Verse 11.49

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 11.49:

मा ते व्यथा मा च विमूढ-भावो दृष्ट्वा रूपं घोरम् ईदृङ् ममेदम् ।
व्यपेत-भीः प्रीत-मनाः पुनस् त्वं तद् एव मे रूपम् इदं प्रपश्य ॥ ०० ॥

mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍha-bhāvo dṛṣṭvā rūpaṃ ghoram īdṛṅ mamedam |
vyapeta-bhīḥ prīta-manāḥ punas tvaṃ tad eva me rūpam idaṃ prapaśya || 00 ||

mā te–you should not be; vyathā–fearful; mā–do not; ca–and; vimūḍha-bhāvaḥ–bewildered; dṛṣṭvā–having seen; rūpam–form; ghoram–terrible; īdṛk–such; mama–of Mine; idam–this; vyapeta-bhīḥ–free from fear; prīta-manāḥ–be of cheerful mind; punaḥ–again; tvam–you; tat eva–that very; me–of Mine; rūpam–(four-armed) form; idam–this; prapaśya–behold.

Do not be afraid or bewildered by seeing this terrible form. Again be free from fear and cheerful. Just behold My beautiful four-armed form to your complete satisfaction.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

“O Supreme Lord, why are You not blessing me? You want to forcibly show me this form even though I am unwilling to see it. My body is becoming troubled and my mind perplexed by seeing Your form of majesty. I am repeatedly falling unconscious. I pay my obeisances from a distance to Your topmost form of opulence, and I will never again pray to You to show it to me. Please forgive me for this. Please forgive me! Please show me the moon-like face of Your human-like form, with which You shower the nectar of Your sweet smile. Please show me that!”

Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with mā te to give solace to a disturbed Arjuna.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Arjuna became very fearful and agitated upon seeing the terrible universal form. Śrī Bhagavān pacified him, saying, “Be neither fearful nor agitated. When Draupadī was being insulted in Duryodhana’s assembly, Bhīṣma, Droṇācārya and others remained silent. Even Yudhiṣṭhira and the other Pāṇḍavas were unable to protect her and remained sitting with their heads lowered. Duryodhana, Karṇa and others ridiculed her with various sarcastic statements, and Duḥśāsana slapped his thigh and then pulled at Draupadī’s cloth with his full strength. In such a helpless situation, Draupadī fully surrendered to Me. At that time, I vowed to destroy the irreligious and wicked Duryodhana and all his followers. Therefore, I will surely execute this massacre. You are just an instrument. I have shown you My wrathful, terrible, annihilating form just to give you faith in this. You are My eternal friend; therefore, I know that this form will not be pleasing to you. Now without fear, behold that form you have requested Me to show you.”

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes Kṛṣṇa as saying, “Foolish persons do not believe in contemplating this viśvarūpa. By seeing this terrible form, you should be neither agitated nor bewildered. My devotees are peaceful, and they are partial to My transcendental, human-like form. I therefore bless you not to be agitated or bewildered in relation to My universal form. Those devotees who are attracted to My sweetness (mādhurya) have no purpose with this viśvarūpa. Since you are a friend in My pastimes, My līlā-sakhā, you are to be an instrument in all My pastimes. It is not proper for you to be disturbed like this. Now give up your fear and with a cheerful mind see My eternal, human-like form.”