Vasudeva according to the Yugas, and in other avatars according to the meditation suited for those desiring specific results. By the word 'Akriti' (Shape/Form), a specific bodily structure resembling gods, humans, animals, etc., is intended; with this intent, [the Bhashya] says—'Nanakaraṇi' (Of various shapes).

यदि समस्त आभूषण का मूल तत्त्व स्वर्ण है? तो विश्व का प्रत्येक आभूषण समष्टि स्वर्ण में उपलब्ध होना चाहिए। आभूषण में स्वर्ण को देखना अपेक्षत सरल है? क्योंकि वह इन्द्रियों के द्वारा किया जाने वाला दर्शन? है अर्थात् वह इन्द्रियगोचर है। परन्तु नाना आकार प्रकार तथा वर्णों के समस्त आभूषणों को समष्टि स्वर्ण में देख पाना अधिक कठिन है? क्योंकि वह बुद्धि द्वारा दिया जाने वाला दर्शन है अर्थात बुद्धिगम्य दर्शन है।इस बात को ध्यान में रखकर भगवान् के कथन को पढ़ने पर उनका अभिप्राय स्वत स्पष्ट हो जाता है। मेरे शतश और सहस्रश नाना प्रकार आकार तथा वर्णों के अलौकिक रूपों को देखो। भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण को अपना विराट् स्वरूप धारण करने की आवश्यकता नहीं थी क्योंकि अर्जुन को केवल इतना ही करना था कि अपने समक्ष स्थित रूप को वह देखे। परन्तु दुर्भाग्य से? द्रष्टव्य रूप को देखने के लिए उपयुक्त दर्शन का उपकरण उसके पास नहीं था? और इसलिए? अर्जुन उन सबको नहीं देख सका? जो भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण में पहले से ही विद्यमान था।सुदूर स्थित कोई नक्षत्र या किसी अन्य वस्तु को देखने के लिए दूरदर्शी यन्त्र का उपयोग किया जाता है। परन्तु उस यन्त्र की अक्षरेखा पर होने मात्र से वह वस्तु दिखाई नहीं दे सकती। उसे देखने के लिये दूरदर्शी यन्त्र को समायोजित करना पड़ता है? जिससे कि वह वस्तु सूक्ष्म निरीक्षक के दृष्टिपथ में आ जाये। इसी प्रकार श्रीकृष्ण ने स्वयं को विराट् रूप में परिवर्तित नहीं किया? परन्तु अर्जुन को केवल आन्तरिक समायोजन करने में सहायता प्रदान की जिससे कि वह भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण में विद्यमान विश्वरूप का अवलोकन कर सके। इसीलिये? भगवान् कहतें हैं कि? देखो। वे इस श्लोक में उन दर्शनीय वस्तुओं को गिनाते हैं।वे दिव्य रूप कौनसे हैं अगले श्लोक में बताते हैं

Thus requested by the extremely devoted Arjuna, the Blessed Lord spoke—'Pashya' (Behold).

Here, by repeating 'Pashya' in four consecutive verses, the Lord prepares Arjuna, implying 'I shall show most wonderful forms, you be attentive.'

'Shatasho atha sahasrashah' means immeasurable. And behold My forms which are 'nanavidhani'—of many kinds, 'divyani'—most wonderful, and 'nanavarnakritini'—whose colors (varna) are various/distinct like blue, yellow etc., and whose shapes (akriti) are specific arrangements of limbs.

The imperative mood (Lot) is used in the sense of 'worthy' (arha). Meaning: O Partha, become worthy to see.

Being thus requested, and intending to show that form, the Lord makes Arjuna attentive—with the four verses beginning 'Pashya'.

'O Partha'—son of a devotee (Kunti), I show this out of grace—this is the implication of the address. Otherwise, when there was a desire to see something other than the vision of Purushottama, He would not have caused him to experience this essence (Rasa)—this is the sentiment.

'Me'—My; 'shatashah sahasrashah'—innumerable; or as many hundreds and thousands as you wish;

'nanavidhani'—forms causing various results; 'divyani'—which, though various, are supernatural and playful (lila-based), not created merely for display; and again similarly 'nanavarnakritini'—whose colors (white, red, etc.) and shapes (limbs and other features) are manifold.

O Partha, 'Pashya' (Behold) My forms by the 'shatashah atha sahasrashah'—meaning in multitudes.

And they are 'nanavidhani'—of many kinds, 'divyani'—born of heaven, meaning supernatural/non-material,

and 'nanavarnakritini'—meaning those forms which have various, i.e., distinct colors like blue, yellow, etc., and shapes, i.e., specific arrangements of limbs.

Being thus requested, and intending to show the wonderful Imperishable (Akshara) nature, He prepares Arjuna by saying 'Be attentive'—with the four verses beginning 'Pashya'.

'Pashya me Partha rupani' (Behold My forms, O Partha)—here, the plural 'rupani' is used because there are many forms within the Imperishable nature due to its being immutable (Kutastha) [yet containing all].

पश्य behold? मे My? पार्थ O Partha? रूपाणि forms? शतशः by hundreds? अथ and? सहस्रशः by thousands? नानाविधानि of different sorts? दिव्यानि divine? नानावर्णाकृतीनि of various colours and shapes? च and.Commentary Divyani Divine supernatural.Satasah? Sahasrasah By the hundreds and thousands -- countless.O Arjuna? I want you to behold the Cosmic Form. All beings and entities are there. The fat and the lean? the short and the tall? the red and the black? the active and the passive? the rich and the poor? the intelligent and the dull? the healthy and the sick? the noisy and the silent? those that are awake? those that are asleep? the beautiful and the ugly? and all grades of beings with their distinctive marks are all there. The blueness of the sky? the yellowness of the silk? the redness of the twilight? the blackness of the coal? the whiteness of the snow? and the greenness of the leaves will be seen by you. You will also behold the objects of various shapes.

O son of Prtha, pasya, behold; me, My; rupani, forms; satasah, in (their) hundreds; atha, and; sahasrasah, in thousands, i.e. in large numbers. And they are nana-vidhani, of different kinds; divyani, celestial, supernatural; and nana-varna-akrtini, of various colours and shapes-forms which have different (nana) colours (varna) such as blue, yellow, etc. as also (different) shapes (akrtayah), having their parts differently arranged.

The Lord said Behold My forms which are the foundation of all, hundreds upon thousands, varied and possessing manifold modes. They are divine, i.e., supernatural. They are multi-formed and multi-coloured like white, black etc. And they are of varied configurations. Behold that form!