Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 11 - Shloka (Verse) 23

व्याख्या--[पन्द्रहवेंसे अठारहवें श्लोकतक विश्वरूपमें 'देव'-रूपका, उन्नीसवेंसे बाईसवें श्लोकतक 'उग्र'-रूपका और तेईसवेंसे तीसवें श्लोकतक 'अत्यन्त उग्र'-रूपका वर्णन हुआ है।]

क्योंकि --, हे महाबाहो आपका यह रूप अति महान् -- बहुत लंबाचौड़ा? अनेकों मुख और नेत्रोंवाला -- जिसके अनेकों मुख और नेत्र हैं ऐसा? बहुतसी भुजाओं? जंघाओं और चरणोंवाला -- जिसके बहुतसी भुजाएँ? जंघाएँ और चरण हैं ऐसा? तथा बहुतसे पेटोंवाला -- जिसके बहुतसे पेट हैं ऐसा और बहुतसी दाढ़ोंसे अति विकराल आकृतिवाला है अर्थात् बहुतसी दाढ़ोंके कारण जिसकी आकृति अति भयंकर हो गयी है? ऐसा है। आपके ऐसे ( विकट ) रूपको देखकर संसारके समस्त प्राणी भयसे व्याकुल हो रहे हैं -- काँप रहे हैं? और मैं भी उन्हींकी भाँति भयभीत हो रहा हूँ।,

He concludes the previously stated 'the three worlds are distressed' -- with 'yasmat' (since). The construction is: since Your form is such, therefore having seen it [they are distressed].

Due to fear, like a common person, I am also 'vyathita' (distressed), meaning I have attained distress, pain, trembling of the body and senses; he states this -- with 'tatha' (so/likewise).

If asked why Rudras and others are struck with amazement? [The answer is] Because all the worlds are pained seeing Your terrible form; he says this -- with 'Rupam' etc.

Your form is 'mahat', meaning of immense measure. He describes that very thing. That in which there are many mouths and eyes; many arms etc.; [seeing that] they are 'pravyathitah', meaning shaken with fear.

[Objection:] But what is it to you if the worlds are distressed? You should not be distressed. To this he says -- 'Tatha' (Likewise) I am also distressed.

Again he speaks of the distress of the worlds and himself -- with 'Rupam' etc.

'Mahat' means devoid of beginning, middle, and end.

O Mahabaho (Mighty-armed), having seen 'te' (Your) terrible great form, the worlds are distressed, and likewise I am distressed; this is the construction.

Having seen this such form of Yours, which has an extremely terrifying appearance due to many fangs, the aforementioned worlds -- which are threefold as hostile, favorable, and neutral -- all of them indeed, and I, are becoming extremely distressed.

Moreover -- 'Rupam' etc. O Mahabaho, having seen Your 'mahat', meaning extremely mighty/vast form, all the worlds are 'pravyathitah', meaning extremely frightened; and likewise I am distressed.

Having seen what kind of form?

That in which there are many mouths and eyes; that in which there are many arms, thighs, and feet; that in which there are many bellies; 'karalam' (terrible) meaning distorted due to many fangs.

The meaning is 'Raudram' (fierce).

Amazement was stated with 'Rudradityah' [11.22] etc.; fear is being stated with 'Rupam mahat te' (Your great form).

He shows that the previously mentioned word 'lokatraya' (three worlds) and the word 'loka' (worlds) here refer to the same subject by recognition -- 'Lokah purvoktah' (The worlds are the aforementioned ones).

'Idam' (This) and 'Idrisham' (Such) refer to the object (the form) and its attributes.

Since the prefix 'pra' is seen to imply negation in words like 'prasthana' (departure/death) and 'prasmarana' (forgetting), to reject that [meaning] in 'pravyathitah', he says -- 'Ativa' (Extremely). 'Vyathitah' means shaken or frightened.

See commentary under 11.24

He concludes the statement 'the three worlds are distressed' -- with 'Rupam' etc.

O Mahabaho, having seen 'te' (Your) form, the worlds -- all living beings -- are distressed, and likewise I am distressed with fear.

What is Your form like? 'Mahat', meaning of immense measure. That in which there are many mouths and eyes. That in which there are many arms, thighs, and feet. That in which there are many bellies. 'Karalam', meaning extremely terrifying due to many fangs.

Having just seen it, all worlds including myself are pained by fear; this is the meaning.

Moreover 'Rupam' etc. O Mahabaho, having seen Your form which is 'mahat', meaning endowed with great grace and power, the 'lokah', meaning those situated within Your very form, are 'pravyathitah', meaning frightened; this is the meaning. And likewise I am distressed.

He describes the form as causing fear -- with adjectives like 'bahu' etc. In which there are many mouths and eyes; in which there are many arms, thighs, and feet; in which there are many bellies; 'karalam' meaning terrible with many fangs. By the abundance of mouths, the capacity to swallow is implied; by the abundance of eyes, the capacity to see everywhere, making hiding etc. impossible; by the abundance of action (arms), the capacity to grasp; by the abundance of thighs and feet, the capacity to run, making fleeing etc. impossible; by the abundance of bellies, the capacity to digest; by the abundance of fangs, the capacity to chew is implied.

Therefore, having seen such a form, if the worlds situated within Your form are distressed, then what doubt is there regarding me? This is implied by the word 'tatha' (likewise).

'Rupam mahat' meaning of immense measure; 'te' (Your); 'bahuvaktranetram' -- that form in which there are many 'vaktras' (mouths) and 'netras' (eyes) is 'bahuvaktranetram'. O Mahabaho, 'bahubahurupadam' -- that form in which there are many arms, thighs, and feet is 'bahubahurupadam'. Moreover, 'bahudaram' -- that in which there are many bellies is 'bahudaram'. 'Bahudamshtrakaralam' -- that which is 'karalam' (distorted/terrible) due to many fangs is 'bahudamshtrakaralam'.

Having seen such a form, 'lokah', meaning worldly beings, are 'pravyathitah', meaning shaken with fear, and so am I.

There, this is the reason --

रूपम् form? महत् immeasurable? ते Thy? बहुवक्त्रनेत्रम् with many mouths and eyes? महाबाहो O,mightyarmed? बहुबाहूरुपादम् with many arms? thighs and feet? बहूदरम् with many stomachs. बहुदंष्ट्राकरालम् fearful with many teeth? दृष्ट्वा having seen? लोकाः the worlds? प्रव्यथिताः are terrified? तथा also? अहम् I.Commentary Lokah The worlds -- all living beings in the world. Here is the cause of my fear. Arjuna describes below the nature of the Cosmic Form which has caused terror in his heart.

Mahabaho, O mighty-armed One; drstva, seeing; te, Your; mahat, immence, very vast; upam, form of this kind; bahu-vaktra-netram, with many mouths and eyes; bahu-bahu-uru-padam, having many arms, thighs and feet; and further, bahu-udaram, with many bellies; and bahu-damstra-karalam, fearful with many teeth; lokah, the creatures in the world; are pravya-thitah, struck with terror; tatha, and so also; am even aham, I.
The reason of that is this:

Beholding Your mighty form, as described earlier, which is an exceedingly terrifying figure because of the large teeth - all the worlds, described earlier and containing three kinds of beings, friendly, antagonistic and neutral, and I myself too have become panic-stricken.