The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

Arjuna describes the terrifying aspect of the cosmic form. 'Rūpaṁ mahat te bahu-vaktra-netraṁ'—Your (te) great (mahat) form (rūpam) with many (bahu) faces (vaktra) and eyes (netram). 'Mahā-bāho bahu-bāhūr-upādam'—O mighty-armed one (mahā-bāho), with many (bahu) arms (bāhu), thighs (ūru), and feet (pādam). 'Bahūdaraṁ bahu-daṁṣṭrā-karālaṁ'—with many bellies (bahūdaram), many (bahu) terrible (karālam) tusks (daṁṣṭrā). 'Dṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitās tathāham'—having seen (dṛṣṭvā), the worlds (lokāḥ) are trembling (pravyathitāḥ), and so am I (tathāham). Arjuna is seeing the cosmic form's terrifying aspect—not just beautiful, but also fearsome. The form is so overwhelming that both the worlds and Arjuna himself tremble. This verse shows the dual nature of the cosmic form: wonderful yet terrible, awe-inspiring yet fearsome.