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Bhagavad-gītā 11.35

सञ्जय उवाच एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्य कृताञ्जलिर्वेपमान: किरीटी । नमस्कृत्वा भूय एवाह कृष्णं सगद्ग‍दं भीतभीत: प्रणम्य ॥ ३५ ॥
sañjaya uvāca
[sanjaya uvaacha]
etac chrutvā vacanaṁ keśavasya
[etach chrutvaa vachanam keshavasya]
kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirīṭī
[kritaanjalir vepamaanah kireetee]
namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṁ
[namaskritvaa bhooya evaaha krishnam]
sa-gadgadaṁ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya
[sa-gadgadam bheeta-bheetah pranamya]
Word-for-word
sañjayaḥ uvāca — Sañjaya said etat — thus śrutvā — hearing vacanam — the speech keśavasya — of Kṛṣṇa kṛta - añjaliḥ — with folded hands vepamānaḥ — trembling kirīṭī — Arjuna namaskṛtvā — offering obeisances bhūyaḥ — again eva — also āha — said kṛṣṇam — unto Kṛṣṇa sa - gadgadam — with a faltering voice bhīta - bhītaḥ — fearful praṇamya — offering obeisances .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sañjaya uvāca
sañjayaḥ uvāca
Sañjaya said
etac chrutvā vacanaṁ keśavasya
etat
thus
śrutvā
hearing
vacanam
the speech
keśavasya
of Kṛṣṇa
kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirīṭī
kṛta - añjaliḥ
with folded hands
vepamānaḥ
trembling
kirīṭī
Arjuna
namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṁ
namaskṛtvā
offering obeisances
bhūyaḥ
again
eva
also
āha
said
kṛṣṇam
unto Kṛṣṇa
sa-gadgadaṁ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya
sa - gadgadam
with a faltering voice
bhīta - bhītaḥ
fearful
praṇamya
offering obeisances .
Important Words
  • kṛta - añjaliḥ — with folded hands
    Compound. The gesture from 11.14 returns — Arjuna's body, having been told to fight, first folds hands. The two gestures are not contradictory; the warrior bows before he rises.
  • vepamānaḥ — trembling
    Present middle participle of vep, 'to tremble.' A sāttvika-bhāva again — the body's involuntary response to overwhelming presence.
  • kirīṭī — the crowned one (Arjuna)
    Nominative — one of Arjuna's epithets, given when Indra crowned him with a divine kirīṭa in the Mahābhārata (Vana-parva 44). Sañjaya uses the title precisely when Arjuna is trembling: even the crowned one trembles before this form.
  • sa - gadgadam — with faltering voice
    Compound: sa (with) + gadgada (stammering). The voice itself has broken — a sāttvika-bhāva called svara-bheda. Classical rasa-theory is being recorded as Mahābhārata reportage.
  • bhīta - bhītaḥ — fearfully
    Doubled compound — bhīta repeated for intensity. 'Fearful-fearful' — fear redoubled, layered upon itself.
Sañjaya said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: O King, after hearing these words from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the trembling Arjuna offered obeisances with folded hands again and again. He fearfully spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa in a faltering voice, as follows.
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)
Sañjaya re-enters with stage directions. The intervening kāla-asmi disclosure has not calmed Arjuna; if anything, it has deepened the trembling. The reduplicated 'bhīta-bhītaḥ' (very, very frightened) and 'sa-gadgada' (faltering) bracket the long second hymn now to begin.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Each major shift in the chapter is framed by a Sañjaya verse (cf. 11.9, 11.50). This one re-narrates Arjuna's posture so the next stotra (11.36-46) can read as performed and felt, not abstract. 'Kirīṭī' (crowned, with the diadem Indra gave him) is a name of glory — yet now he trembles. The contrast keeps the dramatic asymmetry sharp.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
केशवस्य एतत् वचनं श्रुत्वा कृत-अञ्जलिः वेपमानः किरीटी, नमस्कृत्वा प्रणम्य, भीत-भीतः स-गद्गदं भूयः एव कृष्णम् आह ।
keśavasya etat vacanaṃ śrutvā kṛta-añjaliḥ vepamānaḥ kirīṭī, namaskṛtvā praṇamya, bhīta-bhītaḥ sa-gadgadaṃ bhūyaḥ eva kṛṣṇam āha |
Having heard this speech of Keśava, the crowned one (Arjuna), with folded hands, trembling, bowing in salutation, very frightened, again spoke to Kṛṣṇa in a faltering voice.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
सञ्जयः उवाच
sañjayaḥ uvāca
एतत् श्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्य कृत-अञ्जलिः वेपमानः किरीटी । नमस्कृत्वा भूयः एव आह कृष्णं स-गद्गदं भीत-भीतः प्रणम्य ॥
etat śrutvā vacanaṃ keśavasya kṛta-añjaliḥ vepamānaḥ kirīṭī | namaskṛtvā bhūyaḥ eva āha kṛṣṇaṃ sa-gadgadaṃ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
एतत् etat एतद् (dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. this
श्रुत्वा śrutvā √श्रु abs. (absolutive) having heard
वचनम् vacanam वचन (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) speech
केशवस्य keśavasya केशव (m.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of Keśava
कृत-अञ्जलिः kṛta-añjaliḥ कृत (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) + अञ्जलि (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) with folded hands
वेपमानः vepamānaḥ √वेप् pres. (present) mid. part. nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. trembling
किरीटी kirīṭī किरीटिन् (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) the crowned one (Arjuna)
नमस्कृत्वा namaskṛtvā नमस् + √कृ abs. (absolutive) having saluted
भूयः bhūyaḥ ind. (indeclinable), adv. again
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed
आह āha √अह् perf. (perfect) 3sg.par. (used as pres. (present)) he said
कृष्णम् kṛṣṇam कृष्ण (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) to Kṛṣṇa
स-गद्गदम् sa-gadgadam स (ind. (indeclinable)) + गद्गद (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n., adv. with faltering voice
भीत-भीतः bhīta-bhītaḥ भीत (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) reduplicated, nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. very frightened
प्रणम्य praṇamya प्र + √नम् abs. (absolutive) having bowed
Purport

