न वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैर्न दानै- र्न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रैः । एवंरूपः शक्य अहं नृलोके द्रष्टुं त्वदन्येन कुरुप्रवीर ॥
na vedayajñādhyayanairna dānair- na ca kriyābhirna tapobhirugraiḥ | evaṃrūpaḥ śakya ahaṃ nṛloke draṣṭuṃ tvadanyena kurupravīra ||
Translation
In this form, I cannot be seen in the human world by Vedic study, sacrifice, gifts, rituals, or severe austerities — by anyone other than you, O best of the Kurus.
Interpretation
A profound clarification: this vision cannot be achieved by any conventional religious means. Not by Vedic study (veda-yajna-adhyayana), not by gifts (dana), not by rituals (kriya), not by severe austerities (tapobhir ugraih). None of these can produce the Vishvarupa vision. It is not a reward for spiritual merit — it is pure grace, given out of love to one who is purely open to receive it. This underscores the Gita's repeated teaching: knowledge and devotion, not ritual merit, open the door to the Divine's deepest revelations.