Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 23 Meaning
Having seen Your immeasurable form with many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed one, with many arms, thighs, and feet, with many stomachs and fearsome with many teeth, the worlds are terrified, and so am I.
BG 11.23
रूपं महत्ते बहुवक्त्रनेत्रं महाबाहो बहुबाहूरुपादम्। बहूदरं बहुदंष्ट्राकरालं दृष्ट्वा लोकाः प्रव्यथितास्तथाऽहम्
rūpaṁ mahat te bahu-vaktra-netraṁ mahā-bāho bahu-bāhūru-pādam bahūdaraṁ bahu-danṣhṭrā-karālaṁ dṛiṣhṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitās tathāham
Meaning
Having seen Your immeasurable form with many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed one, with many arms, thighs, and feet, with many stomachs and fearsome with many teeth, the worlds are terrified, and so am I.
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What Does Bhagavad Gita 11.23 Mean?
The Gita addresses cosmic vision with characteristic directness here. Having seen Your immeasurable form with many mouths and eyes, O mighty-armed one, with many arms, thighs, and feet, with many stomachs and fearsome with many teeth, the worlds are terrified, and so am Within the broader arc of Chapter 11, this verse builds on Krishna's systematic exposition of surrender. Shankaracharya emphasizes that this teaching is not merely contextual but universal.
The principle of cosmic vision expressed here transcends its battlefield setting and speaks to the fundamental relationship between action, knowledge, and spiritual realization. For the modern practitioner, this verse suggests a concrete experiment: approach today's responsibilities with the awareness this teaching describes. The Gita's promise is that even imperfect practice in the right direction yields real results.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 11.23?
Arjuna receives divine vision to see Krishna's cosmic universal form.
Key themes in this chapter include Universal form, Divine vision, Awe.
How Can I Apply Bhagavad Gita 11.23 in Daily Life?
- •When you need steadiness while dealing with universal form
- •When practicing divine vision amid uncertainty
- •When applying awe to real-life choices
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Related Verses
BG 11.32
The Blessed Lord said, "I am the full-grown, world-destroying Time, now engaged in destroying the worlds. Even without you, none of the warriors arrayed in the hostile armies will live."
BG 11.33
Therefore, stand up and obtain fame. Conquer the enemies and enjoy the unparalleled kingdom. Verily, by Me they have already been slain; be thou a mere instrument, O Arjuna.
BG 1.1
Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"
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