Chapter 11, Verse 36
अर्जुन उवाच | स्थाने हृषीकेश तव प्रकीर्त्या जगत्प्रहृष्यत्यनुरज्यते च | रक्षांसि भीतानि दिशो द्रवन्ति सर्वे नमस्यन्ति च सिद्धसङ्घाः ||११-३६||
arjuna uvāca . sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā jagatprahṛṣyatyanurajyate ca . rakṣāṃsi bhītāni diśo dravanti sarve namasyanti ca siddhasaṅghāḥ ||11-36||
Meaning
11.36 Arjuna said It is meet, O Krishna, that the world delights and rejoices in Thy praise; demons fly in fear to all arters and the hosts of the perfected ones bow to Thee.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
With this verse Arjuna's tone shifts from terror to adoration. He begins with the word sthane — 'it is right and fitting'. Having seen Krishna as Time, he now understands the response of all creation as wholly appropriate: the world rejoices in His glory, the demons flee in fear, and the perfected sages bow in worship.
This marks an important inner movement. Arjuna no longer merely recoils from the cosmic form; he begins to comprehend and accept it. What seemed only terrible is now seen as just — the natural order of things before the Supreme. The wise are drawn near in love, the wicked scatter in fear, each receiving according to their nature. Acceptance has begun to temper his dread. This is how the soul matures in the face of overwhelming truth: first awe, then fear, then, slowly, a recognition that what overwhelms us is also rightful and good. From here Arjuna's great hymn of praise pours forth.
💡 Key Takeaway
As we accept the Divine's full reality, fear ripens into reverence and the praise of all creation seems only fitting.
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.
एवमेतद्यथात्थ त्वमात्मानं परमेश्वर | द्रष्टुमिच्छामि ते रूपमैश्वरं पुरुषोत्तम ||११-३||
evametadyathāttha tvamātmānaṃ parameśvara . draṣṭumicchāmi te rūpamaiśvaraṃ puruṣottama ||11-3||
11.3 (Now) O Supreme Lord, as Thou hast thus described Thyself, O Supreme Person, I wish to see Thy divine form.
ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनञ्जयः | प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत ||११-१४||
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanañjayaḥ . praṇamya śirasā devaṃ kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata ||11-14||
11.14 Then, Arjuna, filled with wonder and with his hair standing on end, bowed down his head to the God and spoke with joined palms.