Chapter 11, Verse 25
दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानि दृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि | दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्म प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ||११-२५||
daṃṣṭrākarālāni ca te mukhāni dṛṣṭvaiva kālānalasannibhāni . diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarma prasīda deveśa jagannivāsa ||11-25||
Meaning
11.25 Having seen Thy mouths fearful with teeth (blazing) like the fires of cosmic dissolution, I know not the four arters, nor do I find peace. Have mercy, O Lord of the gods, O abode of the universe.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Arjuna's gaze locks onto the most terrifying feature: the mouths blazing like kala-anala, the fire of cosmic dissolution that consumes the worlds at the end of an age. This is the first explicit glimpse of Time-as-destroyer, the theme Krishna will name openly a few verses later. The vision is showing Arjuna the face of mortality itself.
Utterly disoriented, he says diso na jane — 'I no longer know the directions'; all bearings are lost, and he finds no sarma, no comfort. From this depth comes the turning point of his speech: prasida — 'have mercy'. For the first time he stops describing and begins to pray. He addresses Krishna as Devesa and Jagannivasa, Lord of gods and abode of the universe. When wonder and terror exhaust every other response, the soul reaches instinctively for grace. This cry for mercy is the seed of true surrender, the gateway through which peace will finally return.
💡 Key Takeaway
When fear leaves us utterly disoriented, the soul's truest move is to turn and cry to the Divine for mercy.
Related Verses
भवाप्ययौ हि भूतानां श्रुतौ विस्तरशो मया | त्वत्तः कमलपत्राक्ष माहात्म्यमपि चाव्ययम् ||११-२||
bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṃ śrutau vistaraśo mayā . tvattaḥ kamalapatrākṣa māhātmyamapi cāvyayam ||11-2||
11.2 The origin and the destruction of beings verily have been heard by me in detail from Thee, O lotus-eyed Lord, and also Thy inexhaustible greatness.
मन्यसे यदि तच्छक्यं मया द्रष्टुमिति प्रभो | योगेश्वर ततो मे त्वं दर्शयात्मानमव्ययम् ||११-४||
manyase yadi tacchakyaṃ mayā draṣṭumiti prabho . yogeśvara tato me tvaṃ darśayātmānamavyayam ||11-4||
11.4 If Thou, O Lord, thinkest it possible for me to see it, do Thou, then, O Lord of the Yogins, show me Thy imperishable Self.
द्यावापृथिव्योरिदमन्तरं हि व्याप्तं त्वयैकेन दिशश्च सर्वाः | दृष्ट्वाद्भुतं रूपमुग्रं तवेदं लोकत्रयं प्रव्यथितं महात्मन् ||११-२०||
dyāvāpṛthivyoridamantaraṃ hi vyāptaṃ tvayaikena diśaśca sarvāḥ . dṛṣṭvādbhutaṃ rūpamugraṃ tavedaṃ lokatrayaṃ pravyathitaṃ mahātman ||11-20||
11.20 This space between the earth and the heaven and all the arters are filled by Thee alone; having seen this, Thy wonderful and teriible form, the three worlds are trembling with fear, O great-souled Being.