adṛiṣhṭa-pūrvaṁ hṛiṣhito ’smi dṛiṣhṭvā
bhayena cha pravyathitaṁ mano me
tad eva me darśhaya deva rūpaṁ
prasīda deveśha jagan-nivāsa
adṛiṣhṭa-pūrvam — that which has not been seen before;
hṛiṣhitaḥ — great joy;
asmi — I am;
dṛiṣhṭvā — having seen;
bhayena — with fear;
cha — yet;
pravyathitam — trembles;
manaḥ — mind;
me — my;
tat — that;
eva — certainly;
me — to me;
darśhaya — show;
deva — Lord;
rūpam — form;
prasīda — please have mercy;
deva-īśha — God of gods;
jagat-nivāsa — abode of the universe
In this verse, Arjuna is talking to Krishna after witnessing a very powerful and incredible vision of Krishna's universal form. Imagine having your mind blown by something you have never seen before—it could be something beautiful or something overwhelming. That's how Arjuna feels after seeing Krishna's universal form. He feels extremely happy to recognize that his friend Krishna is not just an ordinary person, but the Supreme Being who can show such a grand, cosmic form.
However, along with this joy, Arjuna also feels a strong sense of fear. It's like when you love someone dearly, and you suddenly realize how powerful and important they really are; it can be both exciting and terrifying. Arjuna is worried because he fears that in his friendship with Krishna, he might have joked around or treated Krishna casually without understanding just how noble and grand Krishna is. This fear makes him feel uneasy; he begins to doubt if he has disrespected Krishna in some way.
Because of these mixed feelings of joy and fear, Arjuna asks Krishna to show him His more familiar form—the form that has four arms, known as Narayana. This form is often associated with peace and is looked up to as a divine protector. Unlike the frightening universal form, the four-armed Narayana is more approachable and comforting for Arjuna. He wants to see that form because it represents a loving and divine presence, one that he associates with safety and love.
Arjuna's request is not just about wanting to see a different appearance; it reflects his deep need for reassurance. He wants to feel connected to Krishna as a friend again, and to see Krishna's more familiar aspect allows him to feel calm and at ease.
In summary, Arjuna is caught between awe and fear after seeing something so immense and powerful that it shakes him. He realizes Krishna is much more than just a friend; he stands before the Lord of the universe. So, he pleads with Krishna to show him a form that brings him peace and joy, one that feels more relatable and loving.