As moths rush with great speed into a blazing fire to their destruction, so these people rush with great speed into your mouths to their destruction.
— Arjuna
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Bhagavad Gita · 11.29
Hindi · हिन्दी
जैसे पतंगे मोहवश अपना नाश करनेके लिये बड़े वेगसे दौड़ते हुए प्रज्वलित अग्निमें प्रविष्ट होते हैं, ऐसे ही ये सब लोग भी मोहवश अपना नाश करनेके लिये बड़े वेगसे दौड़ते हुए आपके मुखोंमें प्रविष्ट हो रहे हैं ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
यथाjust asप्रदीप्तम्blazingज्वलनम्fireपतङ्गाःmothsविशन्तिenterनाशायfor destructionसमृद्धवेगाःwith great speedतथाsoएवindeedनाशायfor destructionविशन्तिenterलोकाःpeopleतवyourअपिalsoवक्त्राणिmouthsसमृद्धवेगाःwith great speed
Read literallyjust as · blazing · fire · moths · enter · for destruction · with great speed · so · indeed · for destruction · enter · people · your · also · mouths · with great speed
Understanding the verse
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Moths fly into a flame and die; Arjuna sees whole armies rushing into Krishna's mouths with the same blind speed.
Arjuna sees people rushing helplessly into Krishna's blazing mouths, like moths flying into fire and destroying themselves.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Arjuna is staring at Krishna's cosmic form. He sees warriors, kings, and armies rushing into those terrible, flaming mouths. The image is one of horror: the war's end is already unfolding in divine sight.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
You keep walking toward the thing you know will burn you: a toxic relationship, a lie you can no longer sustain, a choice that feels inevitable and wrong.
The takeaway
“Some forces are so overwhelming that resistance looks like self-destruction.”
Arjuna sees people rushing helplessly into Krishna's blazing mouths, like moths flying into fire and destroying themselves.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 11.29?
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 11.29?
Verse 29 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 11.29 matter today?
You keep walking toward the thing you know will burn you: a toxic relationship, a lie you can no longer sustain, a choice that feels inevitable and wrong.
Moths fly into a flame and die; Arjuna sees whole armies rushing into Krishna's mouths with the same blind speed.
What this verse means
Arjuna sees people rushing helplessly into Krishna's blazing mouths, like moths flying into fire and destroying themselves.
Context & commentary
Arjuna is staring at Krishna's cosmic form. He sees warriors, kings, and armies rushing into those terrible, flaming mouths. The image is one of horror: the war's end is already unfolding in divine sight.
What it looks like today
You keep walking toward the thing you know will burn you: a toxic relationship, a lie you can no longer sustain, a choice that feels inevitable and wrong.
“Some forces are so overwhelming that resistance looks like self-destruction.”
Explore related themes: arjuna (52 verses), vishwarupa (50 verses), cosmic form (25 verses)