The Answer can be found in the purport of BG ( 11.47 ). The translation and purport are reproduced below :
TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, happily have I shown you, by My internal potency, this supreme universal form within the material world. No one before you has ever seen this primal form, unlimited and full of glaring effulgence.
PURPORT Arjuna wanted to see the universal form of the Supreme Lord, so Lord Krsna, out of His mercy upon His devotee Arjuna, showed His universal form, full of effulgence and opulence. This form was glaring like the sun, and its many faces were rapidly changing. Krsna showed this form just to satisfy the desire of His friend Arjuna. This form was manifested by Krsna through His internal potency, which is inconceivable by human speculation. No one had seen this universal form of the Lord before Arjuna, but because the form was shown to Arjuna, other devotees in the heavenly planets and in other planets in outer space could also see it. They had not seen it before, but because of Arjuna they were also able to see it. In other words, all the disciplic devotees of the Lord could see the universal form which was shown to Arjuna by the mercy of Krsna. Someone has commented that this form was shown to Duryodhana also when Krsna went to Duryodhana to negotiate for peace. Unfortunately, Duryodhana did not accept the peace offer, but at that time Krsna manifested some of His universal forms. But those forms are different from this one shown to Arjuna. It is clearly said that no one had ever seen this form before.
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The Answer can be found in the purport of BG ( 11.47 ). The translation and purport are reproduced below :
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, happily have I shown you, by My internal potency, this supreme universal form within the material world. No one before you has ever seen this primal form, unlimited and full of glaring effulgence.
PURPORT
Arjuna wanted to see the universal form of the Supreme Lord, so Lord Krsna, out of His mercy upon His devotee Arjuna, showed His universal form, full of effulgence and opulence. This form was glaring like the sun, and its many faces were rapidly changing. Krsna showed this form just to satisfy the desire of His friend Arjuna. This form was manifested by Krsna through His internal potency, which is inconceivable by human speculation. No one had seen this universal form of the Lord before Arjuna, but because the form was shown to Arjuna, other devotees in the heavenly planets and in other planets in outer space could also see it. They had not seen it before, but because of Arjuna they were also able to see it. In other words, all the disciplic devotees of the Lord could see the universal form which was shown to Arjuna by the mercy of Krsna. Someone has commented that this form was shown to Duryodhana also when Krsna went to Duryodhana to negotiate for peace. Unfortunately, Duryodhana did not accept the peace offer, but at that time Krsna manifested some of His universal forms. But those forms are different from this one shown to Arjuna. It is clearly said that no one had ever seen this form before.
I hope the question is answered. Hare Krishna !
Thank you Prabhuji,
Wow, it certainly did clear things up a bit. It has been a very long time since I read that particular passage.
Thank you again, Hari Bol!
Sriman John :-)
Hare Krishna
Arjuna Has experienced the viraat Rupa of Lord krishna
one should have divya Chakshu to see viraat rupa
our senses r materially contaminated so we cannot see the lord directly
Thank you for your answer to my question, Prabhuji,
I am interested in learning what divya Chakshu is?
Hare Krishna, Hari Bol!
Sriman John