Bhagavad-gītā 11.25
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानि दृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि। दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्म प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास।।11.25।।
danṣhṭrā-karālāni cha te mukhāni dṛiṣhṭvaiva kālānala-sannibhāni diśho na jāne na labhe cha śharma prasīda deveśha jagan-nivāsa
Having seen Thy mouths, fearful with tusks, (blazing) like Pralaya-fires, I know not the four quarters, nor do I find peace; have mercy, O Lord of the Devas, O Abode of the universe.
English rendering by Swami Swarupananda. Public domain first edition, 1909.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| danṣhṭrā | teeth |
| karālāni | terrible |
| cha | and |
| te | your |
| mukhāni | mouths |
| dṛiṣhṭvā | having seen |
| eva | indeed |
| kāla-anala | the fire of annihilation |
| sannibhāni | resembling |
| diśhaḥ | the directions |
| na | not |
| jāne | know |
| na | not |
| labhe | I obtain |
| cha | and |
| śharma | peace |
| prasīda | have mercy |
| deva-īśha | The Lord of lords |
| jagat-nivāsa | The shelter of the universe |
Begin with the verse itself, then trace its movement through danṣhṭrā (teeth), diśhaḥ (the directions), and jagat-nivāsa (The shelter of the universe). Ask what changes between the first and last term, and how that movement contributes to the universal form and personal refuge. State the connection in your own words, then check it against Bhagavad-gita 11.25.
Original school explanation. Written independently from the Sanskrit word map. It is not a quotation, translation, or summary of a named modern commentary. Chapter lens: Sequence request, granted sight, description, response, revelation, fear, apology and return to the familiar form.
Five careful reading routes
The cards below are reading references, not claims about what an acharya says in this verse. Modern wording stays inside authorized editions. Classical commentary will appear only after an independent translation has passed scholarly and rights review.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
Having seen Thy mouths, fearful with tusks, (blazing) like Pralaya-fires, I know not the four quarters, nor do I find peace
- 2
have mercy, O Lord of the Devas, O Abode of the universe
- 3
danṣhṭrā: teeth
Look, link, cover, teach
Look
Picture the universal form.
Link
Use the line starts: danṣhṭrā-karālāni cha / dṛiṣhṭvaiva kālānala-sannibhāni / diśho na / prasīda deveśha.
Cover
Hide the verse and rebuild one line at a time.
Teach
Explain the flow to another person without looking.
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A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavad-gita As It IsFor Bhagavad-gita 11.25, consult the authorized BBT edition. No purport, translation, or author-attributed summary is reproduced here.
Find the authorized editionBhaktivinoda Thakura
Rasika-ranjanaA verified independent rendering for Bhagavad-gita 11.25 has not yet passed scholarly and rights review. Modern translations are not copied here.
Independent rendering pending reviewBaladeva Vidyabhushana
Gita-bhushana-bhashyaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 11.25 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewVishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Sarartha-varshini-tikaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 11.25 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewOther Gaudiya acharyas
Authorized Gaudiya editionsFor Bhagavad-gita 11.25, later teachers remain a further-reading route. Their wording and distinctive teaching structures require permission or a separate rights review.
Use an authorized edition