गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते ।
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
अर्जुन बोले हे कृष्ण युद्ध की इच्छावाले इस कुटुम्बसमुदाय को अपने सामने उपस्थित देखकर मेरे अङ्ग शिथिल हो रहे हैं और मुख सूख रहा है तथा मेरे शरीर में कँपकँपी आ रही है एवं रोंगटे खड़े हो रहे हैं । हाथ से गाण्डीव धनुष गिर रहा है और त्वचा भी जल रही है । मेरा मन भ्रमितसा हो रहा है और मैं खड़े रहने में भी असमर्थ हो रहा हूँ ॥
English
My bow slips from my hand. My skin burns. I cannot stand steady, and my mind reels.
What this verse means
Arjuna is overwhelmed by fear and grief. His body shakes, his bow slips, and he cannot steady his mind or even stand.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna stands before the armies and begins to break down. His bow, Gandiva, slips from his hand, his skin burns, and his mind spins. This is the moment his crisis becomes physical.
Why this verse still matters
You are about to speak in a meeting, but your throat tightens and your hands shake. The body knows before the mind admits it: this is too much right now.
The takeaway
Overwhelm can make even strength feel useless. The body and mind collapse together when fear takes over.
Word-by-word translation
गाण्डीवम् (the Gandiva bow) / स्रंसते (slips) / हस्तात् (from the hand) / त्वक् (skin) / च (and) / एव (indeed) / परिदह्यते (burns) / न (not) / च (and) / शक्नोमि (I am able) / अवस्थातुम् (to stand) / भ्रमति (reels) / इव (like) / च (and) / मे (my) / मनः (mind)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1: Arjuna Vishada Yoga — The Yoga of Arjuna's Despair, which contains 47 verses.
Explore related themes: kurukshetra (95 verses), arjuna (52 verses)