दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्मप्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥
Seeing your flaming, terrible mouths with their fangs, I can no longer find directions or peace. Be gracious, Lord of the divine beings, dwelling place of the world.
A devotional verse · devotional in mood · a little context helps
“True awe ends control and turns the heart toward surrender.”
Seeing your flaming, terrible mouths with their fangs, I can no longer find directions or peace. Be gracious, Lord of the divine beings, dwelling place of the world.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallyterrible with fangs · and · your · mouths · having seen · indeed · resembling the fire of destruction · directions · not · I know · not · I find · and · peace · be gracious · Lord of the divine beings · dwelling place of the world
Arjuna is overwhelmed by Krishna's terrifying cosmic form. He cannot orient himself or find peace, and he begs Krishna to soften and show mercy.
Arjuna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga" (The Universal Form).
Verse 25 sits in Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita — Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga, "The Universal Form". The chapter has 55 verses in total.
You open a message and realize your words have already changed everything. For a second, you cannot tell what to do next. That stunned silence is where this verse lives.
Did you like this verse?
It shifts the mind from control to surrender when the scale of reality becomes too large to manage.
What this verse means
Arjuna is overwhelmed by Krishna's terrifying cosmic form. He cannot orient himself or find peace, and he begs Krishna to soften and show mercy.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is still looking at Krishna's cosmic form. The many fanged mouths blaze like destruction itself, and Arjuna loses all sense of direction and calm. This cry comes from fear, awe, and surrender.
Why this verse still matters
You open a message and realize your words have already changed everything. For a second, you cannot tell what to do next. That stunned silence is where this verse lives.
“Overwhelming power can break the mind open into humility and plea.”
Explore related themes: arjuna (52 verses), vishwarupa (50 verses), cosmic form (25 verses)