Chapter 11, Verse 23 (Bhagavad Gita 11.23)
Chapter 11: Viśhwarūp Darśhan Yog – Yoga through Beholding the Cosmic Form of God
Sanskrit Shloka
रूपं महत्ते बहुवक्त्रनेत्रं महाबाहो बहुबाहूरुपादम्। बहूदरं बहुदंष्ट्राकरालं दृष्ट्वा लोकाः प्रव्यथितास्तथाऽहम्
Transliteration
rūpaṁ mahat te bahu-vaktra-netraṁ mahā-bāho bahu-bāhūru-pādam bahūdaraṁ bahu-danṣhṭrā-karālaṁ dṛiṣhṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitās tathāham
Word Meanings
rūpam—form; mahat—magnificent; te—your; bahu—many; vaktra—mouths; netram—eyes; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed Lord; bahu—many; bāhu—arms; ūru—thighs; pādam—legs; bahu-udaram—many stomachs; bahu-danṣhṭrā—many teeth; karālam—terrifying; dṛiṣhṭvā—seeing; lokāḥ—all the worlds; pravyathitāḥ—terror-stricken; tathā—so also; aham—I
Translation
Seeing Your immeasurable form with many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed one, with many arms, thighs, and feet, with many stomachs and fearsome with many tusks, the worlds are terrified, and so am I.
Meaning & Commentary
In this moment of Vishwarupa Darshana, Arjuna confronts the overwhelming reality of Bhagwan Shri Krishna as the All-Encompassing Time, the destroyer of worlds. This terrifying vision reveals that Shri Krishna is not merely a charioteer, but the source of all existence and the inevitable end of all manifestations. For a seeker, this signifies the necessity of surrendering one's limited ego before the infinite majesty of the Divine. By recognizing Shri Krishna as both the creator and the devourer, the soul learns to transcend its attachment to the temporary material world. Ultimately, it is through this awe-inspiring realization that the devotee attains the humility required to walk the path toward eternal liberation.