B.G 11.16
अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रं पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम्। नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवाऽदिं पश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप ॥१६॥
O Lord of the universe, I see you with many arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes - of infinite form on all sides. O Universal Form, I see neither end, nor middle, nor beginning of you.
Gīta Bhāshya 11.16
'aneka', 'viśva' - indicates infinity. Statements trying to describe infinite essence must be reasoned to understand the greater significance of the Lord, and it will be illogical to interpret them literally. Indeed, those realities which are inconceivable should not be approached by reasoning. At the same time overextension must be rejected based on the greater intended meaning and strength of scriptural statements. Just because a simple object, like a pot's validity, is questioned, when unseen does not invalidate what is supported by authoritative scripture. In some cases, scriptural regulation is accepted due to absence of inconceivable power. In the Lord there are known and even mutually opposed qualities as well as unheard ones — there is no doubt in this. Likewise, thinkable and unthinkable faults have been heard, but are not rightly understood by the ignorant.
अनेकशब्दोऽनन्तवाची। "अनन्तबाहुम्" इति वक्ष्यति। "सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्" इत्यादि च।
The word 'aneka' indicates infinity. It will later be phrased as 'ananta-bāhum', i.e. infinite-armed, and likewise, 'that which has hands and feet on all sides', etc.
"विश्वतश्चक्षुरुत विश्वतोमुखो विश्वतोबाहुरुत विश्वतस्पात्। सं बाहुभ्यां धमति सं पतत्रैर्द्यावाभूमी जनयन् देव एकः॥"
"He has eyes on all sides, faces on all sides, arms on all sides, and feet on all sides. With arms and wings he breathes out, the One God generating heaven and earth together."
इति च ऋग्वेदखिलेषु।
- stated thus also in the Khila portions of the Ṛgveda.
"विश्वतश्चक्षुरुत विश्वतोमुखो विश्वतोहस्त उत विश्वतस्पात्। सं बाहुभ्यां नमति सं पतत्रैर्द्यावापृथिवी जनयन् देव एकः॥"
"He has eyes on all sides, faces on all sides, hands on all sides, and feet on all sides. Bowing with arms and wings, the One God generates heaven and earth together."
इति यजुर्वेदे च।
- stated thus as well in the Yajurveda.
विश्वशब्दश्चअनन्तवाची -
The word 'viśva' also signifies infinity.
"सर्वं समस्तं विश्वं मनन्तं पूर्णमेव च।"
"The words 'sarvaṁ, i.e. all, 'samastaṁ', i.e. entire, 'viśvaṁ', i.e. the universe — stated it is infinite and indeed full."
इत्यभिधानात्।
- stated thus from the lexicon.
"अनन्तबाहुमनन्तपादमनन्तरूपं पुरुवक्त्रमेकम्॥"
"One with infinite arms, infinite feet, infinite forms, and many mouths."
इति च बाभ्रव्यशाखायाम्।
- stated thus also in the Bābhravya branch.
महत्त्वाद्युक्तिस्तु तदात्मकत्वेनापि भवति। अन्यथा "अनादि मत्परं ब्रह्म" इत्यादि अयुक्तं स्यात्।
Thus, the reasoning accounting for the greater significance is valid because of conveying its essence. Otherwise, statements like "Brahman is beginningless and beyond me" taken litrally would be illogical.
एकत्र तु अनन्तानि अस्य रूपाणि इति अनन्तरूपः। अन्यत्र तु अपरिमाणः इति। उक्तं हि उभयमपि -
In one context, his forms are infinite — hence, he is of infinite forms. Elsewhere, he is described as immeasurable. Indeed, both have been stated.
"परात्परं यन्महतो महान्तम् यदेकमव्यक्तमनन्तरूपम्।"
"That which is higher than the highest, greater than the great, the one unmanifest with infinite forms."
इति यजुर्वेदे।
- stated thus in the Yajurveda.
अव्यक्तस्य अनन्तत्वादेव महत्वे अपरिमितत्वं सिद्ध्यति।
Because the unmanifest is infinite, its immeasurability is established in its greatness.
"महान्तं च समावृत्य प्रधानं समवस्थितम्। अनन्तस्य न तस्यान्तः सङ्ख्यानं चापि विद्यते॥"
"Having encompassed the great substance, he is firmly situated. For the infinite, neither end nor enumeration exists."
