Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 11: The Vision of the Cosmic Form
Bhagavad Gita 11.17
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रिणं च
तेजोराशिं सर्वतोदीप्तिमन्तम् ।
पश्यामि त्वां दुर्निरीक्ष्यं समन्ता-
द्दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम् ॥
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakriṇaṃ ca tejorāśiṃ sarvatodīptimantam | paśyāmi tvāṃ durnirīkṣyaṃ samantā- ddīptānalārkadyutimaprameyam ||
I see you with crown, mace, and discus, a mass of radiance shining on every side, hard to look at, blazing all around like fire and the sun, beyond all measure.
Modern context
Amid the vastness, Arjuna recognises familiar things: crown, mace, discus, the traditional emblems of Vishnu. The infinite still carries signs he knows. This is consoling. Even the most overwhelming encounter can contain something that connects to what one already loves. But the radiance is so great it is hard to look at. Familiar and overwhelming at once.