As we have already explained, because of the situation created by the universal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna became bewildered in wonder; thus he began to offer his respectful obeisances to Kṛṣṇa again and again, and with faltering voice he began to pray, not as a friend, but as a devotee in wonder.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
35. Sañjaya said: Hearing the words of Keśava, Arjuna, with folded hands, trembling, offered his respects; and again overcome by great fear, offering respects, spoke to Kṛṣṇa in faltering voice.
Commentary

Namaskṛtvā is poetic license. The normal form is namaskṛtya.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
35. Sañjaya said: Hearing the words of Keśava, Arjuna, with folded hands, trembling, offered his respects; and again overcome by great fear, offering respects, spoke to Kṛṣṇa in faltering voice.
Commentary

Sañjaya then relates what happened next. Hearing the words of Keśava in three verses, Arjuna (kirīṭī), trembling out of respect on seeing that astonishing and ferocious form, offered his respects to Kṛṣṇa, and again offered respects, being overcome with great fear (bhīta bhītaḥ). With trembling voice (sa gadgadam), he then spoke. The form namaskṛtvā is poetic license. The correct form is namaskṛtya.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Arjuna is quite a great personality because even in the midst of all these situations he could speak.

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

COMMON THEME: Arjuna prays in faltering voice

In which mood – as a devotee in the mood of ‘wonder’ (11.35)

PLEASE NOTE: The mains points refer to Arjuna’s Prayers. The subpoints include all points of the purports; as such

there are no individual ‘Focus of Learning’ sections for these verses.