इत्यादित्यपुराणे।
- stated thus in the Āditya Purāṇa.
तानि च एकैकानि रूपाणि अनन्तानि इति चैकत्र भवति।
Each of those forms is infinite, and all this occurs together in one place.
"असङ्ख्याता ज्ञानकाः तस्य देहाः सर्वेऽपरीमाणविवर्जिताश्च॥"
"Innumerable knowers, known His body to be devoid of any measure or limit."
इति ऋग्वेदखिलेषु।
- stated thus in the Khila sections of the Ṛgveda.
"यावान् वा अयमाकाशः तावानेषोऽन्तर्हृदय आकाशः। उभेस्मिन् द्यावापृथिवी अन्तरेव समाहिते। उभावग्निश्च वायुश्च सूर्याचन्द्रमसावुभौ॥"
"As vast as this sky is, so is the inner sky within the heart. In it are both heaven and earth contained, and also fire and air, the sun and the moon both."
इति च।
- statede thus as well.
"कृष्णस्य गर्भजगतोऽतिभरावसन्नपार्ष्णिप्रहारपरिरुग्णफणातपत्रम्।"
"The hood of Śeṣa, sheltering cosmic womb, under the weight of the universe, was crushed by a Kṛṣṇa’s heel-strike."
इति च भागवते।
- stated thus also in the Bhāgavata.
न चैतदयुक्तम्। अचिन्त्यशक्तित्वात् ईश्वरस्य।
This is not unreasonable, for the Lord possesses inconceivable power.
"अचिन्त्याः खलु ये भावा न तांस्तर्केण योजयेत्।"
"Indeed, those realities which are inconceivable should not be approached by reasoning."
इति श्रीविष्णुपुराणे।
- stated thus in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa.
"नैषा तर्केण मतिरापनेया"
"This understanding is not to be attained by logic."
इति च श्रुतिः।
- stated thus by the Vedic testimonial as well.
अतिप्रसङ्गस्तु महातात्पर्यवशात् वाक्यबलाच्च अपनेयः। न हि घटवत् कश्चिदपि पदार्थः न दृष्टः इत्येतावता प्रमाणदृष्टः सन् निराक्रियते। केषुचित् पदार्थेषु वाक्यव्यवस्था अचिन्त्यशक्तित्वाभावात् अङ्गीक्रियते।
Overextension must be rejected based on the greater intended meaning and strength of scriptural statements. Just because a simple object, like a pot's validity, is questioned when unseen does not invalidate what is supported by authoritative scripture. In some cases, scriptural regulation is accepted due to absence of inconceivable power.
"गुणाः श्रुताः सुविरुद्धाश्च देवे सन्त्यश्रुता अपि नैवात्र शङ्का। चिन्त्या अचिन्त्याश्च तथैव दोषाः श्रुताश्च नाज्ञैर्हि तथा प्रतीताः॥ एवं परेऽन्यत्र श्रुताश्रुतानां गुणागुणानां च क्रमाद् व्यवस्था॥"
"In the Lord there are known and even mutually opposed qualities as well as unheard ones — there is no doubt in this. Likewise, thinkable and unthinkable faults have been heard, but are not rightly understood by the ignorant. Thus, in the Supreme, there is a proper arrangement of heard and unheard, of merits and demerits."
इति जाबालश्रुतेश्च।
- stated thus as well in the Jābāla Śruti.
उपचारत्वपरिहाराय "न मध्यम्" इति। अन्यथा आद्यन्ता भावेनैव तत्सिद्धेः। विश्वरूपः पूर्णरूपः।
The phrase "na madhyam" (not the middle) removes the possibility of figurative interpretation. Otherwise, the presence of beginning and end would imply limitation. The universal form is the complete form.
"स विश्वरूपोऽनूनरूपोऽतोऽयं सोऽनन्तरूपो न हि नाशोऽस्ति तस्य।"
"He, being of universal form and complete form, is therefore of infinite form. Indeed, there is no destruction for him."
इति शाण्डिल्यशाखायाम् ॥१६॥
- stated thus in the Śāṇḍilya branch.
