Bhagavad Gita · Vishvarupa Darshana YogaChapter 11, Shloka 31 (11.31)
Original Sanskrit · अर्जुनः
आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो
नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद
विज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यं
न हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम्
॥ 11.31 ॥
ākhyāhi me ko bhavānugrarūpo
namo'stu te devavara prasīda
vijñātumicchāmi bhavantamādyaṃ
na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim
Translation
"Tell me — who are you, in this fierce form? O best of gods, I bow to you; be gracious. I wish to know you, the primal Person, properly, for I do not understand this activity (purpose) of yours."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. kaḥ bhavān ugrarūpaḥ krūrākāraḥ; vijñātuṃ viśeṣeṇa jñātum icchāmi bhavantam ādyam; na hi yasmāt prajānāmi tava tvadīyāṃ pravṛttiṃ ceṣṭām.
Acharya Ramanuja. atighorarūpaḥ ko bhavān kiṃ kartuṃ pravṛttaḥ — who are you, and what are you engaged in doing; and the preface to 11.32: pārthodyogena vinā api dhārtarāṣṭrapramukham aśeṣaṃ rājalokaṃ nihantum aham eva pravṛttaḥ iti jñāpanāya mama ghorarūpāviṣkāraḥ, tajjñāpanaṃ ca pārtham udyojayitum — the terrible form was revealed to make known that even without Partha's effort, it is I who am engaged in ending them all; and this was made known in order to set Partha to his duty.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.