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Five Reasons A Vaishnava Might Not Be So Enamored With The Virat-Rupa

By krishnasmercy on July 14, 2023 • ( 0 )

“If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that universal self.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.4)

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मन्यसे यदि तच् छक्यं
मया द्रष्टुम् इति प्रभो
योगेश्वर ततो मे त्वं
दर्शयात्मानम् अव्ययम्

manyase yadi tac chakyaṁ
mayā draṣṭum iti prabho
yogeśvara tato me tvaṁ
darśayātmānam avyayam

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that for the Vaishnava the vision of the universal form, the virat-rupa, is not so important. There is the documented history of Arjuna, an eternal companion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, specifically requesting that vision.

If it was important to Arjuna, should it not be important to us? The resolution is that Arjuna was asking specifically to appease the doubters, to speak the truth in their language, so to speak. For the Vaishnava, who is devoted to God the person, there are several reasons why they might not put so much importance in the association with a specific vision.

1. I already see God’s influence everywhere

“Why are you pulling me towards this vision? What is it exactly that you want me to see? The complete everything? The entire universe, so to speak, packed into a single image. Okay, more like a three-dimensional exhibit than an image.

“Whatever label you want to affix, why do you think I require such a vision? Do you think that I am otherwise blind? Do I not see God’s influence in the creation itself? The birth of a child. The rising of the sun in the morning. The flowers blossoming on trees. The departure of the individual to the next life, carrying their conceptions like the air lifted from the ground.”

शरीरं यद् अवाप्नोति
यच् चाप्य् उत्क्रामतीश्वरः
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति
वायुर् गन्धान् इवाशयात्

śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti
yac cāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ
gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti
vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt

“The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.8)

2. I already believe Krishna based on what He teaches

“Why are you pulling me towards this vision? I already accept Shri Krishna as the Supreme Lord. I do not require extra convincing. I find the visual of His stealing butter to be more appealing, to be quite frank. That is more approachable. This virat-rupa is awe-inspiring, to say the least. Why would I want to be afraid of God? If you are afraid, that is fine. I am not telling you how to live.”

3. What is a vision going to do for me?

“Why are you pulling me towards this vision? What is it going to do for me? How long will the period of interaction be? Say that we look at the image for five minutes. Then what? What is the next step? What is the response to the vision? Is our life supposedly going to change, overnight?”

4. What about the opposite of the virat-rupa?

“Why are you pulling me towards this vision? It is grand in nature. It shows the universe, the sum collection at the highest aggregate level. We already know that this exists. It is like asking someone if they believe in the universe. Only a crazy person would object to the concept.

“Why are you not as interested in the opposite, though? You are attracted towards greater than the greatest, but what about smaller than the smallest? Why are you not equally as amazed at the concept of paramanu, which is the atom? Why are you not inspired by the travels of the spirit soul and its constant companion, Paramatma?”

5. I need something to do

“Why are you pulling me towards this vision? If you look at it long enough, you will get bored. Trust me. More important is having something to do. We need an active engagement. If you met God face-to-face, that might give you some validation. That might remove some of your doubts.”

यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

“You still need something to do. You need a purpose, an occupation to match vitality. Since you will always be vital, in the manner of sanatana, that occupation should match your intrinsic qualities, dharma. The best way is to offer the results of every activity to the Supreme Lord. In this way, you will always remember Him, whether He reveals the grand vision or not.”