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Bhagavad-gītā 11.28

यथा नदीनां बहवोऽम्बुवेगा: समुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति । तथा तवामी नरलोकवीरा विशन्ति वक्‍त्राण्यभिविज्‍वलन्ति ॥ २८ ॥
yathā nadīnāṁ bahavo ’mbu-vegāḥ
[yathaa nadeenaam bahavo ’mbu-vegaah]
samudram evābhimukhā dravanti
[samudram evaabhimukhaa dravanti]
tathā tavāmī nara-loka-vīrā
[tathaa tavaamee nara-loka-veeraa]
viśanti vaktrāṇy abhivijvalanti
[vishanti vaktraany abhivijvalanti]
Word-for-word
yathā — as nadīnām — of the rivers bahavaḥ — the many ambu - vegāḥ — waves of the waters samudram — the ocean eva — certainly abhimukhāḥ — towards dravanti — glide tathā — similarly tava — Your amī — all these nara - loka - vīrāḥ — kings of human society viśanti — are entering vaktrāṇi — the mouths abhivijvalanti — and are blazing .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yathā nadīnāṁ bahavo ’mbu-vegāḥ
yathā
as
nadīnām
of the rivers
bahavaḥ
the many
samudram evābhimukhā dravanti
ambu - vegāḥ
waves of the waters
tathā tavāmī nara-loka-vīrā
viśanti vaktrāṇy abhivijvalanti
samudram
the ocean
eva
certainly
abhimukhāḥ
towards
dravanti
glide
tathā
similarly
tava
Your
amī
all these
nara - loka - vīrāḥ
kings of human society
viśanti
are entering
vaktrāṇi
the mouths
abhivijvalanti
and are blazing .
Important Words
  • nadīnām — of rivers
    Genitive plural. Multiple rivers, one ocean — the image's force lies in the many-to-one collapse.
  • ambu - vegāḥ — currents of water
    Compound: ambu (water) + vega (force, speed). Not still water — running water with its own velocity. The warriors have momentum; the image preserves it.
  • samudram — the ocean
    Accusative — direction of motion. Samudra is 'great-gathering,' the place where all waters are received. The Lord's mouths play the ocean's part.
  • abhimukhāḥ — facing toward
    Compound: abhi (toward) + mukha (face). The rivers face the ocean before they enter — their orientation is set before their arrival. So the warriors face death before reaching it.
  • dravanti — they flow
    Third-person plural of dru, 'to run.' Active verb — the rivers run, not drift. The motion is rapid, not contemplative.
  • abhivijvalanti — blaze brightly
    From abhi-vi-jval, 'to blaze in every direction.' The mouths blaze even as they receive. Reception and destruction are simultaneous, not sequential.
As the many waves of the rivers flow into the ocean, so do all these great warriors enter blazing into Your mouths.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
First of two parallel similes for the same image. Rivers do not choose the ocean — they simply flow there; so warriors are swept toward Kṛṣṇa's mouths by an inevitability that is not their own choice. Fate is depicted as fluid dynamics.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The river-to-ocean image was the Upaniṣadic emblem of jīva-merging-into-brahman (Praśna 6.5, Chāndogya 6.10). Here it is redeployed for kāla-driven destruction: the same metaphysical movement is now dread. The simile drains the warriors of agency, preparing the doctrinal point of 11.33 that they are 'already killed.'
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
यथा नदीनां बहवः अम्बु-वेगाः समुद्रम् एव अभिमुखाः द्रवन्ति, तथा अमी नर-लोक-वीराः तव अभिविज्वलन्ति वक्त्राणि विशन्ति ।
yathā nadīnāṃ bahavaḥ ambu-vegāḥ samudram eva abhimukhāḥ dravanti, tathā amī nara-loka-vīrāḥ tava abhivijvalanti vaktrāṇi viśanti |
As many torrents of the rivers rush, all facing the ocean, so these heroes of the human world enter into Your blazing mouths.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
यथा नदीनां बहवः अम्बु-वेगाः समुद्रम् एव अभिमुखाः द्रवन्ति । तथा तव अमी नर-लोक-वीराः विशन्ति वक्त्राणि अभिविज्वलन्ति ॥
yathā nadīnāṃ bahavaḥ ambu-vegāḥ samudram eva abhimukhāḥ dravanti | tathā tava amī nara-loka-vīrāḥ viśanti vaktrāṇi abhivijvalanti ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
यथा yathā ind. (indeclinable), correl. just as
नदीनाम् nadīnām नदी (f.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) of the rivers
बहवः bahavaḥ बहु (adj.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. many
अम्बु-वेगाः ambu-vegāḥ अम्बु (n.) + वेग (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) water-torrents
समुद्रम् samudram समुद्र (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) the ocean
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed, just
अभिमुखाः abhimukhāḥ अभि (ind. (indeclinable)) + मुख (n.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) facing toward
द्रवन्ति dravanti √द्रु pres. (present) 3pl.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) they run, flow
तथा tathā ind. (indeclinable), correl. so
अमी amī अदस् (dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun)) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. these (yonder)
नर-लोक-वीराः nara-loka-vīrāḥ नर (m.) + लोक (m.) + वीर (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) heroes of the human world
विशन्ति viśanti √विश् pres. (present) 3pl.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) they enter
वक्त्राणि vaktrāṇi वक्त्र (n.) acc.pl. (accusative plural) mouths
अभिविज्वलन्ति abhivijvalanti अभि + वि + √ज्वल् pres. (present) part. acc.pl. (accusative plural)n. blazing brightly
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
28. As many swift currents of rivers flow towards the sea, so these heroes of the world enter Your flaming mouths.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
28. As many swift currents of rivers flow towards the sea, so these heroes of the world enter Your flaming mouths.
Commentary

