Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 11, Verse 10
अनेकवक्त्रनयनमनेकाद्भुतदर्शनम्।
अनेकदिव्याभरणं दिव्यानेकोद्यतायुधम्।।
अनेकदिव्याभरणं दिव्यानेकोद्यतायुधम्।।
aneka-vaktra-nayanam anekādbhuta-darśanam
aneka-divyābharaṇaṁ divyānekodyatāyudham
also searched as "aneka-vaktra-nayanam anekadbhuta-darshanam"
Translation
With innumerable mouths and eyes, many marvelous aspects, numerous divine ornaments, and numerous divine weapons.
Vāṇi's rendering
Countless mouths and eyes, countless astonishing sights; countless divine ornaments, countless divine weapons raised.
Word by word
| Sanskrit & transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अनेकaneka | not one — countless, many |
| वक्त्रvaktra | mouths, faces |
| नयनम्nayanam | eyes |
| अनेकaneka | countless (sandhi: aneka + adbhuta → anekādbhuta) |
| अद्भुतadbhuta | astonishing, marvellous |
| दर्शनम्darśanam | sights, things seen |
| अनेकaneka | countless |
| दिव्यdivya | divine, of the heavens (sandhi: divya + ābharaṇaṁ → divyābharaṇaṁ) |
| आभरणम्ābharaṇaṁ | ornaments, adornments |
| दिव्यdivya | divine (sandhi: divya + aneka → divyāneka) |
| अनेकaneka | countless |
| उद्यतudyata | raised, lifted, held ready |
| आयुधम्āyudham | weapons |
Frequently asked
What does Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 10 mean?
It is the first sight of the cosmic form, and it defeats counting. Countless mouths, countless eyes, countless astonishing sights, countless divine ornaments and raised weapons. Krishna does not appear as one figure among many; he appears as more than the eye can total. The verse is describing the failure of measurement, not a statue.
What does aneka vaktra nayanam anekadbhuta darshanam mean?
Aneka means not-one. Vaktra is mouths, nayanam eyes, darśanam what is seen. So: mouths and eyes beyond number, sights beyond number. The word aneka lands four times in two lines because Arjuna's seeing keeps arriving at a limit and finding none. Language here is deliberately breaking under what it must carry.
Why are the weapons described as raised in this verse?
Udyata means already lifted, held ready. The weapons are not sheathed and waiting on Arjuna's decision. Time and consequence were in motion long before he asked to see. He came looking for reassurance about a war and was shown that the war does not depend on his permission.
Is this verse frightening or beautiful?
Both, and it refuses to separate them. Divine ornaments and divine weapons occupy the same two lines. Arjuna wanted to see the whole of it, and the whole of it includes what adorns and what destroys. If your idea of Krishna has room only for the gentle, this verse is where that idea is enlarged.
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Commentary
Count them and you fail. That is the work of the word repeated four times — aneka, not-one, and again not-one. Arjuna asked for the form and received something arithmetic cannot hold: mouths beyond mouths, eyes beyond eyes, ornaments and weapons without number. Notice that the weapons are already raised. Whatever is coming was coming before he looked. You have prayed for clarity of this size, and it would not comfort you; it would flatten you. The mind wants a face it can measure. What is actually there exceeds the measuring — and it is looking back at you from every direction at once.