ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनञ्जयः। प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत।।11.14।।
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanañjayaḥ | praṇamya śirasā devam kṛtāñjaliḥ abhāṣata || 11.14 ||
Translation
Then, Arjuna, full of wonder and with his hair standing on end, bowed his head before the Lord, offered his folded hands, and began to speak.
Word Meanings
tataḥ — thereafter; saḥ — he; vismayāviṣṭaḥ — being overwhelmed with wonder; hṛṣṭa-romā — with his bodily hairs standing on end due to great ecstasy; dhanañjayaḥ — Arjuna; praṇamya — offering obeisances; śirasā — with the head; devam — to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛtāñjaliḥ — with folded hands; abhāṣata — began to speak.
Understanding the Verse
In this verse, the cosmic vision that Arjuna has just witnessed in the Divine Form (Vishvarupa) overwhelms him with a profound mixture of awe and reverence. The term vismayāviṣṭaḥ captures a state of being filled with wonder, an emotion that transcends ordinary admiration and touches the deepest layers of the soul. The visual spectacle of countless divine manifestations, each embodying the totality of creation, leaves Arjuna in a state where his senses cannot fully comprehend the magnitude of what he has seen.
The physical response described by hṛṣṭa‑romā—the hair on his body standing on end—indicates the intense spiritual shiver that often accompanies encounters with the divine. This physiological reaction is a classic sign in scriptural literature of a seeker’s mind being penetrated by a higher truth, a phenomenon that modern neuroscience would describe as an autonomic response to awe.
Arjuna’s immediate response is one of devotion (bhakti). He praṇamya śirasā—offers obeisances with his head bowed—signifying humility before the Supreme. The act of bowing the head is symbolic of surrendering the ego, allowing the divine will to guide one’s thoughts and actions.
The phrase kṛtāñjaliḥ indicates that Arjuna folds his hands in prayer, a gesture widely recognized across cultures as a universal sign of respect and supplication. By doing so, he not only acknowledges the Lord’s supreme position but also aligns his own consciousness with the divine consciousness, preparing himself to receive further instruction.
Finally, abhāṣata—the commencement of speech—marks the transition from a state of passive observation to active dialogue. Arjuna, after being humbled and inspired, is ready to ask questions and seek clarification about the divine play (lila) he has just witnessed. This sets the stage for the profound teachings that follow, where the Lord reveals the deeper philosophical underpinnings of the universe, duty, and the nature of the self. The verse thus encapsulates a pivotal moment in the Bhagavad Gita where awe transforms into reverence, which in turn becomes the catalyst for spiritual inquiry and enlightenment.
