Complete learning edition. The Sanskrit source remains separate from attributed word meanings, translation, explanation and commentary witnesses. Diagrams and memory aids are study tools, not replacements for the source text.
आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद। विज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यं न हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम्।।11.31।।
ākhyāhi me ko bhavān ugra-rūpo namo ’stu te deva-vara prasīda vijñātum ichchhāmi bhavantam ādyaṁ na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛittim
Tell me then, who are You, who wears this dreadful form? I bow before You, O Mighty One! Have mercy, I pray, and let me see You as You were at first. I do not know what Your intentions are.
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| ākhyāhi | tell |
| me | me |
| kaḥ | who |
| bhavān | you |
| ugra-rūpaḥ | fierce form |
| namaḥ astu | I bow |
| te | to you |
| deva-vara | God of gods |
| prasīda | be merciful |
| vijñātum | to know |
| ichchhāmi | I wish |
| bhavantam | you |
| ādyam | the primeval |
| na | not |
| hi | because |
| prajānāmi | comprehend |
| tava | your |
| pravṛittim | workings |
Tell me, who you are, so fierce of form. I offer my salutations to you, O God Supreme; have mercy on me. I desire to know you, the original Being. I do not indeed know your workings.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Sequence request, granted sight, description, response, revelation, fear, apology and return to the familiar form.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaTell me who You are, fierce in form. Salutations to You, O Supreme God; be gracious. I desire to fully know You, who are the Prime One. For I do not understand Your actions!
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaTell me, who are You with this terrible form? Salutations to You, O Supreme God. Be gracious to me. I desire to know You, the Primal One. I do not know Your activities.
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaTell me, who you are, so fierce of form. I offer my salutations to you, O God Supreme; have mercy on me. I desire to know you, the original Being. I do not indeed know your workings.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
Tell me then, who are You, who wears this dreadful form? I bow before You, O Mighty One! Have mercy, I pray
- 2
let me see You as You were at first
- 3
I do not know what Your intentions are
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Sequence request, granted sight, description, response, revelation, fear, apology and return to the familiar form.
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- 1
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- 2
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- 3
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