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Chapter 11 • Verse 25
The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form
MEANING & CONTEXT
Arjuna is completely overwhelmed and disoriented. 'Daṁṣṭrā-karālāni ca te mukhāni'—Your (te) terrible (karālāni) faces (mukhāni) with tusks (daṁṣṭrā). 'Dṛṣṭvai va kālānala-sannibhāni'—having seen (dṛṣṭvā), indeed (eva), like (sannibhāni) the fire of time/death (kāla-anala). 'Diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarma'—I do not know (na jāne) the directions (diśaḥ), and (ca) I find no (na labhe) refuge (śarma). 'Prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa'—be gracious (prasīda), O Lord of gods (deveśa), O abode of the universe (jagan-nivāsa). Arjuna is so overwhelmed that he loses his sense of direction and cannot find refuge. The cosmic form's terrible faces, like the fire of time, are so fearsome that he's completely disoriented. He pleads for grace, acknowledging Krishna as the Lord of gods and abode of the universe.
Explore Human Experiences
How this ancient wisdom applies to your daily life
Key Takeaway
This verse reveals that profound truths can overwhelm you completely—you lose your sense of direction and cannot find refuge. The cosmic form's terrible faces, like the fire of time, are so fearsome that Arjuna is completely disoriented. When you see profound truths, they can be so overwhelming that you lose your bearings—not just emotionally, but in your ability to orient yourself. The cosmic vision shows that truth can be so powerful that it disrupts your sense of direction, leaving you lost and seeking refuge.
Personal Reflection
What truths have overwhelmed you completely? Does seeing profound reality disrupt your sense of direction? How does recognizing that truth can leave you lost change your approach to seeking it?
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