Two examples are given to describe their entering the mouths in two verses. In the first example they enter unintentionally, without understanding it. In the second example, they enter knowingly.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Two different analogies are used here: (1) as the waves of the rivers flow into the ocean and (2) 'the warriors enter into Your mouths ‑ like moths enter into the fire'. There is actually a difference between the two. 'The rivers enter into the ocean' in an inconscious way, they just flow right in. That is compared to Bhisma and Drona. They lose all their material qualities and entered Krsna's abode even though they entered in His mouth. But on the other hand 'moths' consciously enter into the fire and they are like Duryodhana who is consciously entering into his destruction.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Now Arjuna describes Kala-rupa

COMMON THEME: Text 11.19 marks the beginning of description of ‘Kala-rupa’ (The form as Time) which

continues up till Text 11.31

PLEASE NOTE: All points of the purports are included as the sub-points; as such there are no individual ‘Focus of

Learning’ sections for these verses.

ARJUNA’S FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIVERSAL FORM AS ‘KALA-RUPA’.

Blazing fire coming forth from your mouth, burning this entire universe (11.19)
Numberless arms and sun and moon are the eyes
Without origin, middle and end
Repetition of glories is not a flaw – It is a sign of bewilderment, wonder or great ecstasy
Spread throughout – Spread throughout the sky and planets and all space in between; and all the planetary systems are perturbed seeing you (11.20)
‘Dyav-a-prthivyoh’ (Space between heaven and earth) and ‘Loka-trayam’ (Three worlds) –indicate that not only Arjuna saw, but other planetary systems, whoever endowed with divine vision, also saw this form and got perturbed
This proves that Arjuna’s seeing was not a dream
Petitioned by demigods – Kala-rupa is petitioned by demigods and sages – All are fearful (11.21 – 11.22)
Demigods are surrendering and praying with folded hands
Great sages are praying with Vedic hymns
Siva, Adityas, Vasus etc beholding You in wonder
Rasa changes to fear – Arjuna experiences a terrible fearsome sight (11.23)
Arjuna loses steadiness and equilibrium of mind, because mind is perturbed by fear (11.24)
Arjuna sees blazing death-like faces and awful teeth (11.25)
Link between texts 11.25 & 11.26: Text 11.26 through 11.30 describe future occurrences that Arjuna sees within the kala-rupa. In Text 11.7, Krishna said that Arjuna could see “whatever *he+ may want to see in the future.” In these texts, Arjuna sees that Bhisma, Drona and Karna – the three most feared members of the opposing army – will be destroyed.
Two Analogies: Devouring all soldiers of both armies on both sides, including Bhisma, Drona & Karna, rushing into Your mouth (11.26 – 11.27)
Analogy: As many waves of river flow into the ocean (11.28)
Analogy: As moths dash to destruction in blazing fire (11.29*)
Indicates that Arjuna could see his awaited victory
All-devouring – You are devouring all people from all sides, your effulgence is covering all the universe with terrible scorching rays(11.30)

