The phrase rūpam aty-adbhutaṃ refers to the phenomenal Viśvarūpā or universal form exhibited by Lord Krishna on the battlefield that was described in chapter 11, which Sanjaya had observed in astonishment by the power of his celestial vision.

The more he remembered this amazing and astonishing Viśvarūpā the more rapturous and ecstatic he became by its transcendental magnificence.

Marvelling in wondrous ecstasy he is incessantly inundated by waves of rapture.

“यस्य त्रिष्वुदितानि वेदवचने रूपाणि दिव्यान्यलम् । वद तद्दर्शतमिध्यमेव निहितं देवस्य भर्गो महत् । वायो रामवचनोयं प्रथमकं पृक्षो द्वितीयं वपुः मध्ये यत्तु तृतीयकं कृतमिदं भाष्यं हि तेन प्रभो ॥ पूर्णां दोषमहाविष्णोर्गीतामाश्रित्य लेशतः । निरूपणं कृतं तेन प्रीयतां मे सदा विभुः ॥” – whose three blissful mystical forms have been narrated in vedic suktas whose content capable of bestowing eternal bliss and supremacy was eulogized in Treta Yuga by Hanuman the servitor of Lord Rama who discovered the whereabouts of Sita-devi, by Bhima of the Pandavas in Dvarpara Yuga and by sage Madhva in present age through his commentary, full of wisdom, extremely propitious and flawless may the Lord be pleased and may grant eternal bliss of beatitude,

इति मदानन्दतीर्थभगवत्पदाचार्यविरचिते श्रीभगवद्गीताभाष्ये अष्टादशोऽध्यायः । भारतीरमण मुख्यप्राणान्तर्गत श्रीकृष्णार्पणमस्तु ॥” – Thus ends the eighteenth chapter of the the commentary prepared by Srimad Anandtirtha the great Teacher at the feet of the Resplendent Lord, as an offerrng to Sri Krishna.

“यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु । इत्याक्षेपपरिहाराय - करिष्ये वचनं तव । इत्यनुसरति भगवन्तम् ॥” – Do whatever you desire, such statement is made to avoid any contrary actions being performed. Arjuna declares “I will do as ordained by You, the Resplendent Lord”.

“नमस्ते वासुदेवाय प्रेयसां मे प्रियोत्तम् । समस्तगुणसम्पूर्णनिर्दोषानन्ददायिने ॥ यस्य त्रिष्वुदितानि वेदवचने रूपाणि दिव्यान्तं वद तद्दर्शतमिध्यमेव निहितं देवस्य भर्गो महत् । वायो रामवचनोयं प्रथमकं पृक्षो द्वितीयं वपुः मध्ये यत्तु तृतीयमेतदमुना गन्धं कृतं केशवे । निःशेषदोषरहित कल्याणाखिलसद्गुण । भूतिस्वयम्भुशर्वादिवन्धं त्वां नौमि मे प्रियम् ॥” – Obeisance to Sri Vasudeva, the dearest to me among all the dearest ones, embodiment of all propitious attributes, faultless and bestower of Bliss, whose three blissful mystical forms have been narrated in vedic suktas, whose content capable of bestowing eternal bliss and supremacy was eulogized in Treta Yuga by Hanuman who spoke the whereabouts of Sita-devi, by Bhima of the Pandavas in Dvarpara Yuga and by sage Madhva in present age through this commentary for the pleasure of Sri Keshava, flawless, full of wisdom and propitiated by Sri Lakshmi, Brahma, Rudra and others may please the Lord.

77 "As I remember, (and again) remember, that extremely wonderful Form of Hari, great, O King, grows my amazement, and I am filled with rapture again and again; (1616)

