इहैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम् ।
मम देहे गुडाकेश यच्चान्यद्द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ।। ११.७ ।।

ihaika-sthaṁ jagat-kṛtsnaṁ paśyādya sa-carācaram |
mama dehe guḍākeśa yac-cānyad-draṣṭum-icchasi || 11.7 ||

Usage of imagery makes message vibrant

Where intelligence proves inadequate, imagination will have to provide its might. The human personality is susceptible to intellectual fete as well as emotional exuberance. Both together, when properly aroused, fulfill the seeker’s aspirations. In such a background Krishna’s words become quite paramount:

See now in my body the entire universe, consisting of the mobile and immobile, as inhering in one source. See also whatever you further desire to see.

Krishna is asking Arjuna to look intently and see for himself all that his mind yearns for, obviously all the imagery Krishna described for him, as inhering in the Supreme. The intensity of Teacher-student (Guru-sishya) relationship often kindles the Teacher to invoke an incredible measure of divinity, authority and mission, holding intense appeal to the disciple’s mind and heart.

What Arjuna or anyone else can see in another standing close by, is the other’s body. The soul in anyone is imperceptible. Eyes, and also the other senses, are meant to perceive only grossness of objects. “See Arjuna,” says Krishna, “the whole jagat (world) consisting of animate and inanimate creation.” Creation, however plural, has only a single foundation, source. The entire multitude of objects is rooted to one central source. Krishna has taken pains to explain this singular nature of the existence right from the 7th chapter (7.4, 5 & 6). The same truth he re-stresses now, with an additional visual focus.

Krishna asks Arjuna to see in front whatever he wished to see additionally. This means that the vision would consist of factual phenomena as well as imaginary creations. Mixing thus the facts with fiction is characteristic of the human mind, as you find in literature and poetry of all times.

Human mind is not merely a conventional instrument, working only with the help of the bodily senses. It has its intrinsic capacity to perceive independently, creating the necessary objectivity around, all by itself. Its power is incredible.

That is what happens in the dream state, which is the mind’s own handiwork. How does the mind, at one stroke, bring about, within the body, a new world consisting of earth, water, air and sky, together with all the beings and things to be interacted with? It is the same mind that now works in Arjuna. The degree of its attunement decides the intensity of visualization. Arjuna and Krishna obviously are an ideally matched pair in this.

Such instances of a devotee visualizing wonderful things in and around his Guru are not very uncommon. The magnitude and excellence of the episode will differ, that is all. The more important part is that some one should be there to describe the episode in a lasting manner. That author must also possess the exalted insight to picture the imagery arrestingly.

Something more is there. One important characteristic of scriptural narrations like Ramayana, Mahabharata, etc., is arthavada, meaning eulogy. After all, the very purpose of a creative writing is to evoke abundant admiration and interest in the readers or listeners, and lead them to a worthy goal. Arthavada or exaggeration becomes necessary in such a context. An elephant with one head is not worth mentioning at all. But if there is one with a hundred heads, it becomes incredibly alluring and arresting to the mind. Of course, such an elephant can be gifted only by creative imagination and enticing narration.

When its purpose is to inculcate great ideals and values, the mission becomes laudable. That is how exaggeration came to be a well-thought out embellishment for epic writing. It brings enlightenment making the message vibrant and interesting.