Verse 11-24

नभ:स्पृशं दीप्तमनेकवर्णं

व्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् |

दृष्ट्वा हि त्वां प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा

धृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च विष्णो || 24 ||

“I see You touching the sky, blazing with various colors,
With a wide-open mouth and large, radiant eyes.
Upon beholding this, my inner self is trembling in fear,
I cannot maintain composure or find peace, O Vishnu.”
 
Commentary

Arjuna observes that Krishna’s form touches the sky, symbolizing its vastness and majesty. The divine form is adorned with radiant and diverse colors, signifying its divine and celestial nature. This visual aspect of Krishna’s form captures Arjuna’s attention and astonishes him.


Krishna’s wide-open mouth and large, radiant eyes are mentioned, emphasizing His formidable and awe-inspiring appearance. The open mouth represents the consuming power and the ability to annihilate, while the radiant eyes symbolize the penetrating and all-seeing nature of Krishna.


Arjuna acknowledges that upon witnessing this divine form, his inner self is trembling in fear and awe. The overwhelming presence and magnificence of Krishna’s form deeply affect Arjuna’s consciousness, evoking a sense of reverence and trepidation. Arjuna’s very being is shaken by the profound spiritual experience he is having.


Arjuna confesses his inability to maintain composure and find inner peace in the presence of this awe-inspiring form of Vishnu, an epithet for Lord Krishna. The vision is so extraordinary and overwhelming that it surpasses his capacity to remain calm and composed. Arjuna recognizes his own limited capacity to fully comprehend and assimilate the immense divine manifestation before him.


Arjuna’s honest expression of fear and his recognition of his own limitations in the presence of the divine serves to emphasize the transcendental nature of Krishna’s form.