Vishvarupa

Vishvarupa
Arjuna bows to Vishvarupa
Devanagari	विश्वरूपा
Sanskrit transliteration	viśvarūpa
Affiliation	Cosmic form of Vishnu/Krishna

Vishvarupa ("Universal form", "Omni-form"), also known popularly as Vishvarupa Darshan, Vishwaroopa and Virata rupa, is an iconographical form and theophany of the God Lord Vishnu or his 8th avatar Sri Krishna. The direct revelation by the One without a Second, Master-Lord of the Universe. Though there are multiple Vishvarupa theophanies, the most celebrated is in the Bhagavad Gita, "the Song of God", given by Krishna in the epic Mahabharata, which was told to Pandava Prince Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra in the war in the Mahabharata between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Vishvarupa is considered the supreme form of Vishnu, where the whole universe is described as contained in him and this show that actual god is centralised within different gods and god is one.

In the climactic war in the Mahabharata, the Pandava prince Arjuna and his brothers fight against their cousins, the Kauravas with Krishna as his charioteer. Faced with moral dilemma that whether or not to fight against and kill his own or for dharma (duty), Krishna discourses him about life and death and reveals his Vishvarupa as a theophany. In chapters 10 and 11, Krishna reveals himself as the Supreme Being and finally displays his Vishvarupa to Arjuna. Arjuna experiences the vision of the Vishvarupa with divine vision endowed to him by Krishna. Vishvarupa's appearance is described by Arjuna, as he witnesses it.

Vishvarupa has innumerable forms, eyes, faces, mouths and arms. All creatures of the universe are part of him. He is the infinite universe, without a beginning or an end. He contains peaceful as well as wrathful forms. Unable to bear the scale of the sight and gripped with fear, Arjuna requests Krishna to return to his four-armed Vishnu form, which he can bear to see. Fully encouraged by the teachings and darshan of Krishna in his full form, Arjuna continued the Mahabharata War.