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Bhagavad-gītā 1.30

न च शक्न‍ोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः । निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ॥ ३० ॥
na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ
[na cha shaknomy avasthaatum]
bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
[bhramateeva cha me manah]
nimittāni ca paśyāmi
[nimittaani cha pashyaami]
viparītāni keśava
[vipareetaani keshava]
Word-for-word
na — nor ca — also śaknomi — am I able avasthātum — to stay bhramati — forgetting iva — as ca — and me — my manaḥ — mind nimittāni — causes ca — also paśyāmi — I see viparītāni — just the opposite keśava — O killer of the demon Keśī (Kṛṣṇa) .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ
na
nor
ca
also
śaknomi
am I able
avasthātum
to stay
bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
bhramati
forgetting
iva
as
ca
and
me
my
manaḥ
mind
nimittāni ca paśyāmi
nimittāni
causes
ca
also
paśyāmi
I see
viparītāni keśava
viparītāni
just the opposite
keśava
O killer of the demon Keśī (Kṛṣṇa) .
Important Words
  • śaknomi — am I able
    *Śak* — to be able, to have power. Same root as *Śakti*, *Śakra* (Indra, "the able one"). Arjuna confesses he has lost *śakti*. The Gītā's whole project is the rehabilitation of *śakti* — not as personal power, but as the soul's capacity in alignment with the Supreme.
  • bhramati — forgetting
    *Bhram* — to whirl, to wander, to be confused. Same root as *bhrama* (illusion) and the Gītā's later *bhrāntiḥ* (BG 14.13). Arjuna's mind is *whirling*. The Gītā treats *bhrama* as a treatable condition — chapter 18 will close with *naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā* ("my illusion is gone, my memory is recovered").
  • manaḥ — mind
    *Manas* — the lower mind, the seat of impressions and reactions. Distinct from *buddhi* (discriminative intelligence) and *ātman* (soul). The Gītā's whole psychology of yoga rests on the distinction: *manas* alone, untethered, *whirls*. *Manas* yoked to *buddhi* yoked to *ātman* yoked to Kṛṣṇa becomes still.
  • nimittāni — causes
    *Nimitta* — instrumental cause. A precise philosophical term. Arjuna sees "the opposite *nimitta*" — he sees the causes pointing the *wrong* way. The Gītā will use *nimitta* again in 11.33: *nimitta-mātraṁ bhava* — "be merely an instrumental cause." Here Arjuna cannot accept being an instrument; chapter 11 will return him to the word with a new meaning.
  • viparītāni — just the opposite
    *Vi-parīta* — inverted, contrary. The Gītā will later use *viparyaya* and *viparyāsa* for *inverted perception* under the modes (BG 18.30–32). Arjuna's diagnosis of his own moment is precise: *I see things inverted*. Self-honesty about one's own inversion is already a step out of it.
I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Kṛṣṇa, killer of the Keśī demon.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Arjuna confesses three deeper failures: he cannot stand, his mind whirls, and even the omens appear against him. The progression is from body (previous verses) to mind to cosmos — his whole world is going wrong at once.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Nimitta refers to omens read from physical phenomena — bird-calls, animal movements, atmospheric signs. Vipāritāni nimittāni = inauspicious omens; in his perception, the universe itself disapproves. Keśava is one of Kṛṣṇa's names (slayer of Keśin, or 'with beautiful hair'). The verse marks the shift from sāttvika-bhāva (body symptoms) to manas-bhrama (mental disorientation) and onward to moral reasoning. This is the architecture of Arjuna's collapse.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे केशव! (अहम्) अवस्थातुं न च शक्नोमि, मे मनः भ्रमति इव; विपरीतानि निमित्तानि च पश्यामि ।
he keśava! (aham) avasthātuṃ na ca śaknomi, me manaḥ bhramati iva; viparītāni nimittāni ca paśyāmi |
O Keśava, I cannot stand firm; my mind is as if whirling; and I see contrary omens.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
न च शक्नोमि अवस्थातुं भ्रमति इव च मे मनः । निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव ॥
na ca śaknomi avasthātuṃ bhramati iva ca me manaḥ | nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
न na ind. (indeclinable) not
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
शक्नोमि śaknomi √शक् pres. (present) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) I am able
अवस्थातुम् avasthātum अव+√स्था inf. (infinitive) to stand firm
भ्रमति bhramati √भ्रम् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) whirls, reels
इव iva ind. (indeclinable) as if
मे me अस्मद् gen.sg. (genitive singular) enclitic my
मनः manaḥ मनस् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) mind
निमित्तानि nimittāni निमित्त (n.) acc.pl. (accusative plural) omens, signs
पश्यामि paśyāmi √दृश् pres. (present) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) I see
विपरीतानि viparītāni वि+परि+√इ p.p.p. (past passive participle) acc.pl. (accusative plural)n. contrary, inauspicious
केशव keśava केशव (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular) O Keśava
Purport

