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← Chapter 1: The Yoga of Arjuna's Dejection

Verse 1.29

Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit

वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते | गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते ||२९||

Transliteration (IAST)

vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate | gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate ||29||

Word-by-Word Meanings

वेपथुः-trembling
रोमहर्षः-hair standing on end
गाण्डीवम्-the bow Gandiva
स्रंसते-slips
हस्तात्-from the hand
त्वक्-skin
परिदह्यते-is burning

Translation

My body trembles, my hair stands on end, my bow Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns all over.

Commentary

The slipping of Gandiva - Arjuna's legendary bow - from his hand is deeply symbolic. The weapon that defines his identity as a warrior fails him at the moment of crisis. His burning skin suggests an inner fire of moral anguish consuming him from within.

Themes

dharmadutysurrender