The Vedas express their inability to describe the Lord’s infinite greatness. So too is His transcendental form which is beyond the grasp of the human faculties and imagination. Yet the Lord chose to reveal it to certain people such as Arjuna and Yasodha in extraordinary situations in a suitable manner, pointed out Sringeri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji in a discourse.
Lord Krishna took time off from the impending battle to explain its purpose to Arjuna who experienced a despondency and sorrow at the thought of fighting his own kinsmen, preceptors, etc. Arjuna listened with rapt attention to Krishna’s teachings and was wonderstruck that his friend was none other than the Supreme Being. He expressed a desire to have a vision of His transcendental form.
The Lord chose to accede to this wish and through His yogic powers, enabled Arjuna to behold His divine form. It was resplendent with a radiance of a thousand suns and a multitudinous diversity of forms, shapes, beings etc. Such a form of the Lord cannot be seen by anyone, not even if one did severe austerities, or was well qualified in the study of the Vedas. No amount of charity or the practice of rituals could help one see such a vision. It was only with single-minded devotion and selfless love to His Supreme Nature that could one hope to see the Lord’s form. Arjuna was humbled after this unique experience and overwhelmed by the fearful cosmic form.
Similarly, Yasodha was struck with wonder and disbelief when instead of the sand particles (which she was told Krishna had put into His mouth) she saw in the wide open mouth of her little son, an unbelievable vision. The Bhagavata Purana says that she saw the continents, the oceans, the surface of the earth, the blowing winds, the fire, the moon and the stars; the planetary systems, the waters, the light, the firmament, with all the outer space, and all the divinities, the senses, the mind and the three modes; the land and people of the Vrajas including herself. It was a momentary revelation and the Lord brought her back to the worldly reality of her role as Krishna’s mother.
