Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 1, Verse 29-31

वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते || 29||
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चै व परिदह्यते |
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मन: || 30||
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव |
न च श्रेयोऽनुपश्यामि हत्वा स्वजनमाहवे || 31||

vepathuśh cha śharīre me roma-harṣhaśh cha jāyate
gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt tvak chaiva paridahyate
na cha śhaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva cha me manaḥ
nimittāni cha paśhyāmi viparītāni keśhava
na cha śhreyo ’nupaśhyāmi hatvā sva-janam āhave

vepathuḥ—shuddering; cha—and; śharīre—on the body; me—my; roma-harṣhaḥ—standing of bodily hair on end; cha—also; jāyate—is happening; gāṇḍīvam—Arjun’s bow; sraṁsate—is slipping; hastāt—from (my) hand; tvak—skin; cha—and; eva—indeed; paridahyate—is burning all over; na—not; cha—and; śhaknomi—am able; avasthātum—remain steady; bhramati iva—whirling like; cha—and; me—my; manaḥ—mind; nimittāni—omens; cha—and; paśhyāmi—I see; viparītāni—misfortune; keśhava—Shree Krishna, killer of the Keshi demon; na—not; cha—also; śhreyaḥ—good; anupaśhyāmi—I foresee; hatvā—from killing; sva-janam—kinsmen; āhave—in battle

vepathush cha sharire me roma-harshash cha jayate
gandivam sramsate hastat tvak chaiva paridahyate
na cha shaknomy avasthatum bhramativa cha me manah
nimittani cha pashyami viparitani keshava
na cha shreyo ’nupashyami hatva sva-janam ahave

Translation

BG 1.29-31: My whole body shudders; my hair is standing on end. My bow, the Gāṇḍīv, is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning all over. My mind is in quandary and whirling in confusion; I am unable to hold myself steady any longer. O Krishna, killer of the Keshi demon, I only see omens of misfortune. I do not foresee how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle.

Commentary

Here Arjun has addressed Shree Krishna as Keśhava, killer of a demon called Keshi. Yet, for Arjun the thought of killing his own relatives troubled him to such an extent that, his body started to tremble. He was unable to even hold his magnificent bow Gāṇḍīv, which could emit sounds that petrified even the most powerful enemies. Arjun had become so disillusioned that superstition started gripping him. He could only see bad omens indicating severe devastation. Thus, he felt it would be a sin to engage in such a battle. 

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