नभःस्पृशं दीप्तमनेकवर्णं व्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् ।दृष्ट्वा हि त्वां प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा धृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च विष्णो ॥
nabhaḥ-spṛśaṃ dīptam aneka-varṇaṃ vyāttānanaṃ dīpta-viśāla-netram |dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṃ pravyathitāntar-ātmā dhṛtiṃ na vindāmi śamaṃ ca viṣṇo ||
- नभःस्पृशम् · nabhaḥ-spṛśam
- touching the sky
- दीप्तम् · dīptam
- blazing
- अनेकवर्णम् · aneka-varṇam
- of many colors
- व्यात्ताननम् · vyāttānanam
- with gaping mouths
- दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् · dīpta-viśāla-netram
- with blazing vast eyes
- प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा · pravyathitāntar-ātmā
- with inner self shaken
- धृतिम् · dhṛtim
- steadiness, courage
- शमम् · śamam
- calm, peace
- विष्णो · viṣṇo
- O Vishnu
“Seeing you touching the sky, blazing, many-hued, with gaping mouths and vast blazing eyes — my inner self trembles, and I find neither steadiness nor peace, O Vishnu.”
— Original plain-language translation
Arjuna addresses Krishna as Vishnu for the first time in the dialogue — the cosmic preserver behind the friend. His confession of lost steadiness (dhriti) reverses the Gita's steady-wisdom ideal of Chapter 2; vision has undone him before rebuilding him.
— Reader's notes (original)