Gita : Ch-11. Slo-23 & 24.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :

Chapter-11. (Visvarupa-darsana-yogam)

Slokam-23 & 24.


Slokam-23. ( O mighty-armed one, all the planets with their demigods are disturbed at seeing Your many faces, eyes, arms, bellies and legs and Your terrible teeth, and as they are disturbed, so am I.)


rupam  mahatte  bahuvaktranetram

mahabaho  bahubahurupadam

bahudaram  bahudamshtrakaralam

drshtva  lokah  pravyathitastathaham.


mahabaho  = O Lord!

bahu-vaktra-netram  =  with  unlimited  mouths  and  eyes;

bahu-bahu-uru-padam  =  with  unlimited  hands, thighs  and  feets;

bahu-udaram  =  with  unlimited  bellies;

bahu-damshtra-karalam  =  with  many  teeth  and  alarming  ( fearful);

te  mahat  rupam  drshtva  looking  at  your  Supreme  and  Glorious  form;

lokah  =  the  whole  universe  ( all  living  entities );

pravyathitah  =   shivering  with  great  fear;

tatha  aham  =  thus  I  too  (  afraid  of  your  view  ).


Lord Krishna's visvarupa or divine universal form was so colossal it extended beyond the sky into all the spaces between the galaxies and even unto the universes.

Having unlimited feet, legs, arms, heads, faces mouths and teeth it was terrible to behold and caused the beings of all the worlds great trepidation and fear and Arjuna was feeling this as well.


The words bahu-damstra-karalam mean innumerable terrible teeth which was terrifying in appearance.

The word lokah or worlds refers to the three types of beings inhabiting these worlds.

Those who are benevolent, those who are inimical and those who are neutral.

Almost all of them just like Arjuna were trembling in fright at the ferocity of Lord Krishna's visvarupa or divine universal form.


Having seen Lord Krishna's almighty omnipotent visvarupa or divine universal form of terrible visage with unlimited faces, arms, bodies and mouths looking extremely fierce all the worlds are awe struck with fear and Arjuna states that he is also.
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Slokam-24. ( O all-pervading Lord, I can no longer maintain my equilibrium. Seeing Your radiant colors fill the skies and beholding Your eyes and mouths, I am afraid.)


nabhah-sprsam  diptam aneka-varnam

vyattananam  dipta-visala-netram,

drshtva  hi  tvam  pravyathitantar-atma

dhrtim  na  vindami  samam  ca  vishno.


Vishno!  =  O  all-pervading  Lord!

nabhah-sprsam  =  tall  touching  the  sky;

diptam aneka-varnam  =  shining  in  too  many  colours;

vyattananam  =  with  open  mouths;

dipta-visala-netram  =  with  blazing  large  eyes;

tvam  drshtva  hi  =   seeing  you;

pravyathitantar-atma  =  with  great  fear,  my  mind  is  disturbed;

dhrtim  samam  ca  =  courage  and  peace;

na  vindami  =  flown  away  from  me.


Lord Krishna is addressed as Vishnu or He which is all pervading.

The words nabhah means the firmament above and is in reference to the parama-vyoma which is the supreme region beyond even the heavenly planets and celestial spheres which are still subject to prakriti or the material substratum pervading physical existence consisting of the three gunas or modes of material nature being passion, goodness and ignorance.

Several examples are given in the Vedic scriptures such as tad akshate parame vyoman meaning high above in the imperishable firmament, aditya-varnam tamasah parastat meaning the golden firmament beyond all ignorance, kshyantam asya rajasa parake meaning the refuge beyond the mode of passion, yo asy-alhyaksha parame vyoman meaning He which controls all in the sublime firmament.

To use the two words nabhah-sprsam means pervading the firmament and denotes that Lord Krishna's visvarupa or divine universal form is infinite and the shelter of all the modifications found in prakriti or the material substratum pervading all physical existence.

The words pravyathita-antah- atma means extremely agitated mind and substantiates why Arjuna is unable to be dhritim composed and feel saman or peaceful.

This was due to witnessing the terrifying awful apparition aspect of the visvarupa which made his mind recoil, his limbs quiver uncontrolled and all his senses aghast.


Arjuna is confessing to Lord Krishna that he is totally distraught and his equilibrium is completely unbalanced by the sight of the visvarupa or divine universal form which is nabah-sprsam meaning pervading the entire firmament.

Seeing such a form radiant and scorching in many colors with flaming eyes and open mouths with horrible teeth a feeling of uncontrollable fright overcame him.
The word nabah meaning firmament denotes the highest heaven beyond the material nature.

The Maha Narayana Upanisad I.II beginning tad akshare parame vyoma states :-

The Supreme controller of all resides in the highest imperishable heaven.

Because it is the spiritual abode of the Supreme Lord whose power is primordial, eternal and absolute it is transcendental to prakriti the material substratum pervading physical existence and not subject to the modifications of the material creation.


Seeing Lord Krishna's visvarupa or divine universal form pervading all visible directions in blazing and fierce splendour with gaping mouths emitting fire and large fiery eyes Arjuna confesses that he has completely lost his equilibrium and it is not possible for him to regain his composure in the presence of the visvarupa.

To be continued  ...