Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 14

Chapter 11 – Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनञ्जयः ।
प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanañjayaḥ .
praṇamya śirasā devaṃ kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata ॥

Meaning

Then Dhananjaya, overcome with wonder, his hair standing on end, bowed his head before the God and, with palms joined, spoke.

Word meanings

ततः – then
सः – he
विस्मयाविष्टः – filled with wonder
हृष्टरोमा – with hair standing on end, thrilled
धनञ्जयः – Dhananjaya, Arjuna, winner of wealth
प्रणम्य – having bowed
शिरसा – with the head
देवम् – to the God, the cosmic Lord
कृताञ्जलिः – with palms joined in reverence
अभाषत – spoke

Anvaya (word order)

ततः विस्मय-आविष्टः हृष्ट-रोमा सः धनञ्जयः देवम् शिरसा प्रणम्य कृत-अञ्जलिः अभाषत ।

Explanation

This verse is the bridge between vision and praise. Until now Sanjaya has told us what Arjuna saw; now he tells us what the seeing did to Arjuna. Three things happen: wonder floods his mind, a thrill runs through his body, and his conduct turns to humble reverence.

Vismayavishta means possessed by wonder, as though amazement had entered and filled him. Hrishtaroma, hair standing on end, shows that the experience was not merely intellectual but reached the body itself. The devotional tradition counts such horripilation among the sattvika bhavas, the natural signs of genuine spiritual emotion. There is a telling echo of the first chapter, where Arjuna’s hair also stood on end (1.29), but then from grief and confusion. The same body that once trembled with despair now thrills with divine wonder, a quiet measure of how far Arjuna has travelled.

Sanjaya calls him Dhananjaya, conqueror of wealth, the great warrior. The hero who bowed before no enemy now lowers his head and joins his palms. Shankara notes simply that Arjuna, bowing with devotion, began his hymn. Ramanuja emphasizes that the vision of the Lord’s majesty awakens in the true devotee not mere fear but loving servitude and joy.

From here begins Arjuna’s great hymn to the cosmic form, which runs through much of the chapter.

Context

Sanjaya describes Arjuna’s reaction to Dhritarashtra. After the vision of the universe in 11.13, Arjuna bows here, and from 11.15 he himself begins to speak, praising the Vishvarupa.

Life lesson

True spiritual experience makes us humble, not proud. The greater the truth we glimpse, the more naturally our head bows before it.

Key terms

Vismaya: wonder, astonishment before the extraordinary
Hrishtaroma: with hair standing on end; one of the sattvika signs of deep emotion
Kritanjali: with joined palms, the gesture of humility and surrender