ARJUNA’S PRAYERS

(a) Arjuna recognizes Krishna’s action as All-good for everyone after hearing from Krishna the outcome of

battlefield and observing Universal form and response of demigods and demons (11.36)

The world becomes joyful on hearing Your name and everyone becomes attached to You
You are worshiped by great souls and demons are afraid and flee away

(b) Krishna is worshipable by everyone – “You rightly deserve the obeisances of everyone” (11.37)

because:

You are the God of all the Gods, the original creator, especially even greater than Brahma, secondary creator
Invincible source of all and cause of all causes
Transcendental to material manifestations
‘Aksaram’ – not perishable like material creation)
‘Mahatma’ – Most magnanimous and unlimited
‘Ananta’ – Nothing is not covered by Lord’s influence and energy
‘Devesa’ – He is the controller of demigods and is above them all

(c) You are the ultimate rest of everything and all knowledge (11.38)

‘Nidhanam’ – Ultimate rest even from Brahman.
Knower of everything in this world and You are all that is knowable
Object of all knowledge because You are All pervading

(d) You are the essence of everything (11.39)

You are air (Air being all-pervasive is the most important representation of the demigods)
You are fire, water, moon
You are Brahma (Pitamaha) / You are Prapitamaha (because He is the father of Brahmaji)
You are the Supreme controller

(e) I offer you obeisances from front, behind and from all sides (11.40)

Arjuna is offering obeisances out of loving ecstasy, accepting that ‘’He is the master of limitless power’’ and ‘’He is far superior to all the great warriors assembled on the battlefield’’ (Ref. Visnu Purana – All have been created by you, any demigod or anyone)

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION IV

Lord Krishna is the Supreme Lord of all. He is simultaneously

involved in an intimate relationship of love with His pure devotees

ARJUNA’S PRAYERS continued…

(f) Begs forgiveness for treating Krishna, the Infallible One, as an ordinary friend (11.41* – 11.42*)

Not knowing Krishna’s glories, Arjuna feels that he has offended Krishna in ‘madness’ or in ‘love’, and begs to be excused for many informal gestures like,
Called Krishna as Yadava or Krishna or dishonoured him many times.
Jesting as we relaxed
Lay on the same bed / sat / ate together
Never knew Krishna could accept such a Universal form
Cannot forget the relationship of a friend – The relationship between a living-entity and Krishna is fixed eternally, it cannot be forgotten, as evident from Arjuna’s behaviour

(g) You are the supreme father (11.43)

Supreme spiritual master – Gave this knowledge to Brahma / Arjuna
You are the greatest – No-one is greater than or equal to You nor can anyone be one with You. References for Lord’s Supreme greatness:
No difference between Krishna’s body and self (Ref. Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)
Senses are interchangeable
Birth and activities are transcendental (Bg. 4.9)
Krishna is one God – All the living entities are His servants, no-one can deny His order (Ref. CC “ekale ishvara...”)
Cause of all causes (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.1)

(h) Falls to the ground and begs for mercy – Requests Him to tolerate all wrong-doings (11.44) just like –

Analogies:

Father – Tolerates the impudence of his son
Friend – Impertinence of a friend
“Krishna – Arjuna” relationship is that of friendship
Wife – Familiarity of her partner

(i) Requests to withdraw the fearsome Form and reveal the form as Personality of Godhead (11.45)

Indicates Arjuna is ‘afraid’ and ‘joyful’ simultaneously
Afraid because of so many offenses committed
Joyful because He is gladdened by knowing his Friend’s opulence as Supreme Personality of Godhead and His ability to show the Universal Form
It proves that Krishna can assume any form, as He is asked here to show His Narayana Form
Universal Form is a temporary Form; but Vaikuntha form is transcendental, four-handed and eternal.
Different Narayanas are named according to the different configurations of the four hands
Arjuna’s request to see the four-handed form indicates that All the forms are one with Krishna

(j) Wants to see the four-handed form (11.46)