Then rising up he said, "How do you remain unmoved even after having a vision of the 'Omniform' of Lord Hari? How can one miss that which becomes discernible without seeing, which exists in non-existence and which forces entrance into memory though one tries to forget it. There is no scope left for one even to indulge in amazement, since the flood of the Ganges (in the form of knowledge contained in the dialogue) is so high that I am even being carried away along with it.” In that way Samjaya had a bath in the holy conflux in the form of the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna and he renounced his egotism (देतसे तिलदान अहतेचे—तिलदान अगर तिलांजली—Tila Dāna or Tilāñjali literally means pouring out to the manes water mixed with sesamum seed). In rapturous state he would gibber something uncommon, and would from time to time keep on repeating ‘Krishna’ ‘Krishna’ in vehement devotion. Dhritarāshtrā not being able to appreciate correctly in his heart these different phases, began to form some wild ideas about them. Just then absorbing within himself that happiness he experienced, Samjaya pacified his feelings. Instead of asking any questions suitable to the occasion the King said, “Oh Samjaya, what sort of manners of yours all these are? With what motive did the sage Vyāsa post (lit. make you sit) here, and what sort of talk unsuitable to the occasion as it is, do you indulge in?” Were a rustic (lit. dweller in a forest) to be taken to a palace he would feel stranded and desolate there; with the break of the day a night-wanderer feels it as night-time; one who cannot appreciate the proper worth of a thing, naturally feels it to be insipid (tasteless). It was (thus) but natural that Dhritarāshtrā should think Samjaya as doing something out of the way. Then he asked Samjaya, “Tell me who would be ultimately victorious in this war that has arisen. As things stand, to my mind greater valour is ranged on the side of Duryodhana: besides, the numerical strength (of his army) is one and half times greater as compared to Pāṇḍavas’, and therefore his victory is certain, is it not so? At least I think so; I do not know what is your forecast (prediction), Oh Samjaya. But do tell me whatever it is.”

'Tacca saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya rūpamatyadbhutaṁ hareḥ vismayo me mahān rājan hṛṣyāmi ca punaḥ punaḥ'—In the preceding verse, Sañjaya declared the dialogue between Lord

Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna to be wonderful, while here he declares His cosmic form, to be the most wonderful. Why? The reason is, that the dialogue can be studied even now but His cosmic form cannot be beheld now.

In the ninth verse of the eleventh chapter Sañjaya called Lord Kṛṣṇa the great Lord of Yoga, while here he declares that remembering again and again that most wonderful form of Hari (Kṛṣṇa), great is his astonishment. It is natural to be astonished, beholding the cosmic form of the Lord of Yoga. Further Lord Kṛṣṇa, revealed to Arjuna His cosmic form out of compassion, while Sañjaya was able to behold that cosmic form, by great sage Vyāsa's grace.

Though the Lord revealed, His cosmic form to mother Kausalyā, when he incarnated as Rāma, to mother Yaśodā and also to Duryodhana etc., in the assembly of the Kauravas. When He incarnated as Lord Kṛṣṇa, yet those cosmic form were not so terrifying and wonderful as that was seen by Sañjaya, because in the latter form, principal warriors were rushing head-long into the Lord's fearful mouth, set with terrible tusks and some were seen stuck between His teeth with their heads crushed. In the latter form, it was seen that both the armies were being slaughtered. Remembering such a wonderful form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Sañjaya was thrilled with joy, again and again and he declared, that it was only by great sage Vyāsa's grace, that he could behold His cosmic form.

**Appendix**—The Lord revealed to Arjuna His Cosmic Form which was within limits. Had Arjuna not been confused with fear, the Lord would have revealed His Cosmic Form in more details. But Sañjaya was wonder-struck after beholding even that Cosmic Form.

Sañjaya first knew the glory of the Lord, having studied the scripture; then he listened to the wondrous dialogue between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna; and then he beheld the most wonderful Cosmic

Form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It means that the dialogue between the Lord and Arjuna was more wondrous than what he had studied in the scripture; and more wonderful than the dialogue, was His Cosmic Form. Therefore Sañjaya has mentioned the dialogue as wonderful—'sarnvādamimamadbhūtam' (18/76) and the Cosmic Form as very much wonderful—'rūpamatyad bhūtam'.

*Link:—At the beginning of the Gītā, Dhṛtarāṣṭra indirectly wanted to ask the consequences of the war i.e., he wanted to know, whether his sons or those of Pāṇḍu, would win. Sañjaya answers the question in the next verse.*

तच्च संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य रूपं अत्यद्भुतं हरेः विश्वरूपं विस्मयो मे महान् राजन्, हृष्यामि च पुनः पुनः ॥

