ĹrÄŤ-bhagavÄn uvÄca
su-durdarĹam idaáš rĹŤpaáš
dášášŁášavÄn asi yan mama
devÄ apy asya rĹŤpasya
nityaáš darĹana-kÄáš kᚣiášaḼ
ĹrÄŤ-bhagavÄn uvÄca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; su-durdarĹam - very difficult to see; idam - this; rĹŤpam - form; dášášŁášavÄn asi - as you have seen; yat - which; mama - of Mine; devÄḼ - the demigods; api - also; asya - this; rĹŤpasya - form; nityam - eternally; darĹana-kÄáš kᚣiášaḼ - aspiring to see.
In the forty-eighth verse of this chapter Lord KášášŁáša concluded revealing His universal form and informed Arjuna that this form is not possible to be seen by so many pious activities, sacriďŹces, etc. Now here the word su-durdarĹam is used, indicating that KášášŁášaâs two-handed form is still more conďŹdential. One may be able to see the universal form of KášášŁáša by adding a little tinge of devotional service to various activities like penances, Vedic study and philosophical speculation. It may be possible, but without a tinge of bhakti one cannot see; that has already been explained. Still, beyond that universal form, the form of KášášŁáša with two hands is still more difďŹcult to see, even for demigods like BrahmÄ and Lord Ĺiva. They desire to see Him, and we have evidence in the ĹrÄŤmad-BhÄgavatam that when He was supposed to be in the womb of His mother, DevakÄŤ, all the demigods from heaven came to see the marvel of KášášŁáša, and they offered nice prayers to the Lord, although He was not at that time visible to them. They waited to see Him. A foolish person may deride Him, thinking Him an ordinary person, and may offer respect not to Him but to the impersonal âsomethingâ within Him, but these are all nonsensical postures. KášášŁáša in His two-armed form is actually desired to be seen by demigods like BrahmÄ and Ĺiva.
In Bhagavad-gÄŤtÄ (9.11) it is also conďŹrmed, avajÄnanti mÄáš mĹŤá¸hÄ mÄnuᚣčᚠtanum ÄĹritam: He is not visible to the foolish persons who deride Him. KášášŁášaâs body, as conďŹrmed by Brahma-saášhitÄ and conďŹrmed by KášášŁáša Himself in Bhagavad-gÄŤtÄ, is completely spiritual and full of bliss and eternality. His body is never like a material body. But for some who make a study of KášášŁáša by reading Bhagavad-gÄŤtÄ or similar Vedic scriptures, KášášŁáša is a problem. For one using a material process, KášášŁáša is considered to be a great historical personality and very learned philosopher, but He is an ordinary man, and even though He was so powerful He had to accept a material body. Ultimately they think that the Absolute Truth is impersonal; therefore they think that from His impersonal feature He assumed a personal feature attached to material nature. This is a materialistic calculation of the Supreme Lord. Another calculation is speculative. Those who are in search of knowledge also speculate on KášášŁáša and consider Him to be less important than the universal form of the Supreme. Thus some think that the universal form of KášášŁáša which was manifested to Arjuna is more important than His personal form. According to them, the personal form of the Supreme is something imaginary. They believe that in the ultimate issue, the Absolute Truth is not a person. But the transcendental process is described in Bhagavad-gÄŤtÄ, Chapter Four: to hear about KášášŁáša from authorities. That is the actual Vedic process, and those who are actually in the Vedic line hear about KášášŁáša from authority, and by repeated hearing about Him, KášášŁáša becomes dear. As we have several times discussed, KášášŁáša is covered by His yoga-mÄyÄ potency. He is not to be seen or revealed to anyone and everyone. Only by one to whom He reveals Himself can He be seen. This is conďŹrmed in the Vedic literature; for one who is a surrendered soul, the Absolute Truth can actually be understood. The transcendentalist, by continuous KášášŁáša consciousness and by devotional service to KášášŁáša, can have his spiritual eyes opened and can see KášášŁáša by revelation. Such a revelation is not possible even for the demigods; therefore it is difďŹcult even for the demigods to understand KášášŁáša, and the advanced demigods are always in hope of seeing KášášŁáša in His two-handed form. The conclusion is that although to see the universal form of KášášŁáša is very, very difďŹcult and not possible for anyone and everyone, it is still more difďŹcult to understand His personal form as ĹyÄmasundara.