Verse 28
arjuna uvāca
dṛṣṭvemam svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṁ ca pariśuṣyati
Word-for-Word Meaning:
- arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said
- dṛṣṭvā — having seen
- imam — this
- svajanam — kinsmen, own people
- kṛṣṇa — O Krishna
- yuyutsum — desirous to fight
- samupasthitam — present here
- sīdanti — are trembling, failing
- mama — my
- gātrāṇi — limbs, body
- mukham — mouth
- ca — and
- pariśuṣyati — is drying up
Arjuna said: O Krishna, seeing my own kinsmen arrayed here, eager to fight, my limbs fail, and my mouth is parched.
Expanded Commentary and Interpretation
This verse is one of the most emotionally charged expressions in the Gita, showcasing Arjuna’s psychosomatic reaction to the moral horror of war. The confident warrior is beginning to unravel—not due to fear of death, but due to the pain of fighting those he loves.
Contextual Flow
In the previous verses, Arjuna identified friends, family, and teachers on the battlefield. Now, the full emotional realization hits him—they are not just present, but ready to kill and be killed.
This realization disrupts him physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Psychological and Emotional Analysis
1. Trauma Response in Real Time
Arjuna’s description is intensely somatic:
- “Sīdanti mama gātrāṇi” – “My limbs are collapsing”
- “Mukham ca pariśuṣyati” – “My mouth is drying up”
These are classic signs of anxiety, dread, and trauma.
He is not fighting faceless enemies—he is fighting his own people. The word svajanaṁ (“my own kin”) is powerful—it shows deep identification with those on the opposite side.
2. The Body as a Mirror of the Mind
Arjuna’s physical breakdown reflects his inner ethical and emotional collapse.
- Trembling limbs = moral indecision
- Dry mouth = loss of speech and clarity
- A heroic figure reduced to human vulnerability
This contrast is intentional. The Gita is showing that no external training can prepare one for internal conflict.
3. Yuyutsum Svajanam – Loved Ones Wanting War
The phrase “yuyutsum svajanam” (my kin, desiring war) is painful. Arjuna’s torment is not just that his loved ones are present—it’s that they are ready to kill.
It evokes questions:
- What turns family into enemies?
- What does it mean when your own people desire your destruction?
Spiritual Symbolism and Metaphor
1. Inner Civil War
This verse symbolizes the inner war we all face.
- “Svajanaṁ” can represent parts of our own mind.
- When your own desires, fears, and values are at war with each other, you tremble.
- Arjuna’s paralysis mirrors the inner fragmentation every soul must confront.
2. Collapse Before Clarity
Spiritually, this verse teaches us: before higher wisdom arises, the ego must collapse.
Arjuna’s strength, built on identity and pride, is being dismantled so that a new understanding of Self and Duty can arise.
Philosophical Implications
1. Dharma vs. Attachment
Arjuna is caught between two forces:
- Dharma (duty as a warrior)
- Moha (emotional attachment)
His inability to act arises not from cowardice, but from misalignment between his role and his feelings.
The Gita shows us: clarity is lost when the heart clings and the mind resists.
2. Crisis as Spiritual Opening
In Indian philosophy, crisis is often the doorway to realization.
Arjuna’s trembling is the precursor to his awakening. The true Guru (Krishna) appears when the disciple (Arjuna) is ready to shed old illusions.
Arjuna as the Universal Seeker
This verse is not about a prince—it is about us.
- We too tremble when our values are challenged.
- We too dry up when our worldviews collapse.
- We too cry out to Krishna when life becomes too real to handle.
This verse captures the moment of surrender, the raw edge of despair that often leads to deeper growth.
Reflection Questions
Use these to introspect on your own spiritual journey:
1. What makes your “limbs fail”?
- What situations leave you paralyzed or exhausted?
- Is it conflict, expectations, guilt?
2. Who are your “svajanaṁ yuyutsum”?
- Are there parts of you that seem at war with each other?
- Are you battling with loved ones, and if so, why?
3. How does your body reflect your inner state?
- Do you notice tension, fatigue, dryness when you’re emotionally conflicted?
- Can you listen to these signs as wisdom signals?
4. When did you last call out like Arjuna?
- Have you had moments where you felt helpless and sought divine guidance?
- What came from that cry?
Meditation Prompt
Close your eyes and imagine a situation where you’re about to take a difficult action—one that challenges your emotional bonds and sense of self.
Feel your body’s reaction. Ask:
What is trembling in me? And what is drying up?
Then imagine Krishna—your inner wisdom—standing beside you, just as He stood beside Arjuna.
Final Takeaway
This verse teaches a powerful truth:
Even the mightiest warrior can fall to his knees before the battlefield of love and duty.
And that’s not failure. It’s the beginning of wisdom.
The Bhagavad Gita honors that vulnerability. It doesn’t dismiss Arjuna’s weakness—it uses it as the entry point for divine teaching.
Arjuna’s voice here is the voice of the heart, raw and unfiltered. And Krishna listens—not to correct, but to guide him from confusion to clarity, from emotion to wisdom, from paralysis to purpose.