this material world is also the virāṭ-rūpa, universal form, of the Lord. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti (Bs. 5.32). I'm just trying to explain what is the body of the Supreme Lord. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna was shown the virāṭ-rūpa, the universal form of the Lord. Now why Arjuna wanted to see the universal form of Kṛṣṇa? The reason is that Arjuna knew it very well . . .
Because in the Tenth Chapter Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa that paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12): "You are the Supreme Lord, paraṁ brahma, and pavitra, the purest." So Kṛṣṇa . . . Arjuna knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and still, in the Eleventh Chapter he requested Kṛṣṇa that, "If You'll kindly show me Your universal form."
Try to understand. Arjuna knew it very well that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Why he wanted to examine Kṛṣṇa? Not for himself, but for others. Because Arjuna knew it very well that in future so many false Gods would appear, "I am God." So before accepting anyone as God, imitating Kṛṣṇa, one should inquire from him, "Whether you can lift a hill? Whether you can show the universal form? Whether you can kill such-and-such demons? Then I shall accept." That is intelligence. Don't accept a foolish man declaring himself as God, and you accept also God. God is not so cheap.
You should know what is God. These descriptions are there. No more . . . no man, no living entity is greater than God. Therefore God is said: "God is great." Great means nobody can be greater than Him, nobody can be equal to Him. That is greatness. Six opulences. That is analytical study what is God.
So these things are being taught from authoritative scripture and . . . what is God, what is our relationship with Him, and what is our function in that relationship. We should know it. Unless we try to know it—simply we waste our time in frivolous activities—that is not proper utilization of human form of life. We are simply requesting people that "You don't waste your valuable time."
Our time is so valuable. It has been calculated by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was a great politician, prime minister, in India, about three thousand years ago, when Chandragupta was the emperor. It was about contemporary to Alexander the Great in the Greek history. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was there. He was a great diplomat. He has calculated the value of our life. He says . . . it is very practical. Anyone can calculate.
- āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi
- na labhya svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ
- na cet nirarthakaṁ (nītiḥ)
- kā ca hānis tato 'dhikā
- (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita)
He says, āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa. Even one moment of your life cannot be returned even if you spend millions of dollars.