In 1942 Srila Prabhupada experienced the ”UNIVERSAL FORM-VISVARUPA” of the Supreme Personality of Godhead KRSNA and heard the deafening sound ” chiiiii-goww ”—
Devotee: Prabhupada, we were reading earlier this morning in Bhagavad-gītā on the universal form of Kṛṣṇa, when He revealed Himself to Arjuna, and He said that the celestial beings and devotees and the demons both were fearful of Kṛṣṇa when they saw this universal form. How is it that devotees of Kṛṣṇa, like demigods, can be fearful even if they see Visvarupa?
Prabhupāda: Because they cannot love Viśvarūpa. Is that all right? Can you love Visvarupa? If Kṛṣṇa comes before you with Visvarupa, [laughter] [laughs] you’ll forget your love. Don’t try to love Visvarupa. Love Śyamasundara, that’s all. We have seen Kṛṣṇa in Visvarupa during wartime. I remember I think in 1942, December; the date I forget. I was just eating, and there was siren of bombing in Calcutta. So the arrangement was as soon as there will be siren of bombing, the government selected a place, shelter room, that “This room in your house will be shelter room.” So we had to go into that shelter room and the bombing began—chiiiii-goww. So we were seeing that Viśvarūpa, you see, at that time. So I was thinking, of course, that this is also Kṛṣṇa’s another form. But that form is not very lovable form. [laughter] [laughs] So a devotee in love wants to love Kṛṣṇa in His original form. This Viśvarūpa is not His original form. He can appear in any form. That is His all potency. But this lovable form is Kṛṣṇa, Śyamasundara. Suppose a boy’s father is a police officer. So if the father comes as a police officer firing with a revolver, even the child will forget loving father. So naturally, the child loves father when he’s at home just like father. Similarly, we love Krsna as He is — Syamasundara. The Visvarupa was shown to Arjuna to warn the rascal humanity. Because Krsna said, “I am God.” Imitating Krsna, so many rascals declaring that “I am God.” Therefore Arjuna said, “Please show me Your Visvarupa,” so that these rascals may also ask him to show his Visvarupa. So “If you are God, please show me your Visvarupa.” That they cannot.
(Bhagavad-gita 6.35–45 – February 20, 1969, Los Angeles)
This Indian National Army, when attacked, at least made a show of attack from Imphal, especially on Calcutta dropped bombs, and the whole Calcutta became vacant. Perhaps myself and a few others remained. I sent my sons… Of course, daughter was married, but they sent to Navadvépa, Çrédhara Mahäräja’s äçrama. My wife refused to go out of Calcutta. She said, “I’ll be bombed maybe, but I’ll not go out.” [laughs] So I had to remain in Calcutta. So I’ve seen bombing, and Calcutta all vacant. And one day I was eating in the evening, at night—immediately bombing. Kachoré… I was hungry, [laughs] but the eating finished. Almost daily. But it was meant for bombing the European quarters.
(Morning Walk — June 10, 1976, Los Angeles)