Great truth can shake before it heals.
Arjuna speaks to Krishna
नभःस्पृशं दीप्तमनेकवर्णंव्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् |दृष्ट्वा हि त्वां प्रव्यथितान्तरात्माधृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च विष्णो ||११-२४||
nabhaḥspṛśaṃ dīptamanekavarṇaṃ vyāttānanaṃ dīptaviśālanetram . dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṃ pravyathitāntarātmā dhṛtiṃ na vindāmi śamaṃ ca viṣṇo ||11-24||
Use this verse when truth feels overwhelming.
Meaning
Seeing You touching the sky, blazing in many colors, with open mouths and large shining eyes, my inner self trembles; I find neither steadiness nor peace, O Vishnu.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Arjuna is overwhelmed by the sky-reaching form.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
This verse captures spiritual shock. Sometimes truth is not immediately soothing; it first shakes false certainty and egoic control.
Read the traditional commentary
The form now touches the very sky, nabhah-sprsam, blazing in countless colours with gaping mouths and immense fiery eyes. The imagery is no longer ornamental but engulfing. And Arjuna names the effect on his inner being with stark clarity: pravyathita-antaratma — terrified to the depths of the soul.
His confession is twofold and deeply human: dhrtim na vindami samam ca — 'I find neither courage nor peace'. The two things a person most needs in a crisis — steadiness to act and calm to endure — have both deserted him. He calls out to Vishnu, the all-pervading one, in a plea that is almost a cry for help.
The Gita shows here that even the highest spiritual vision can shatter our composure when we are not yet ready to hold it. There is no shame in this collapse; it is the soul honestly registering the weight of the Infinite. Out of such trembling, the next stage of the path — surrender and prayer — will be born.
In daily life
When overwhelmed, seek steadiness through surrender.
A person facing a hard truth can pause, breathe, and ask Krishna for steadiness.
Try this today
Take three breaths and ask Krishna for dhriti and shama.
Krishna steadies me when truth overwhelms me.Reflect
What truth has shaken my inner peace?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘दीप्तविशालनेत्रम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on peace, in other chapters
- Verse 5.29Know the Divine as the Lord of all and the loving friend of your own heart — that recognition is the doorway to lasting peace.
- Verse 18.62Take refuge in the Divine with your whole being, and grace will give you supreme peace and an eternal home.
- Verse 2.35A defining moment of cowardice can undo the credit of a lifetime of courage — meet your critical hour with the same standard you have set for yourself all along.
- Verse 4.39Faith, wholehearted focus, and self-discipline open the door to wisdom — and wisdom swiftly brings supreme peace.
Swipe left for 11.25 · When direction is lost, ask for grace.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 11.24
Who says Bhagavad Gita 11.24, and to whom?
Arjuna speaks to Krishna in verse 11.24, in Chapter 11, Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga (Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 11.24 mean?
Seeing You touching the sky, blazing in many colors, with open mouths and large shining eyes, my inner self trembles; I find neither steadiness nor peace, O Vishnu. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 11.24 for daily life?
When overwhelmed, seek steadiness through surrender. A person facing a hard truth can pause, breathe, and ask Krishna for steadiness.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 11.24 mean?
नभःस्पृशम् — touching the sky; दीप्तम् — blazing; अनेकवर्णम् — of many colours; व्यात्ताननम् — with gaping mouths; दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् — with blazing, wide eyes.
Where does verse 11.24 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 24 of 55 in Chapter 11, Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga. The next verse is 11.25.