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Chapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra · 46 verses

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Questions & crisisChapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
1.281.30

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.29

Arjuna recognizes loved ones and trembles

वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते ।

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्च‍ैव परिदह्यते ॥ २९ ॥

vepathuś ca śarīre me

roma-harṣaś ca jāyate

gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt

tvak caiva paridahyate

Translation

My whole body is trembling, my hair is standing on end, my bow Gāṇḍīva is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Arjuna’s Signs of Fear

  1. 1Arjuna’s body trembles, his hair stands on end, Gāṇḍīva slips from his hand, and his skin burns.
  2. 2Trembling and hair standing on end can come from spiritual ecstasy or great material fear.
  3. 3There is no fear in transcendental realization. Arjuna’s symptoms come from fear of losing life.
  4. 4His impatience makes his bow slip, and his burning heart causes his skin to feel hot.
  5. 5All these symptoms arise from a material conception of life.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 1, Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra: arjuna recognizes loved ones and trembles.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Honest questions open the way to wisdom.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: saṁśaya, viṣāda.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 1.29 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to questions & crisis?

Practice

Write down the real question behind your current dilemma.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 1 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 1.26Arjuna recognizes loved ones and tremblesBG 1.27Arjuna recognizes loved ones and tremblesBG 2.7The moment Arjuna becomes a discipleBG 6.34The restless mind

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.