From a satsang with Paramacharya of SWAHA, H.H. Pundit Hardeo Persad
In the sacred verses of the Bhagavad Gita, amidst the cosmic drama of Kurukshetra, Arjun stood at the precipice of revelation. He asked Shri Krishna to grant him the sight of His infinite cosmic form, that contains the whole of creation. Before him loomed Viraj Swaroop, a divine form beyond mortal comprehension. Arjun saw the entire creation in the body of the God of Gods with unlimited arms and faces. The cosmic form had no beginning or end and extended immeasurably in all directions. His radiance was described as a thousand suns radiant in the sky.
Bhagavan Shri Krishna, the charioteer and guide, in so doing, revealed a profound truth to Arjun – the limitations of physical eyes in perceiving the divine. The mystical vision of Viraj Swaroop, the sublime manifestation, required a transformation beyond the ordinary.
The physical eyes, accustomed to perceiving the tangible world, falter in beholding the ethereal. The keys to divine sight lie beyond the grasp of the conventional senses, transcending the realm of the gross. Some mystics refer to this heightened perception as the “third eye”, a doorway to the subtleties concealed from ordinary vision.
In our surroundings, both gross and subtle elements coexist, forming the fabric of existence. However, accessing these subtleties demands a departure from the dominion of the physical senses – hearing, sight, olfactory, taste, tactile – all tethered to the mind. These senses, inclined toward the material world, render everything perceivable as maayaa, an illusion. We find ourselves ensnared in the ever-changing delusion, devoid of constancy.
Yet, there exists a loftier purpose intertwined with our actions, our karma. Beyond the mundane, a deeper, higher objective beckons. The more we immerse ourselves in spiritual endeavours, the more our senses undergo purification. Understanding the supreme goal emancipates us from the allure of worldly grossness. It is imperative to recognise the spiritual gems concealed within the subtleties of the senses.
Purification of the senses is not a mere prelude; it is the means to transcend the physical and glimpse the divine. Bhagavan, in his divine discourse to Arjun, extends a darshan or blessing – drishti, divine sight. This bestowed vision unveils the Supreme, the infinite, the Infinite One. It is a pinnacle of achievement in the realm of mortal existence.
The call is clear: engage in spiritual karma, elevate the senses and grasp the opportunity to lift oneself beyond the physical. Bhagavan Shree Krishna’s words resonate across the ages, “You cannot see My universal form with these physical eyes of yours. Therefore, I grant you divine vision. Behold My majestic opulence!”
In pursuit of this divine vision, we rise by our own efforts, ascending to the sublime heights of the divinity. Let us seize this opportunity to transcend the grossness of the world and bask in the divine radiance of Viraj Swaroop.
