Bhagavad Gita BG 11.21
Chapter 11, Verse 21 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अमी हि त्वां सुरसङ्घा विशन्ति केचिद्भीताः प्राञ्जलयो गृणन्ति । स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा महर्षिसिद्धसङ्घाः स्तुवन्ति त्वां स्तुतिभिः पुष्कलाभिः ॥
ami hi tvam sura-sangha vishanti kecid bhitah pranjalayas grnanti svastity uktva maharshi-siddha-sanghah stuvanti tvam stutibhih pushkalabhih
Meaning
These multitudes of gods (sura-sangha) enter into You; some, frightened (bhitah), praise You with joined palms (pranjali); hosts of great sages and perfected ones (maharshi-siddha-sangha) cry 'Svasti!' (all hail!) and praise You with abundant hymns (stutibhih pushkalabhih).
Understanding
The response of the divine and perfected beings to the Vishvarupa: (1) Ami sura-sanghah vishanti — the multitudes of gods ENTER You — they dissolve back into the Absolute, the source from which they emerged. The gods returning into the Absolute that contains them. (2) Kecid bhitah pranjalayas grnanti — some, frightened by the vision, praise with joined palms (prajanali = folded hands in surrender). The fear-and-devotion response: overwhelming reverence at the power of what is seen. (3) The maharshi-siddha-sanghah (hosts of great sages and perfected ones/siddhas) cry 'Svasti' — this ancient Vedic exclamation of auspiciousness (svasti = sv + asti = 'let it be well,' the blessings-cry) and praise with pushkala stutis — abundant, full, rich hymns.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सुरसङ्घाः | sura-sanghah | multitudes of gods, hosts of the celestials (sura = god, sangha = multitude/group) |
| विशन्ति | vishanti | enter into, dissolve into |
| प्राञ्जलयः | pranjalayas | with joined palms (the gesture of prayer/surrender and worship) |
| स्वस्ति | svasti | svasti — the ancient auspiciousness-cry (sv = well, asti = let it be = may all be well) |
| स्तुतिभिः पुष्कलाभिः | stutibhih pushkalabhih | with abundant/full hymns of praise (pushkala = full, abundant, rich) |
| अमी | amī | these |
| हि | hi | indeed |
| त्वाम् | tvām | You |
| सुर-संघाः | sura-saṃghāḥ | hosts of gods |
| विशन्ति | viśanti | enter into |
| केचित् | kecit | some |
| भीताः | bhītāḥ | frightened |
| प्रांजलयः | prāñjalayaḥ | with joined palms |
| गृणन्ति | gṛṇanti | praise, chant |
| इति | iti | thus saying |
| उक्त्वा | uktvā | having said |
| महर्षि-सिद्ध-संघाः | maharṣi-siddha-saṃghāḥ | hosts of great sages and perfected beings |
| स्तुवन्ति | stuvanti | praise, glorify |
| त्वाम् | tvām | You |
| स्तुतिभिः | stutibhiḥ | with hymns of praise |
| पुष्कलाभिः | puṣkalābhiḥ | excellent, copious |