ARJUNA’S QUESTIONS

Arjuna in great fear asks two questions (11.31)
Who are You?
What is Your mission?
Why Arjuna asks these questions – Because although Arjuna knew Krishna as his friend and Supreme Personality of Godhead, but he was puzzled by various forms exhibited by Krishna
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
11.28 Yatha, as; the bahavah, numerous; ambu-vegah, currents of the waters, particularly the swift ones; nadinam, of flowing rivers; dravanti abhimukhah, rush towards, enter into; the samudram, sea; eva, alone; tatha, so also; do ami, those; nara-loka-virah, heroes of the human world-Bhisma and others; visanti, enter into; tava, Your; abhi-vijvalanti, blazing, glowing; vaktrani, mouths. Why do they enter, and how? In answer Arjuna says:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.28 - 11.29 These innumerable kings rush to their destruction in Your flaming mouths, even as many torrents of rivers flow towards the ocean and moths rush into a blazing fire.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.28 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.28 Verily, just as many torrents of rivers flow towards the ocean, even so these heroes in the world of men enter Thy flaming mouths.
Commentary

11.28 यथा as? नदीनाम् of rivers? बहवः many? अम्बुवेगाः watercurrents? समुद्रम् to the ocean? एव verily? अभिमुखाः towards? द्रवन्ति flow? तथा so? तव Thy? अमी these? नरलोकवीराः heroes in the world of men? विशन्ति enter? वक्त्राणि mouths? अभिविज्वलन्ति flaming.Commentary Ami These warriors such as Bhishma. Arjuna is now seeing all these warriors,whom he did not wish to kill? rushing to death. His delusion has vanished. He thinks now This battle cannot be avoided. It has the sanction of the Supreme Lord. Why should I worry about the inevitable The Lord has already destroyed these warriors. I am only an instrument in His hands. No sin can touch me even if I kill them. This is a just cause also.Why and how do they enter Arjuna says --

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.28 As the numerous currents of the waters of rivers rush towards the sea alone so also do those heroes of the human world enter into Your blazing mouths.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.28 As rivers in flood surge furiously to the ocean, so these heroes, the greatest among men, fling themselves into Thy flaming mouths.
Related values & verses
Related values
Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to God)Bhakti (Devotion)Udyama (Industriousness / Effort)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Shanti (Peace / Tranquility)
Related verses
BG 11.29 BG 2.70 BG 11.32 SB 11.22.39 SB 10.1.23 SB 3.29.37 CC Madhya 20.262 CC Madhya 20.323 CC Ādi 5.100 Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.12Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.8
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
As rivers flow into the ocean — so the heroes of this world enter Your blazing mouths.
Practical Applications
  • Hold the river-into-ocean image during worry about world events.
  • Recognize the natural flow.
  • Don't dam what is already flowing.
Reflection Questions
  • What flow am I trying to dam?
  • What does letting it flow teach?
Analogy

Rivers do not choose the sea; the sea simply is downhill. So the warriors do not choose the Lord's mouths — the slope of time runs that way, and they pour in by gravity, by the geometry of the cosmos, not by their own will alone.

Stories
Rivers Returning to the Sea — Bhāgavatam's Image

The Bhāgavatam repeatedly uses the river-to-ocean image for the soul's return to the Lord (e.g., SB 1.10.6, 4.21.32) — as rivers naturally seek the sea, so all beings naturally tend toward the Supreme.

Kṛṣṇa here uses the same image with reversed valence: the warriors flow into His mouths not as souls into liberation but as bodies into death. The Bhāgavatam's image is therefore comprehensive — every river reaches the sea, whether by mokṣa or by kāla. The destination is one; the mode differs.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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