← Chapter 11: The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

Verse 11.20

Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit

द्यावापृथिव्योरिदमन्तरं हि व्याप्तं त्वयैकेन दिशश्च सर्वाः | दृष्ट्वाद्भुतं रूपमुग्रं तवेदं लोकत्रयं प्रव्यथितं महात्मन् ||२०||

Transliteration (IAST)

dyāvā-pṛthivyor idam antaraṁ hi vyāptaṁ tvayaikena diśaś ca sarvāḥ | dṛṣṭvādbhutaṁ rūpam ugraṁ tavedaṁ loka-trayaṁ pravyathitaṁ mahātman ||20||

Word-by-Word Meanings

dyāvā-pṛthivyoḥ-between heaven and earth

antaram-the space between

vyāptam-pervaded

tvayā ekena-by You alone

diśaḥ ca sarvāḥ-and all directions

ugram-fierce/terrible

loka-trayam-the three worlds

pravyathitam-trembling with fear

Translation

The space between heaven and earth and all the directions is pervaded by You alone. Seeing this wondrous and terrible form of Yours, the three worlds tremble with fear, O Great Soul.

Commentary

The tone shifts from wonder to terror. The cosmic form fills all space and its fierce aspect causes the three worlds to tremble. Shankaracharya notes that 'ugram' marks the transition from the beautiful (saumya) to the terrifying (raudra) aspect of the divine, which will dominate the next section.

Themes

bhaktisurrender