Bhagavad Gita BG 11.35
Chapter 11, Verse 35 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सञ्जय उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्य कृताञ्जलिर्वेपमानः किरीटी । नमस्कृत्वा भूय एवाह कृष्णं सगद्गदं भीतभीतः प्रणम्य ॥
sanjaya uvaca etac chrutvA vacanam keshavasy krtanjalir vepamanas kiriti namaskrtva bhuya evaha krishnam sagadgadam bhita-bhitah pranamya
Meaning
Sanjaya said: Having heard these words of Keshava, the crown-wearer (Arjuna), trembling with joined palms, bowed and again spoke to Krishna, very much frightened, with a faltering voice, bowing again.
Understanding
Sanjaya narrates the transition. Etac chrutvA vacanam keshavasy (having heard these words of Keshava). Krtanjalih (with joined palms — anjali, the gesture of devotion and supplication). Vepamanas (trembling — the body shaking with the intensity of the vision). Kiriti (the crown-wearer — Arjuna's epithet, referring to the divine crown Indra gifted him). Namaskrtva (having bowed/saluted). Bhita-bhitah (extremely frightened — doubled for intensity, literally 'frightened-frightened'). Sagadgadam (with faltering voice, with voice choking with emotion). Pranamya (bowing down once more). The verse shows Arjuna in complete physical submission — trembling, faltering, bowing repeatedly — overwhelmed by what he has seen.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| किरीटी | kiriti | the crown-wearer (Arjuna's epithet from the divine crown) |
| वेपमानः | vepamanas | trembling, shaking with awe/fear |
| सगद्गदम् | sagadgadam | with a faltering/choking voice (gad-gadam = stammering) |
| भीतभीतः | bhita-bhitah | very much frightened (doubled for intensity) |
| प्रणम्य | pranamya | having bowed down, prostrating |
| सञ्जय उवाच | sañjaya uvāca | Sanjaya said |
| एतत् | etat | this |
| श्रुत्वा | śrutvā | having heard |
| वचनम् | vacanam | the words |
| केशवस्य | keśavasya | of Krishna |
| कृतांजलिः | kṛtāñjaliḥ | with joined palms |
| वेपमानः | vepamānaḥ | trembling |
| किरीटी | kirīṭī | the crowned one (Arjuna) |
| नमस्कृत्वा | namaskṛtvā | having bowed down |
| भूयः | bhūyaḥ | again |
| एव | eva | indeed |
| आह | āha | said, spoke |
| कृष्णम् | kṛṣṇam | to Krishna |
| स-गद्गदम् | sa-gadgadam | with a faltering voice |
| भीत-भीतः | bhīta-bhītaḥ | very frightened |
| प्रणम्य | praṇamya | bowing down |