B.G 11.16
aneka-bāhu-udara-vaktra-netraṁ paśyāmi tvāṁ sarvataḥ ananta-rūpam. na antaṁ na madhyaṁ na punaḥ tava ādim paśyāmi viśveśvara viśvarūpa ॥16॥
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.
aneka-śabdaḥ ananta-vācī. "ananta-bāhum" iti vakṣyati. "sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat" ityādi ca.
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.
"viśvataś-cakṣur-uta viśvato-mukho viśvato-bāhur-uta viśvatas-pāt. saṁ bāhubhyāṁ dhamati saṁ patatrair dyāvā-bhūmī janayan deva ekaḥ॥"
"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."
iti ca ṛgveda-khileṣu.
- stated thus also in the Khila portions of the Ṛgveda.
"viśvataś-cakṣur-uta viśvato-mukho viśvato-hasta uta viśvatas-pāt. saṁ bāhubhyāṁ namati saṁ patatrair dyāvā-pṛthivī janayan deva ekaḥ॥"
"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."
iti yajurvede ca.
- stated thus as well in the Yajurveda.
viśva-śabdaś ca ananta-vācī -
The word 'viśva' also signifies infinity.
"sarvaṁ samastaṁ viśvaṁ anantaṁ pūrṇam eva ca."
"The words 'sarvaṁ, i.e. all, 'samastaṁ', i.e. entire, 'viśvaṁ', i.e. the universe — stated it is infinite and indeed full."
ity-abhidhānāt.
- stated thus from the lexicon.
"ananta-bāhum ananta-pādam ananta-rūpaṁ puru-vaktram ekam॥"
"One with infinite arms, infinite feet, infinite forms, and many mouths."
iti ca bābhravya-śākhāyām.
- stated thus also in the Bābhravya branch.
mahattvāt-yuktiḥ tu tad-ātmakatvena api bhavati. anyathā "anādi mat-paraṁ brahma" ityādi ayuktaṁ syāt.
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.
ekatra tu anantāni asya rūpāṇi iti ananta-rūpaḥ. anyatra tu aparimāṇaḥ iti. uktaṁ hi ubhayam api -
In one context, his forms are infinite — hence, he is of infinite forms. Elsewhere, he is described as immeasurable. Indeed, both have been stated.
"parāt paraṁ yan mahato mahāntam yad ekam avyaktam ananta-rūpam."
"That which is higher than the highest, greater than the great, the one unmanifest with infinite forms."
iti yajurvede.
- stated thus in the Yajurveda.
avyaktasya anantatvād eva mahatve aparimitatvaṁ siddhyati.
Because the unmanifest is infinite, its immeasurability is established in its greatness.
"mahāntaṁ ca samāvṛtya pradhānaṁ samavasthitam. anantasya na tasya antaḥ saṅkhyānaṁ cāpi vidyate॥"
"Having encompassed the great substance, he is firmly situated. For the infinite, neither end nor enumeration exists."
ity-āditya-purāṇe.
- stated thus in the Āditya Purāṇa.
tāni ca ekaikāni rūpāṇi anantāni iti ca ekatra bhavati.
Each of those forms is infinite, and all this occurs together in one place.
"asaṅkhyātā jñānakāḥ tasya dehāḥ sarve aparimāṇa-vivarjitāś ca॥"
"Innumerable knowers, known His body to be devoid of any measure or limit."
iti ṛgveda-khileṣu.
- stated thus in the Khila sections of the Ṛgveda.
"yāvān vā ayam-ākāśaḥ tāvān eṣaḥ antar-hṛdaya ākāśaḥ. ubhe asmin dyāvā-pṛthivī antareva samāhite. ubhau agniś ca vāyuś ca sūrya-candramasau ubhau॥"
"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."
iti ca.
- statede thus as well.
"kṛṣṇasya garbha-jagato ati-bhara-avasanna-pārṣṇi-prahāra-pariruġṇa-phaṇāta-patram."
"The hood of Śeṣa, sheltering cosmic womb, under the weight of the universe, was crushed by a Kṛṣṇa’s heel-strike."
iti ca bhāgavate.
- stated thus also in the Bhāgavata.
na ca etad ayuktam. acintya-śaktitvāt īśvarasya.
This is not unreasonable, for the Lord possesses inconceivable power.
"acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet."
"Indeed, those realities which are inconceivable should not be approached by reasoning."
iti śrī-viṣṇu-purāṇe.
- stated thus in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa.
"naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā"
"This understanding is not to be attained by logic."
iti ca śrutiḥ.
- stated thus by the Vedic testimonial as well.
atiprasaṅgaḥ tu mahā-tātparya-vaśāt vākya-balāt ca apaneyāḥ. na hi ghaṭavat kaścid api padārthaḥ na dṛṣṭaḥ iti etāvatā pramāṇa-dṛṣṭaḥ san nirākriyate. keṣucit padārtheṣu vākya-vyavasthā acintya-śaktitva-abhāvāt aṅgīkriyate.
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.
"guṇāḥ śrutāḥ su-viruddhāś ca deve santi aśrutā api naiva atra śaṅkā. cintyā acintyāś ca tathaiva doṣāḥ śrutāś ca na ajñaiḥ hi tathā pratītāḥ. evaṁ pare anyatra śruta-aśrutānāṁ guṇa-aguṇānāṁ ca kramāt vyavasthā."
"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."
iti jābāla-śruteḥ ca.
- stated thus as well in the Jābāla Śruti.
upacāratva-parihārāya "na madhyam" iti. anyathā ādi-anta-bhāvena eva tat-siddheḥ. viśva-rūpaḥ pūrṇa-rūpaḥ.
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.
"sa viśva-rūpaḥ anūna-rūpaḥ ato ayaṁ sa ananta-rūpaḥ na hi nāśaḥ asti tasya."
"He, being of universal form and complete form, is therefore of infinite form. Indeed, there is no destruction for him."
iti śāṇḍilya-śākhāyām ॥16॥
- stated thus in the Śāṇḍilya branch.
