The Bhagavad-gita gives the description of the universal form, and this description was unknown to everyone before Arjuna. Now one can have some idea of the visva-rupa after this incidence; those who are actually divine can see the universal form of the Lord. But one cannot be divine without being a pure devotee of Krsna. The devotees, however, who are actually in the divine nature and who have divine vision, are not very much interested to see the universal form of the Lord. As described in the previous verse, Arjuna desired to see the four-handed form of Lord Krsna as Visnu, and he was actually afraid of the universal form.

In this verse there are some significant words, just like veda-yajnadhya-yanaih, which refers to studying Vedic literature and the subject matter of sacrificial regulations. Veda refers to all kinds of Vedic literature, namely the four Vedas (Rk, Yajus, Sama and Atharva) and the eighteen Puranas and Upanisads, and Vedanta-sutra. One can study these at home or anywhere else. Similarly, there are sutras, Kalpa-sutras and Mimamsa-sutras, for studying the method of sacrifice. Danaih refers to charity which is offered to a suitable party. such as those who are engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, the brahmanas and the Vaisnavas. Similarly, pious activities refer to the agni-hotra, etc., the prescribed duties of the different castes. Pious activities and the voluntary acceptance of some bodily pains are called tapasya. So one can perform all these, can accept bodily penances, give charity, study the Vedas, etc., but unless he is a devotee like Arjuna, it is not possible to see that universal form. Those who are impersonalists are also imagining that they are seeing the universal form of the Lord, but from Bhagavad-gita we understand that the impersonalists are not devotees. Therefore they are unable to see the universal form of the Lord.

There are many persons who create incarnations. They falsely claim an ordinary human to be an incarnation, but this is all foolishness. We should follow the principles of Bhagavad-gita, otherwise there is no possibility of attaining perfect spiritual knowledge. Although Bhagavad-gita is considered the preliminary study of the science of God, still it is so perfect that one can distinguish what is what. The followers of a pseudo incarnation may say that they have also seen the transcendental incarnation of God, the universal form, but that is not acceptable because it is clearly stated here that unless one becomes a devotee of Krsna, one cannot see the universal form of God. So one first of all has to become a pure devotee of Krsna; then he can claim that he can show the universal form of what he has seen. A devotee of Krsna cannot accept false incarnations or followers of false incarnations.