Bhagavad Gita BG 11.23
Chapter 11, Verse 23 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
रूपं महत्ते बहुवक्त्रनेत्रं महाबाहो बहुबाहूरुपादम् । बहूदरं बहुदंष्ट्राकरालं दृष्ट्वा लोकाः प्रव्यथितास्तथाहम् ॥
rupam mahat te bahu-vaktra-netram maha-baho bahu-bahuru-padam bahudaram bahu-damshtra-karalam drishtvaa lokah pravyathitas tathaaham
Meaning
Seeing Your great form (rupam mahat) with many mouths (vaktra) and eyes (netra), O mighty-armed (Maha-baho), with many arms (bahu), thighs (uru), and feet (pada), many bellies (udara), and terrible with many tusks (damshtra-karala) — the worlds (lokah) are frightened (pravyathitah), and so am I (tatha aham).
Understanding
Arjuna's personal terror response to the Vishvarupa: the specifics of what terrifies — bahu-vaktra-netram (many mouths and eyes), bahu-bahu-uru-padam (many arms, thighs, and feet), bahudaram (many bellies), bahu-damshtra-karalam (terrible with many tusks). The tusks (damshtra) carry particular terror — they suggest the consuming, grinding power of the universal form, the teeth that can devour all. Drshtvaa (having seen/seeing) this: lokah pravyathitah (the worlds are frightened) tatha aham (and so am I). Arjuna does not pretend courage — he acknowledges his own fear alongside the cosmic fear. The authenticity of the response makes the teaching real. The personal acknowledgment ('tatha aham' — and I also) humanizes the cosmic terror.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| बहुवक्त्रनेत्रम् | bahu-vaktra-netram | with many mouths (vaktra) and eyes (netra) |
| बहुबाहूरुपादम् | bahu-bahuru-padam | with many arms (bahu), thighs (uru), and feet (pada) |
| बहूदरम् | bahudaram | with many bellies/abdomens |
| बहुदंष्ट्राकरालम् | bahu-damshtra-karalam | terrible with many tusks/fangs (damshtra = tusk, karala = terrible/fearful) |
| तथाहम् | tathaham | and so am I (tatha = likewise, aham = I) |
| रूपम् | rūpam | the form |
| महत् | mahat | great, vast |
| ते | te | Your |
| महाबाहो | mahābāho | O mighty-armed one |
| बहु-बाहू-रु-पादम् | bahu-bāhū-ru-pādam | with many arms, thighs and feet |
| बहूदरम् | bahūdaram | with many stomachs |
| बहु-दंष्ट्र-करालम् | bahu-daṃṣṭra-karālam | terrible with many tusks |
| दृष्ट्वा | dṛṣṭvā | having seen |
| लोकाः | lokāḥ | the worlds, all people |
| प्रव्यथिताः | pravyathitāḥ | greatly disturbed |
| तथा | tathā | so also |
| अहम् | aham | I |