Destroyer of Worlds - Epic Indian Music

Music and vocals by Farya Faraji. The lyrics are from the Bhagavad Gita, one of the holy scriptures of Hinduism, and part of the larger epic Mahabharata. The specific section I chose are segments of Chapter 11, where Arjuna asks the god Krishna to show his ultimate form, whereupon the latter does, showing his Viśvarūpa: the all encompassing, ultimate form of existence, the absolute reality eternally pervading all things and all of existence. The lyrics are in Sanskrit and follow the traditional metric of Sanskrit recitation of this text. The instrumentation follows Carnatic and Hindustani Classical instrumentation, and here consist of a sitar, a bansuri and a sarod, as well as traditional Indian drums. Lyrics in Sanskrit: Verse 4: मन्यसे यदि तच्छक्यं मया द्रष्टुमिति प्रभो | योगेश्वर ततो मे त्वं दर्शयात्मानमव्ययम् manyase yadi tach chhakyaṁ mayā draṣhṭum iti prabho yogeśhvara tato me tvaṁ darśhayātmānam avyayam O Lord of all mystic powers, if You think I am strong enough to behold It, then kindly reveal that imperishable cosmic form to me. Verse 11: अनेकवक्त्रनयनमनेकाद्भुतदर्शनम् | अनेकदिव्याभरणं दिव्यानेकोद्यतायुधम् || दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनम् | सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवमनन्तं विश्वतोमुखम् || aneka-vaktra-nayanam anekādbhuta-darśhanam aneka-divyābharaṇaṁ divyānekodyatāyudham divya-mālyāmbara-dharaṁ divya-gandhānulepanam sarvāśhcharya-mayaṁ devam anantaṁ viśhvato-mukham In that cosmic form, Arjun saw unlimited faces and eyes, decorated with many celestial ornaments and wielding many kinds of divine weapons. He wore many garlands on His body and was anointed with many sweet-smelling heavenly fragrances. He revealed Himself as the wonderful and infinite Lord whose face is everywhere. Verse 12: दिवि सूर्यसहस्रस्य भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता | यदि भा: सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मन divi sūrya-sahasrasya bhaved yugapad utthitā yadi bhāḥ sadṛiśhī sā syād bhāsas tasya mahātmanaḥ If a thousand suns were to blaze forth together in the sky, they would not match the splendor of that great form. Verse 16: अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रं पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम् | नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिं पश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप || 16|| aneka-bāhūdara-vaktra-netraṁ paśhyāmi tvāṁ sarvato ’nanta-rūpam nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punas tavādiṁ paśhyāmi viśhveśhvara viśhva-rūpa I see Your infinite form in every direction, with countless arms, stomachs, faces, and eyes. O Lord of the universe, whose form is the universe itself, I do not see in You any beginning, middle, or end. Verse 18: त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् | त्वमव्यय: शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे || 18|| tvam akṣharaṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ tvam asya viśhvasya paraṁ nidhānam tvam avyayaḥ śhāśhvata-dharma-goptā sanātanas tvaṁ puruṣho mato me I recognize You as the supreme imperishable being, the Ultimate Truth to be known by the scriptures. You are the support of all creation; You are the eternal protector of Sanātan Dharma (the Eternal Religion); and You are the everlasting Supreme Divine Personality. This is my opinion. Verse 20: द्यावापृथिव्योरिदमन्तरं हि व्याप्तं त्वयैकेन दिशश्च सर्वा: | दृष्ट्वाद्भुतं रूपमुग्रं तवेदं लोकत्रयं प्रव्यथितं महात्मन् || 20|| dyāv ā-pṛithivyor idam antaraṁ hi vyāptaṁ tvayaikena diśhaśh cha sarvāḥ dṛiṣhṭvādbhutaṁ rūpam ugraṁ tavedaṁ loka-trayaṁ pravyathitaṁ mahātman The space between heaven and earth and all the directions is pervaded by You alone. Seeing Your wondrous and terrible form, the planetary systems are perturbed, O Greatest of all beings. Verse 32: श्रीभगवानुवाच | कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्त: | ऋ