The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

Sanjaya narrates Krishna's return to his original form. 'Ity arjunaṁ vāsudevas tathoktvā'—thus (iti), having spoken (uktvā) to Arjuna (arjunam), Vasudeva (vāsudevaḥ), thus (tathā). 'Svakaṁ rūpaṁ darśayāmāsa bhūyaḥ'—his own (svakam) form (rūpam) he showed (darśayāmāsa), again (bhūyaḥ). 'Prasādayāmāsa ca bhītam enam'—and (ca) he comforted (prasādayāmāsa) the frightened one (bhītam enam). 'Bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā'—having become (bhūtvā) again (punaḥ) a gentle (saumya) form (vapuḥ), the great soul (mahātmā). Krishna returns to his original, gentle form and comforts the frightened Arjuna. This verse shows the completion of the cosmic vision—Krishna has shown the cosmic form, explained its significance, and now returns to the accessible form that Arjuna can relate to. The great soul becomes gentle again, showing that truth can be both cosmic and accessible.