Texts 11.45 & 11.46 indicate that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and He is the source of all forms and incarnations (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.39)
This verse establishes without any doubt the statement of Srimad Bhagavatam that Krishna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead
Constant feature in these forms – He is always fresh like a young man
He is non-different from His plenary expansions
He is God in any of His innumerable forms
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
11.35 Srutva, hearing; etat, this, aforesaid; vacanam, utterance; kesavasya, of Kesava; Kiriti, krtanjalih, with joined palms; and vepamanah, trembling; nama-skrtva, prostrating himself; aha, said; bhuyah eva, again; krsnam, to Krsna; sa-gadgadam, with a faltering voice-. A person's throat becomes choked with phlegm and his eyes full of tears when, on being struck with fear, he is overcome by sorrow, and when, on being overwhelmed with affection, he is filled with joy. The indistinctness and feleness of sound in speech that follows as a result is what is called faltering (gadgada). A speech that is accompanied with (saha) this is sa-gadgadam. It is used adverbially to the act of utterance. Pranamya, bowing down with humility; bhita-bhitah, overcome by fits of fear, with his mind struck again and again with fear-this is to be connected with the remote word aha (said). At this juncture the words of Sanjaya have a purpose in view. How? It is thus: Thinking that the helpless Duryodhana will be as good as dead when the four unconerable ones, viz Drona and others, are killed, Dhrtarastra, losing hope of victory, would conclude a treaty. From that will follow peace on either side. Under the influence of fate, Dhrtarastra did not even listen to that!
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.35 Sanjaya said Having heard the speech of Krsna, ocean of affection for the seekers of refuge in Him, Arjuna did obeisance to Him. Trembling with fear, he bowed again and again before Him. With folded palms, and trembling, Arjuna spoke in a choked voice with emotion.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.35 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.35 Sanjaya said Having heard that speech of Lord Krishna, Arjuna, with joined palms, trembling, prostrating himself, again addressed Krishna, in a choked voice, bowing down, overwhelmed with fear.
Commentary

11.35 एतत् that? श्रुत्वा having heard? वचनम् speech? केशवस्य of Kesava? कृताञ्जलिः with joined palms? वेपमानः trembling? किरीटि Arjuna? नमस्कृत्वा prostrating (himself)? भूयः again? एव even? आह addressed? कृष्णम् to Krishna? सगद्गदम् in a choked voice? भीतभीतः overwhelmed with fear? प्रणम्य having prostrated.Commentary When anyone is in a state of extreme terror or joy he sheds tears on account of pain or exhilaration of spirits. Then his throat is choked and he stammers or speaks indistinctly or in a dull? choked voice. Arjuna was extremely frightened when he saw the Cosmic Form and so he spoke in a stammering tone.There is great significane in Sanjayas words. He thought that Dhritarashtra might come to terms or make peace with the Pandavas when he knew that his sons would certainly be killed for want of proper support when Drona and Karna would be killed by Arjuna. He hoped that conseently there would be peace and happiness to both the parties. But Dhritarashtra was obstinate he did not listen to this suggestion on account of the force of destiny.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.35 Sanjaya said Hearing this utterance of Kesava, Kiriti (Arjuna), with joined palms and trembling, protrating himself, said again to Krsna with a faltering voice, bowing down overcome by fits of fear:
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.35 Sanjaya continued: "Having heard these words from the Lord Shri Krishna, the Prince Arjuna, with folded hands trembling, prostrated himself and with choking voice, bowing down again and again, and overwhelmed with awe, once more addressed the Lord.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 11.14 BG 11.44 BG 18.62 SB 10.14.30 SB 1.8.22 SB 4.7.31 CC Madhya 8.67 CC Madhya 9.87 CC Antya 1.79 BRS 2.3.20 Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.21
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hearing this, Arjuna, trembling, repeatedly bowed and addressed Kṛṣṇa with stammering voice and great fear.
Practical Applications
  • Honor the appropriate body-response in encounter with the Lord.
  • Don't perform composure that isn't truthful.
  • Trust trembling as data.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I been performing instead of trembling?
  • What truthful response is being asked?
Analogy

After hearing the king's sentence, the courtier does not stride out — he sinks to his knees, his hands tremble, his voice fails. Arjuna, told the cosmic verdict, becomes precisely such a courtier. His next words will come, but the body must first acknowledge what it has heard.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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