Gita 1.30
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते।
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः।।
gāṇḍīvaṁ sraṁsate hastāt tvak caiva paridahyate na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
"My bow Gandiva is slipping from my hand, my skin is burning, I am unable to stand, and my mind is reeling."
What This Means:
Gandiva—Arjuna's divine bow that never failed him—is slipping from his grasp. His skin burns, he can't stand straight, his mind is spinning. The greatest archer in the world can't hold his weapon.
Going Deeper:
The bow slipping symbolizes loss of identity. Arjuna IS his bow—it defines him as a warrior. When the bow falls, who is he? This is an identity crisis as much as a moral one.
How To Apply This:
When your 'tools'—the things that define your competence—feel like they're slipping away, it signals a deeper crisis. What happens when we can't be who we thought we were?
Key Sanskrit Terms:
Gandiva= Arjuna's divine bowBhramati= Reeling, spinning, confused