किं बहुना -

मग उठोनि म्हणे नृपा । श्रीहरीचिया विश्वरूपा । देखिलया उगा कां पां । असों लाहसी ? ॥ १६१७ ॥ न देखणेनि जें दिसे । नाहींपणेंचि जें असे । विसरें आठवे तें कैसें । चुकऊं आतां । ॥ १६१८ ॥ देखोनि चमत्कारु । कीजे तो नाहीं पैसारु । मजहीसकट महापूरु । नेत आहे ॥ १६१९ ॥ ऐसा श्रीकृष्णार्जुन- । संवाद संगमीं स्नान । करूनि देतसे तिळदान । अहंतेचें ॥ १६२० ॥ तेथ असंवरें आनंदें । अलौकिकही कांहीं स्फुंदे । श्रीकृष्ण म्हणे सद्गदें । वेळोवेळां ॥ १६२१ ॥ या अवस्थांची कांहीं । कौरवांतें परी नाहीं । म्हणौनि रायें तें कांहीं । कल्पावें जंव ॥ १६२२ ॥ तंव जाला सुखलाभु । आपणया करूनि स्वयंभु । बुझाविला अवष्टंभु । संजयें तेणें ॥ १६२३ ॥ तेथ कोणी येकी अवसरी । होआवी ते करूनि दुरी । रावो म्हणे संजया परी । कैसी तुझी गा ? ॥ १६२४ ॥ तेणें तूंतें येथें व्यासें । बैसविलें कासया उद्देशें । अप्रसंगामाजीं ऐसें । बोलसी काई ? ॥ १६२५ ॥ रानींचें राउळा नेलिया । दाही दिशा मानी सुनिया । कां रात्री होय पाहलया । निशाचरां ॥ १६२६ ॥ जो जेथिंचें गौरव नेणें । तयासि तें भिंगुळवाणें । म्हणौनि अप्रसंगु तेणें । म्हणावा कीं तो ॥ १६२७ ॥ मग म्हणे सांगें प्रस्तुत । उदयलेंसे जें उत्कळित । तें कोणासि बा रे जैत । देईल शेखीं ? ॥ १६२८ ॥ येऱ्हवीं विशेषें बहुतेक । आमुचें ऐसें मानसिक । जे दुर्योधनाचे अधिक । प्रताप सदा ॥ १६२९ ॥ आणि येरांचेनि पाडें । दळही याचें देव्हडें । म्हणौनि जैत फुडें । आणील ना तें ? ॥ १६३० ॥ आम्हां तंव गमे ऐसें । मा तुझें ज्योतिष कैसें । तें नेणों संजया असे । तैसें सांग पां ॥ १६३१ ॥

(18.1617) फिर संजय उठा और बोला — हे राजा! श्रीहरि का विश्वरूप देख कर आप कैसे चुप बैठे रह सकते हैं? (18.1618) न देखते भी जो दिखाई देता है, जो अभावरूप से ही विद्यमान है, विस्मृति करने से भी जिसका स्मरण होता है वह कैसे टाला जा सकता है?

(18.1619) इतना भी तो अवकाश नहीं कि उसे देख कर आश्चर्य किया जाय आनन्द की बाढ़, मेरे सहित, सब कुछ बहाये लिये जा रही है।

(18.1620) इस प्रकार संजय ने श्रीकृष्णार्जुन-संवाद-रूपी संगम में स्नान कर अपनी अहंता पर तिलांजलि छोड़ी

(18.1621) और उस अटल आनन्द में वह असाधारण रूप से साँस भरता और बार-बार गद्गद वाणी से श्रीकृष्ण श्रीकृष्ण कहता था।

(18.1622) धृतराष्ट्र को इस अवस्था का स्पर्श भी न था। अतः ज्योंही राजा उसकी कुछ कल्पना करने लगा

(18.1623) त्योंही संजय ने अपने सुखलाभ का आप ही आप स्थिर कर अपना सात्विक अहंकार छोड़ दिया।

(18.1624) तब वास्तव में जिस बात का उपक्रम होना चाहिए था उसे छोड़ राजा ने कहा — हे संजय! तुम्हारी यह बात क्या है?

(18.1625) तुम्हें व्यास जी ने यहाँ किस उद्देश्य से बैठाया है और तुम बीच में न जाने क्या अप्रासंगिक बात कह रहे हो? (18.1626) जंगल में रहनेहारे को यदि किसी महल में रक्खा जाय तो उसे दसों दिशाएँ सूनी प्रतीत होती हैं। अथवा इधर दिन निकलता है तो निशाचर उसे अपनी रात समझता है;

(18.1627) इस प्रकार जो जिस विषय का महत्त्व नहीं जानता उसे वह भयकारक जान पड़ता है! इसलिए उस विषय की वार्ता राजा के लिए अप्रासंगिक ही समझनी चाहिए।

(18.1628) फिर राजा ने कहा — सम्प्रति यह कहो कि यह जो युद्ध हो रहा है उस में अन्त में जीत किसकी होगी?

(18.1629) साधारणतः हमारे मन में तो प्रायः यही आता है कि दुर्योधन ही अधिक प्रतापशाली है

(18.1630) और पाण्डवों की सेना से उसकी सेना भी ड्योढ़ी है; अतः क्या उसी की जीत न होगी?

