tatraika-sthaṁ jagat kṛitsnaṁ pravibhaktam anekadhā
apaśhyad deva-devasya śharīre pāṇḍavas tadā
tatra — there;
eka-stham — established in one place;
jagat — the universe;
kṛitsnam — entire;
pravibhaktam — divided;
anekadhā — many;
apaśhyat — could see;
deva-devasya — of the God of gods;
śharīre — in the body;
pāṇḍavaḥ — Arjun;
tadā — at that time
In this verse, Arjuna is seeing something incredible. He is looking at a universal form of Krishna, which is like a snapshot showing him countless worlds all at once. This is happening while he is seated on his chariot with Krishna, who is guiding him in the battle. It's important to note that no one else around them can see this form—Krishna has given Arjuna a special ability to see it alone.
When Arjuna gazes into Krishna's universal form, he sees that within Krishna's body, there are many universes. Just like our planet Earth is part of the vast universe, there are numerous other universes, some made of different materials and some varying in size—some tiny and some enormous. For instance, imagine if you could look at one spot and see not just our Earth but also other worlds made of gold, others built from jewels, and more. This is the sort of vision that Arjuna is granted.
While everyone else on the battlefield is focused on what is happening with the warriors, Arjuna is caught in a deep new understanding of reality. He's not only seeing this universal form, but he is also realizing the vastness of existence. It’s as if he can see the entire universe packed into Krishna's form, with many different aspects of creation present simultaneously. This opens his eyes to the fact that there is so much more to life than what just meets the eye.
This is quite a contrast to the situation around them, since the battle is about to start and everyone else is distracted by their personal objectives. What Arjuna sees is a reminder that while individuals are caught up in their struggles, they are also part of a larger, divine picture that connects all beings and worlds. In essence, Krishna is showing Arjuna that everything is interconnected, existing within His divine universal form. This insight completely changes how Arjuna views his situation and the greater meaning of life.