Bhagavad Gita BG 1.30
Chapter 1, Verse 30 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते । न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥ ३० ॥
gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāt tvak caiva paridahyate na ca śaknomy avasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
Meaning
My bow Gandiva slips from my hand, my skin burns all over; I am unable to stand, and my mind seems to whirl.
Understanding
Gandiva was Arjuna's legendary divine bow — given to him by Agni (the fire god) and described as capable of withstanding any enemy. Its slipping from his hand is the ultimate symbol of his breakdown: the instrument of his warrior identity falls away. His skin burns, he cannot stand, his mind whirls. More physical symptoms follow across these two verses — the Gita does not minimise Arjuna's pain but gives it full voice before the teaching begins.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| गाण्डीवम् | gāṇḍīvam | Gandiva (Arjuna's divine bow) |
| स्रंसते | sraṃsate | slips / falls / slides down |
| त्वक् | tvak | skin |
| परिदह्यते | paridahyate | burns all over |
| भ्रमति | bhramati | whirls / spins / wanders |
| हस्तात् | hastāt | from the hand |
| च एव | caiva | and also |
| न | na | not (negation) |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| शक्नोमि | śaknomi | I am able / I can |
| अवस्थातुम् | avasthātum | to stand / to remain upright |
| इव | iva | as if / it seems / like |
| मनः | manaḥ | the mind |