Trembling humility can be sacred.
Sanjaya narrates to King Dhritarashtra
सञ्जय उवाच |एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्यकृताञ्जलिर्वेपमानः किरीटी |नमस्कृत्वा भूय एवाह कृष्णंसगद्गदं भीतभीतः प्रणम्य ||११-३५||
sañjaya uvāca . etacchrutvā vacanaṃ keśavasya kṛtāñjalirvepamānaḥ kirīṭī . namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṃ sagadgadaṃ bhītabhītaḥ praṇamya ||11-35||
Use this verse when emotions arise in prayer.
Meaning
Sanjaya said: Hearing Keshava’s words, Arjuna, trembling with folded hands, bowed again and spoke to Krishna in a choked voice, full of fear.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Arjuna trembles before Krishna’s universal command.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
The verse shows that spiritual surrender can be emotionally intense. Arjuna’s fear does not make him unqualified; it makes his humility deeper.
Read the traditional commentary
Sanjaya pauses the dialogue to paint Arjuna's state. Having heard Krishna name Himself as Time, the warrior is vepamanah, trembling; he stands with joined palms, bows again and again, and speaks sagadgadam — in a voice choked with emotion. The mighty archer is reduced to awe and fear before the vision he himself requested.
The detail is full of tenderness and truth. There is no shame in this trembling; it is the honest body of a soul touched by the Infinite. What follows in the coming verses is one of the most beautiful hymns of praise in the Gita — but it is born here, out of fear and reverence intertwined.
The verse reminds us that genuine devotion is not always serene composure. Sometimes the deepest love and worship rise from a heart that is shaking, overwhelmed by a glory too great to contain. From that very trembling, the most sincere prayers are spoken.
In daily life
Do not judge yourself for emotional intensity before God.
A person crying during prayer may be experiencing honest surrender.
Try this today
Bring one raw emotion into prayer.
I can come to Krishna with trembling honesty.Reflect
What emotion do I hide from Krishna?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘सगद्गदम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on reverence, in other chapters
- Verse 9.11Do not judge the sacred by its outward appearance; the divine often comes clothed in the humble and ordinary.
- Verse 10.2The Divine source of all things cannot be fully grasped by the mind — true knowledge begins in humble reverence.
- Verse 12.13True devotion shows itself as freedom from ego and warmth toward every living being.
- Verse 13.26Even simple, faithful trust in the teachings of the wise can carry a sincere heart beyond death.
Swipe left for 11.36 · Truth attracts purity and exposes darkness.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 11.35
Who says Bhagavad Gita 11.35, and to whom?
Sanjaya narrates to King Dhritarashtra in verse 11.35, in Chapter 11, Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga (Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 11.35 mean?
Sanjaya said: Hearing Keshava’s words, Arjuna, trembling with folded hands, bowed again and spoke to Krishna in a choked voice, full of fear. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 11.35 for daily life?
Do not judge yourself for emotional intensity before God. A person crying during prayer may be experiencing honest surrender.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 11.35 mean?
एतत् श्रुत्वा — having heard this; वचनम् केशवस्य — the speech of Krishna; कृताञ्जलिः — with joined palms; वेपमानः — trembling; किरीटी — the diademed one (Arjuna).
Where does verse 11.35 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 35 of 55 in Chapter 11, Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga. The next verse is 11.36.