the universal form

"O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity, as realized within the nature of Your inexhaustible glories.

O greatest of all beings, O supreme form, though I see here before me Your actual position, I yet wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I wish to see that form of Yours.

If You think that I am able to see Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that universal self.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Prthā, see now My opulences—hundreds of thousands of varied divine forms, multicolored like the sea.

Whatever you want to see can be seen in this body all at once. This universal form can show you all that you now desire, as well as whatever you may want in the future. Everything is here completely.

But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you divine eyes, so that you can behold My mystic opulence….

Arjuna said: My dear Lord, Krsna, I see in Your body all the demigods and different kinds of living entities, assembled together. I see Brahmā sitting on the lotus flower, as well as Lord Śiva and many sages and divine snakes.

O Lord of the universe, I see in Your universal body many, many forms—arms, bellies, mouths, eyes—expanded without limit. There is no end, there is no beginning, and there is no middle to all this.

Your form, adorned with various crowns, clubs and discs, is very hard to see on account of its glowing effulgence, which is fiery and immeasurable like the sun.

You are the supreme primal objective. You are the best in all the universes; You are inexhaustible, and You are the oldest.…

You have numberless arms, and the sun and moon are among Your great, unlimited eyes. By your own radiance you are heating the entire universe.

…O great one, as I see this terrible form, all the planetary systems are perplexed. All the demigods surrender unto You, entering into You. Very much afraid, with folded hands, they are praying the Vedic hymns….

O mighty-armed one, all the planets with their demigods are perturbed at seeing Your many faces, eyes, arms, bellies and legs and Your terrible teeth. And as they are perturbed, so am I.

O all-pervading Visnu, I am unable to keep the equilibrium of my mind! Seeing your radiant color filling the skies and seeing Your mouths and eyes, I am afraid.

O Lord of lords, O refuge of the worlds, please be gracious toward me. I cannot keep my balance seeing thus Your blazing, deathlike faces and awful teeth. I am bewildered in all directions.

All the sons of Dhrtarāstra, along with their allied kings, and Bhīsma, Drona and Karna and all our soldiers are rushing into Your mouths, their heads smashed by Your fearful teeth. And some I see being crushed between Your teeth as well.

As the river flow down to the ocean, so all the great warriors enter into Your blazing mouths and perish.

I see all people rushing with full speed into Your mouths, as moths hurry into a blazing fire.…

I offer respects from the front, from behind and from all sides! O unbounded power, You are the master of limitless might! You are all-pervading, and thus You are everything!

…The supreme Personality of the Godhead, Krsna, while speaking thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-handed form, and at last He showed His two-handed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna."
Bhagavad Gita