In Bhagavad Gita 11.28, Arjuna says that as the many currents of rivers rush toward the ocean, so these heroes of the human world enter Krishna’s blazing mouths.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
यथा नदीनां बहवोऽम्बुवेगाः
समुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति
तथा तवामी नरलोकवीरा
विशन्ति वक्त्राण्यभिविज्वलन्ति ॥ ११-२८ ॥
yathā nadīnāṃ bahavo’mbuvegāḥ
samudramevābhimukhā dravanti
tathā tavāmī naralokavīrā
viśanti vaktrāṇyabhivijvalanti
English transliteration yathaa nadeenaam bahavo’mbuvegaah
samudramevaabhimukhaa dravanti
tathaa tavaamee naralokaveeraa
vishanti vaktraanyabhivijvalanti ॥ 11.28 ॥
Translation / Meaning
As the many torrents of rivers rush headlong toward the ocean, so these heroes of the world of men enter Your blazing mouths.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| यथा yathā | as |
| नदीनाम् nadīnām | of rivers |
| बहवः bahavaḥ | many |
| अम्बुवेगाः ambuvegāḥ | torrents of water ambu (water) + vegāḥ (torrents) |
| समुद्रम् samudram | toward the ocean |
| एव eva | indeed |
| अभिमुखाः abhimukhāḥ | facing |
| द्रवन्ति dravanti | rush |
| तथा tathā | so |
| तव tava | Your |
| अमी amī | these |
| नरलोकवीराः naralokavīrāḥ | heroes of the world of men nara (men) + loka (world) + vīrāḥ (heroes) |
| विशन्ति viśanti | enter |
| वक्त्राणि vaktrāṇi | mouths |
| अभिविज्वलन्ति abhivijvalanti | blazing |
Word-wise Chanting
- ya–thā na–dī–nāṃ ba–ha–vo–‘mbu–ve–gāḥ 11 syllables ya-thaa na-dee-naam ba-ha-vo-‘mbu-ve-gaah
- sa–mud–ra–me–vā–bhi–mu–khā dra–van–ti | 11 syllables sa-mud-ra-me-vaa-bhi-mu-khaa dra-van-ti
- ta–thā ta–vā–mī na–ra–lo–ka–vī–rā 11 syllables ta-thaa ta-vaa-mee na-ra-lo-ka-vee-raa
- vi–śan–ti vak–trāṇ–ya–bhi–vij–va–lan–ti || 11-28 11 syllables vi-shan-ti vak-traan-ya-bhi-vij-va-lan-ti
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 28
Context
Arjuna describes the warriors’ fate with images (11.28–11.29).
Meaning
Rivers rush toward the ocean and lose themselves in it; they cannot turn back. In the same way, the great warriors are flowing into the blazing mouths of the cosmic form. Their destiny is as natural and unavoidable as rivers reaching the sea.
The river image also suggests return: all beings flow back to their source. Death, seen this way, is a returning home.
In Practice
Watch flowing water, or imagine it, and reflect that all lives flow back to their source.
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.