दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानि दृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि ।दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्म प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥
daṃṣṭrā-karālāni ca te mukhāni dṛṣṭvaiva kālānala-sannibhāni |diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarma prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa ||
- दंष्ट्राकरालानि · daṃṣṭrā-karālāni
- terrible with fangs
- मुखानि · mukhāni
- mouths, faces
- कालानलसन्निभानि · kālānala-sannibhāni
- like the fire of the end of time
- दिशः न जाने · diśo na jāne
- I know not the directions
- शर्म · śarma
- refuge, comfort, shelter
- प्रसीद · prasīda
- be gracious, show favor
- देवेश · deveśa
- O Lord of gods
- जगन्निवास · jagan-nivāsa
- O abode of the world
“Seeing your mouths, terrible with fangs, like the fire at the end of time — I lose all sense of direction and find no refuge. Be gracious, O Lord of gods, O abode of the world.”
— Original plain-language translation
Disorientation is complete: Arjuna cannot tell the quarters. His cry 'prasida' (be gracious) is the devotee's lifeline — the same plea a worshipper makes before a fierce shrine image, terror and refuge sought in one breath.
— Reader's notes (original)