In Bhagavad Gita 11.23, Arjuna says that seeing Krishna’s immense form with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, bellies and terrible teeth, the worlds are terrified, and so is he.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
रूपं महत्ते बहुवक्त्रनेत्रं
महाबाहो बहुबाहूरुपादम्
बहूदरं बहुदंष्ट्राकरालं
दृष्ट्वा लोकाः प्रव्यथितास्तथाहम् ॥ ११-२३ ॥
rūpaṃ mahatte bahuvaktranetraṃ
mahābāho bahubāhūrupādam
bahūdaraṃ bahudaṃṣṭrākarālaṃ
dṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitāstathāham
English transliteration roopam mahatte bahuvaktranetram
mahaabaaho bahubaahoorupaadam
bahoodaram bahudamshtraakaraalam
drishtvaa lokaah pravyathitaastathaaham ॥ 11.23 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Seeing Your immense form with many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed, with many arms, thighs and feet, many bellies and many terrible teeth, the worlds are terrified, and so am I.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| रूपम् rūpam | form |
| महत् mahat | immense |
| ते te | Your |
| बहुवक्त्रनेत्रम् bahuvaktranetram | with many mouths and eyes bahu (many) + vaktra (mouths) + netram (eyes) |
| महाबाहो mahābāho | O mighty-armed |
| बहुबाहूरुपादम् bahubāhūrupādam | with many arms, thighs and feet bahu (many) + bāhu (arms) + ūru (thighs) + pādam (feet) |
| बहूदरम् bahūdaram | with many bellies bahu (many) + udaram (bellies) |
| बहुदंष्ट्राकरालम् bahudaṃṣṭrākarālam | with many terrible teeth bahu (many) + daṃṣṭrā (teeth) + karālam (terrible) |
| दृष्ट्वा dṛṣṭvā | seeing |
| लोकाः lokāḥ | the worlds |
| प्रव्यथिताः pravyathitāḥ | are terrified |
| तथा tathā | so |
| अहम् aham | I |
Word-wise Chanting
- rū–paṃ ma–hat–te ba–hu–vak–tra–net–raṃ 11 syllables roo-pam ma-hat-te ba-hu-vak-tra-net-ram
- ma–hā–bā–ho ba–hu–bā–hū–ru–pā–dam | 11 syllables ma-haa-baa-ho ba-hu-baa-hoo-ru-paa-dam
- ba–hū–da–raṃ ba–hu–daṃṣ–ṭrā–ka–rā–laṃ 11 syllables ba-hoo-da-ram ba-hu-damsh-traa-ka-raa-lam
- dṛṣ–ṭvā lo–kāḥ prav–ya–thi–tās–ta–thā–ham || 11-23 11 syllables drish-tvaa lo-kaah prav-ya-thi-taas-ta-thaa-ham
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 11 Verse 23
Context
Arjuna’s wonder turns to fear (11.23–11.25).
Meaning
The vision becomes frightening. The countless mouths now show terrible teeth. Arjuna admits that not only the worlds but he himself is pravyathita, deeply shaken. The friend he knew has become an awesome, overwhelming presence.
Arjuna’s honesty is important. He does not pretend to be unmoved. Encountering the infinite can frighten the limited self.
In Practice
Be honest with yourself about what frightens you in life. Bring it before the Divine without pretending.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 11: Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga (The Vision of the Universal Form). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.