11-19

अनादिमध्यान्तम् अनन्त वीर्यम्
अनन्त बाहुम् शशि सूर्य नेत्रम् ।
पश्यामि त्वाम् दीप्त हुताश वक्त्रम्
स्वतेजसा विश्वम् इदम् तपन्तम् ॥ १९ ॥

anAdimadhyAntam ananta vIryam
ananta bAhum zazi sUrya netram |
pazyAmi tvAm dIpta hutAza vaktram
svatejasA vizvam idam tapantam || 19 ||

अनादि मध्य अन्तम् [anAdi madhya antam] Without a beginning, middle and an end, अनन्त वीर्यम् [ananta vIryam] with limitless valor, अनन्त बाहुम् [ananta bAhum] with endless arms, शशि सूर्य नेत्रम् [zazi sUrya netram] with eyes of the sun and the moon, दीप्त हुताश वक्त्रम् [dIpta hutAza vaktram] with a mouth that resembles a blazing fire, पश्यामि त्वाम् [pazyAmi tvAm] I see You, तपन्तम् [tapantam] energizing इदम् विश्वम् [idam vizvam] this universe स्व तेजसा [sva tejasA] by Your authority.

Arjuna describes the Lord as having no beginning, middle or end, having vast unbounded valor – the quality of valor is mentioned merely as an example. It is meant that the Lord is the abode of vast, unbroken spans of knowledge, force, power, valor, strength and brilliance.

The phrase ‘endless arms’ is used as an example to refer to the Lord’s uncountable arms, torsos, feet, faces and so on.

‘The eyes of the sun and the moon’ describe the all-pervasive eyes of the Lord, which are pleasant as the moon or scorching as the sun. The Lord is pleasant to the virtuous who surrender to Him; He is scorching to others, who always look for their own benefit and don’t mind hurting others. This is said in 11-36: ‘The virtuous surrender to the Lord, while people who exploit for personal gain scatter and run in fear’.

‘A mouth that resembles a blazing fire’ refers to the Lord’s capability to consume the entire universe during its destruction. The Lord energizes this universe by His authority - The word ‘authority’ refers to the Lord’s ability to exercise control over anything. Having realized this, Arjuna says to the Lord - I see You energizing this universe by such authority.

Arjuna realizes the Lord as being ever-present - as the creator of everything, as the basis of existence, as the one who controls everything, as the one who destroys everything, as an ocean of limitless qualities such as knowledge and compassion, with a body that’s not related to any material, being without a beginning, a mid-point or an end-point. Arjuna tells the Lord - I have realized You in the same way as You described Yourself before.

You can imagine the Lord anyway you like.

How do we imagine a single body with many torsos and the like? We picturize it as the Lord having a hip of huge size, above which many torsos, heads and so on are present. Below this, many divine feet. It is even possible to imagine the many eyes as being two eyes in each of the many heads.

Any form that lends itself to express the ever-present Lord with absolute control over the entire universe can be imagined. There is no limit to such imagination. Every such imagination is right.

Next, Arjuna tells the Lord - Looking at You in this manner, I am greatly disturbed, along with others who see You in this way.