Some hurriedly enter Thy mouths with their terrible teeth, fearful to behold. Some are found sticking in the gaps between the teeth with their heads crushed to powder.
In simple words
Arjuna watches in horror: "They are rushing into Your terrible mouths. Some are caught between Your teeth with their heads crushed to powder."
Word-by-word meanings
वक्त्राणिmouthsतेThyत्वरमाणाःhurryingविशन्तिenterदंष्ट्राकरालानिterribletoothedभयानकानिfearful to beholdकेचित्someविलग्नाःstickingदशनान्तरेषुin the gaps between the teethसंदृश्यन्तेare foundचूर्णितैःcrushed to powderउत्तमाङ्गैःwith (their) heads
11.27 वक्त्राणि mouths? ते Thy? त्वरमाणाः hurrying? विशन्ति enter? दंष्ट्राकरालानि terribletoothed? भयानकानि fearful to behold? केचित् some? विलग्नाः sticking? दशनान्तरेषु in the gaps between the teeth? संदृश्यन्ते are found? चूर्णितैः crushed to powder? उत्तमाङ्गैः with (their) heads.Commentary How do they enter into the mouth Arjuna continues
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
Modern
One who remains steadfast in his quest for truth and seeks to understand the cosmos without fear or prejudice cannot ignore the destructive aspect of nature. Without the dissolution of matter—the raw material—no new creation can come into being. Everywhere in the universe, existence is merely the repetition of transformation. When we view this change from the perspective of what is created, we call it creation; when we view it from the perspective of the material substance, we call it destruction.
Thus we see that the bold Aryan seers of Hindu dharma, in their hymns of praise to the supreme truth, did not merely behold it as the all-knowing creator or the almighty sustainer. Rather, they also perceived and sang praises to it as the all-powerful destroyer of all names and forms. To those religious doctrines that have not yet examined and analyzed life in its totality, such a statement may seem terrible.
Arjuna's words are meaningful. He does not see the cosmic form consuming all names and forms through oblation, but rather sees those names and forms swiftly entering the mouth of the cosmic being. If we observe the ocean, we find that it does not rise from its place to receive the waves into itself; rather, the waves themselves, after a moment's play, naturally and swiftly dissolve back into the ocean. Similarly, this diversity that has emerged from truth, after its play upon the surface of truth, must inevitably merge swiftly into the complete being from which it arose.
Arjuna sees the warriors of the Kaurava faction—Bhishma, Drona, and others—as well as the principal warriors of his own side, swiftly entering the gaping mouth of the destructive element of nature. This vision not only terrifies Arjuna and breaks his courage, but also grants him the confidence to look into the future. Although the Kauravas were more powerful in terms of military numbers and weapons, the sight of their destruction gives Arjuna fortitude. This was a sign of events to come. When the Lord manifests in the cosmic form, in that conception of unity, not only does space contract, but time too becomes the object of our observation.
Therefore, if Arjuna, in that cosmic form, saw the past merging with the present and moving toward the future, there is nothing surprising in this. Whether I read the first two pages of the entire Bhagavad Gita or skip them and read the third page depends upon my will. Similarly, when the entire cosmic form stood before Arjuna, he could see in a single glance everywhere and in all places, and also the past, present, and future. Modern scientists too acknowledge this fact: that space and time are essentially one, and they are expressed in relation to each other.
Those devoted to truth and seekers of truth do not fear what truth their inquiry will lead them to. If that truth is terrible, they accept it as well. This world is a mixture of two opposing principles. It contains beauty and ugliness, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, gentleness and harshness, sweetness and bitterness—all together. The Supreme Being expresses itself in all these forms. Therefore, if we accept only the beautiful, auspicious, gentle, and sweet aspects of the Divine according to our preference, then such worship of God or such evaluation of truth cannot be called complete. The unbiased and detached person must acknowledge the ugly, inauspicious, harsh, and bitter aspects of the Divine. That philosophy alone is complete which teaches that although the Supreme Being expresses itself in all these names, forms, and qualities, yet in its transcendent nature, it is entirely beyond all these qualities.
Therefore, using a pure scientific method, Arjuna must be given a detailed description of the cosmic form, however terrible and blood-curdling that description may be. Undoubtedly, the Gita contains knowledge of reality. Here, time's mouth is depicted as fearsome and terrible with fierce fangs—a true and accurate portrayal.
Arjuna says: In what manner are they entering?