Chapter 11 Shloka 25

दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानि दृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि।

दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्म प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास।।२५।।

Upon seeing Your jaws with their fearful teeth and Your

myriad mouths flaming like the fires of final dissolution,

my head is reeling. I cannot perceive any direction,

nor find any happiness. Therefore, O Lord of all Gods

in whom the universe abides, be kindly disposed.

Chapter 11 Shloka 25

दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानि दृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि।

दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्म प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास।।२५।।

Haltingly Arjuna said:

Upon seeing Your jaws with their fearful teeth and Your myriad mouths flaming like the fires of final dissolution, my head is reeling. I cannot perceive any direction, nor find any happiness. Therefore, O Lord of all Gods in whom the universe abides, be kindly disposed.

Arjuna’s reaction at the sight of the Lord’s fear-inspiring Cosmic Form:

Arjuna says, “Lord! I am terrified at perceiving Your fear-inspiring form. My head reels. Pray reappear before me in Your gentle aspect once more.”

a) Renounce this form of Yours and don once more, your gentle form.

b) I am afraid when I see Your fearsome demeanour.

c) I feel as if You are extremely angry with me.

d) O Lord of all deities, O refuge of the Universe, be Thou kindly disposed.

1. I am thoroughly distressed upon witnessing this aspect of Yours.

2. I have lost my peace of mind.

3. I have become unconscious of everything.

4. I cannot understand anything.

So perturbed am I that I cannot even discern the direction I must take. Which is the north? Where is the east?

O Merciful One, be Thou happy and, shedding this frightening aspect, assume once more Your benevolent form.

Little one, the mind does become perturbed upon seeing the terrifying form of the Supreme. It was but natural for Arjuna to be thus disturbed at this frightening aspect of his usually benevolent and gracious friend.

The difference between the knowledge and the living experience of the Lord’s fearsome aspect

Little one, the Lord had earlier described His cosmic form to Arjuna. Then why was Arjuna now frightened upon witnessing that same form?

Example:

If a dear friend of yours told you of his temper whilst speaking to you confidentially and confessed that when he was overcome by anger, he became very ferocious and terrifying, you will appreciate and admire him for his truthful disclosure. Yet, if one day you were to be the focus of his anger and you were to experience his rage first hand, you would forget your appreciation of him and you would be thoroughly discomfited by his behaviour!

Little one, this was Arjuna’s state and this is what happens to the spiritual aspirant and others as well.

The reaction of people towards the fearsome aspect of the Lord

This, in fact, is the biggest hurdle in the path of spiritual seekers.

1. They are extremely happy at hearing and imbibing knowledge.

2. They are filled with joy at listening to descriptions of the essential Being of man.

3. They are overjoyed at hearing about love.

4. They listen to what interests them and act in accordance with their likes.

5. Even the service of the Guru depends on the Guru being favourable to them.

However:

a) If they are told something that goes against their concepts, they become agitated.

b) If someone opposes them, they are greatly angered.

c) If someone tells them that what they know is not in compliance with the Truth because their life is not in consonance with their knowledge, they will not even wish to look at that person again.

If general comments are made that their life does not match their knowledge of Truth, they might accept it smilingly. However, if one begins to point out their lacunae in particular incidents or situations in their personal life, they become very agitated.

Little one, the sadhak’s spiritual endeavour does not merely consist of mental games. If this same knowledge is not proved in his daily living, he cannot be called an aspirant of Truth.

If the one who instructs you in spiritual knowledge puts on a fearsome form, you are likely to forget that it is your Guru who stands before you, and you may even begin to insult and ridicule him.

The sadhak is agitated when he meets with such opposition and is confronted by this fearsome exterior. Everyone likes a gentle person. Who can tolerate someone fearsome and demonic? So Arjuna’s fear was but natural.

The Atmavaan who endures this terrifying aspect of the Lord

The one who can smilingly embrace this fearsome form of the Lord will in fact be no less than Him. He, who lovingly accepts a person who embodies such fearsome attributes, is no less than the Lord Himself. It is only a person with tremendous faith and immense knowledge who can tolerate such hostile negativity with ease in his daily life.

Arjuna too, became agitated upon experiencing the apparently terrifying form of his bosom friend, who had now taken on the role of his charioteer. In his agitation he even began to repeat himself.