11-24

नभः स्पृशम् दीप्तम् अनेक वर्णम्
व्यात्ताननम् दीप्त विशाल नेत्रम् ।
दृष्ट्वा हि त्वाम् प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा
धृतिम् न विन्दामि शमम् च विष्णो ॥ २४ ॥

nabhaH spRzam dIptam aneka varNam
vyAttAnanam dIpta vizAla netram |
dRSTvA hi tvAm pravyathitAntarAtmA
dhRtim na vindAmi zamam ca viSNo || 24 ||

विष्नो [viSno] Lord Vishnu, you pervade everything. न विन्दामि [na vindAmi] I lost धृतिम् [dhRtim] the ability to sustain myself शमम् च [zamam ca] and lost my tranquility दृष्ट्वा [dRSTvA] on seeing त्वाम् [tvAm] You. नभः स्पृशम् [nabhaH spRzam] You touched the sky दीप्तम् अनेक वर्णम् [dIptam aneka varNam] with many brilliant colors, व्यात्ताननम् [vyAttAnanam] with open mouths, दीप्त विशाल नेत्रम् [dIpta vizAla netram] with huge sparkling eyes. प्रव्यथित अन्तरात्मा हि [pravyathita antarAtmA hi] Indeed, my very being is shaken.

The ‘sky’ mentioned in this Shloka is the abode of the Lord. It is a space that doesn’t deform, as stated in the Upanishads: ‘The sky in which the imperishable is present’.

The same is stated in the पुरुशसुक्त [puruzasukta] : ‘The One who is the color of the Sun and is beyond the material world’; in यजुर्वेद [yajurveda] , 2-2-12-68: ‘The One who is outside this perishable world - a world pervaded by the quality of rajas ‘; in अष्ट [aSTa] , 2-8-9-6: ‘The space, which is the abode of the ultimate controller’.

So the word ‘sky’ talks about the ultimate space, which is beyond this material world and its three qualities . The Lord is the abode and refuge of everything, including inanimate things that keep transforming, as well as personalities that keep changing their nature.

Indeed, the Lord pervades everything above and below.

Arjuna says - Seeing You with many brilliant colors, with many open mouths and huge sparkling eyes, my very being is shaken - I am so scared that I can’t stand firm. It feels like nothing can support my body. I do not find any peace in my mind or in my organs. O Vishnu, the all-pervasive, seeing You pervading everything in this astonishing and terrible form, I have lost control over my organs. All my limbs are frail.