(18.1631) हम तो यही समझते हैं; पर न जाने तुम्हारे ज्योतिष में क्या आता हो? इसलिए हे संजय! जैसा हो वैसा कहो!

भावार्थ— राजन्! श्रीहरिके उस अद्भुत विराट् रूप का स्मरण कर-करके तो मुझे बड़ा विस्मय होता है और मैं पुनः-पुनः हर्षित हो जाता हूँ।

व्याख्या— जब अर्जुन को अपनी अज्ञानावस्था का विचार होता है कि बोध होने से पूर्व मैं क्या था और अब क्या हो गया तो उसे बड़ा आश्चर्य होता है। उस अज्ञान की निवृत्ति में भगवान् का विराट् रूप भी सहायक हुआ था। उसी विराट् रूप और भगवान् की अद्भुत शक्ति ने सञ्जय को भी विस्मय में डाल दिया।

‘तच्च संस्मृत्य ... पुनः पुनः’—संजयने पीछेके श्लोकमें भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनके संवादको तो ‘अद्भुत’ बताया, पर यहाँ भगवान्के विराट्कूपको ‘अत्यन्त अद्भुत’ बताते हैं। इसका तात्पर्य है कि संवादको तो अब भी पढ़ सकते हैं, उसपर विचार कर सकते हैं, पर उस विराट्कूपके दर्शन अब नहीं हो सकते। अतः वह रूप अत्यन्त अद्भुत है।

ग्यारहवें अध्यायके नवें श्लोकमें संजयने भगवान्को ‘महायोगेश्वरः’ कहा था। यहाँ ‘विस्मयो मे महान्’ पदोंसे कहते हैं कि ऐसे महायोगेश्वर भगवान्के रूपको

याद करनेसे महान् विस्मय होगा ही। दूसरी बात, अर्जुनको तो भगवान्ने कृपासे द्रवित होकर विश्वरूप दिखाया, पर मेरेको तो व्यासजीकी कृपासे देखनेको मिल गया!

यद्यपि भगवान्ने रामावतारमें कौसल्या अम्बाको विराट्कूप दिखाया और कृष्णावतारमें यशोदा मैयाको तथा कौरव-सभामें दुर्योधन आदिको विराट्कूप दिखाया तथापि वह रूप ऐसा अद्भुत नहीं था कि जिसकी दाढ़ीमें बड़े-बड़े योद्धालोग फँसे हुए हैं और दोनों सेनाओंका महान् संहार हो रहा है। इस प्रकारके अत्यन्त अद्भुत रूपको याद करके संजय कहते हैं कि राजन्! यह सब तो व्यासजी महाराजकी

* धर्मार्थसहिता वाचः श्रोतुमिच्छाम माधव ॥ त्वयोच्यमानाः कुरुषु राजमध्ये परन्तप।

(महाभारत, उद्योग ८३।६८-६९)

‘(परशुरामजी बोले—) शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले माधव! वहाँ कौरवों तथा अन्य राजाओंकी मण्डलीमें आपके द्वारा कही जानेवाली धर्म और अर्थसे युक्त बातोंको हम सुनना चाहते हैं।’

कृपासे ही मेरेको देखनेको मिला है। नहीं तो ऐसा रूप | मेरे-जैसेको कहाँ देखनेको मिलता ?

**परिशिष्ट भाव**—भगवानने अपना विराटरूप सीमित दिखाया था। अगर अर्जुन न घबराते तो भगवान् और भी रूप दिखाते। पर उतनेसे ही संजय बड़ा आश्चर्य कर रहे हैं।

भगवानके विषयमें पहले तो संजयने शास्त्रमें पढ़ा, फिर अद्भुत संवाद सुना और फिर अति अद्भुत विराटरूप देखा। तात्पर्य है कि शास्त्रकी अपेक्षा श्रीकृष्णार्जुन-संवाद अद्भुत था और संवादकी अपेक्षा भी विराटरूप अद्भुत था। इसलिये संजयने संवादको अद्भुत कहा—‘संवादमिममद्भुतम्’ (१८।७६) और विराटरूपको अत्यन्त अद्भुत कहा—‘रूपमत्यद्भुतम्’।

सम्बन्ध—गीताके आरम्भमें धृतराष्ट्रका गूढ़ाभिसन्धिरूप प्रश्न था कि युद्धका परिणाम क्या होगा ? अर्थात् मेरे पुत्रोंकी विजय होगी या पाण्डुपुत्रोंकी ? आगेके श्लोकमें संजय धृतराष्ट्रके उसी प्रश्नका उत्तर देते हैं।