O mighty-armed one, seeing your great form with many mouths and eyes, many arms, thighs, and feet, many bellies, and terrible fangs, all beings are shaken, and so am I.
— Arjuna
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Bhagavad Gita · 11.23
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे महाबाहो आपके बहुत मुखों और नेत्रोंवाले, बहुत भुजाओं, जंघाओं और चरणोंवाले, बहुत उदरोंवाले, बहुत विकराल दाढ़ोंवाले महान् रूपको देखकर सब प्राणी व्यथित हो रहे हैं तथा मैं भी व्यथित हो रहा हूँ ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
रूपम्formमहत्greatतेyourबहुवक्त्रनेत्रम्with many mouths and eyesमहाबाहोO mighty-armed oneबहुबाहूरुपादम्with many arms, thighs, and feetबहूदरम्with many belliesबहुदंष्ट्राकरालम्terrible with many fangsदृष्ट्वाhaving seenलोकाःall beingsप्रव्यथिताःare shakenतथाso
Read literallyform · great · your · with many mouths and eyes · O mighty-armed one · with many arms, thighs, and feet · with many bellies · terrible with many fangs · having seen · all beings · are shaken · so
Understanding the verse
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Many mouths, many limbs, terrible fangs: Arjuna admits that all beings are shaken by the sight, himself included.
01
In plain words
What this verse means
Arjuna sees Krishna’s cosmic form and feels overwhelmed. The sight shakes not only him, but all beings around him.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Arjuna is staring at Krishna’s cosmic form after asking to see it. The many mouths, eyes, limbs, and fangs are so overwhelming that even the surrounding beings are shaken. This verse records Arjuna’s own trembling response.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
A strong man who has run his business for decades hears a diagnosis and admits to his son that he is scared. Arjuna, the great archer, makes the same admission: the world is shaking, and so is he.
The takeaway
“Some truths are too vast to meet casually; they unsettle everything familiar.”
Arjuna sees Krishna’s cosmic form and feels overwhelmed. The sight shakes not only him, but all beings around him.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 11.23?
Arjuna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga" (The Universal Form).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 11.23?
Verse 23 sits in Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita — Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga, "The Universal Form". The chapter has 55 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 11.23 matter today?
A strong man who has run his business for decades hears a diagnosis and admits to his son that he is scared. Arjuna, the great archer, makes the same admission: the world is shaking, and so is he.
Many mouths, many limbs, terrible fangs: Arjuna admits that all beings are shaken by the sight, himself included.
What this verse means
Arjuna sees Krishna’s cosmic form and feels overwhelmed. The sight shakes not only him, but all beings around him.
Context & commentary
Arjuna is staring at Krishna’s cosmic form after asking to see it. The many mouths, eyes, limbs, and fangs are so overwhelming that even the surrounding beings are shaken. This verse records Arjuna’s own trembling response.
What it looks like today
A strong man who has run his business for decades hears a diagnosis and admits to his son that he is scared. Arjuna, the great archer, makes the same admission: the world is shaking, and so is he.
“Some truths are too vast to meet casually; they unsettle everything familiar.”
Explore related themes: arjuna (52 verses), vishwarupa (50 verses), cosmic form (25 verses)