Due to his impatience, Arjuna was unable to stay on the battlefield, and he was forgetting himself on account of this weakness of his mind. Excessive attachment for material things puts a man in such a bewildering condition of existence. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt ( Bhāg. 11.2.37 ): such fearfulness and loss of mental equilibrium take place in persons who are too affected by material conditions. Arjuna envisioned only painful reverses in the battlefield – he would not be happy even by gaining victory over the foe. The words nimittāni viparītāni are significant. When a man sees only frustration in his expectations, he thinks, “Why am I here?” Everyone is interested in himself and his own welfare. No one is interested in the Supreme Self. Arjuna is showing ignorance of his real self-interest by Kṛṣṇa’s will. One’s real self-interest lies in Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. The conditioned soul forgets this, and therefore suffers material pains. Arjuna thought that his victory in the battle would only be a cause of lamentation for him.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
30. I cannot stay fixed and my mind seems to whirl about. I see contrary results in this battle, O Keśava.
Commentary

Nimitta is used in the sense of “end result”, just as the goal of money is a good residence. I will not get happiness by attaining the kingdom if I win the war, but rather will suffer sorrow, the opposite result.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
30. I cannot stay fixed and my mind seems to whirl about. I see contrary results in this battle, O Keśava.
Commentary

I cannot even (ca) remain steady and my mind seems to whirl about. This indicates the appearance of weakness and fainting. I see opposite results (viparītāni nimittāni) in this war: being victorious and gaining a kingdom will not give me bliss; tather it will give the opposite, remorse. Nimitta means “result,” as in the usage “For what purpose (nimitta) are you living here?”

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Krsna, killer of the Kesi demon. (cn/DS) In his Purport, Srila Prabhupada summarizes for all practical purposes, the all purpose of the Bhagavad‑gita and what Arjuna's trouble is: "Arjuna envisioned only painful reverses in the battlefield‑‑he would not be happy even by gaining victory over the foe. The words nimittani viparitani are significant. When a man sees only frustration in his expectations, he thinks, ``Why am I here?'' Everyone is interested in himself and his own welfare. No one is interested in the Supreme Self. Arjuna is showing ignorance of his real self‑interest by Krsna's will. One's real self‑interest lies in Visnu, or Krsna. The conditioned soul forgets this, and therefore suffers material pains. Arjuna thought that his victory in the battle would only be a cause of lamentation for him." The word 'nimittani' means 'the causes'. And 'viparitani' means 'the opposite'. These words are significant in this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains, because "the causes of what I want to happen, just the opposite is going to happen, if I fight in this battle", Arjuna is thinking. "I want happiness, I want to regain the kingdom, I want these type of pleasures, to fight with Duryodhana... but just the opposite of the actual res are going to come from my fighting. How can I be inspired to fight if just misery is going to come? Arjuna was examining the results of this battle just from the point of view of how it is going to affect him and with his great intelligence he saw that the effects were going to be just the opposite of what he desires. Therefore he is extremely up‑set and don't want to fight at all. Now Arjuna is thinking: "If I fight in this battle, I've practically been empowered by Krsna, I am going to survive and all this people is going to die. How strange it is that their death is going to bring them to the heavenly planets and for me, who is not going to die, what is going to happen? I will be responsible for killing this people, getting unlimited sin and no good is going to come to me. I will not even go to the heavenly planets like the people that I am going to kill." We may say: "Even if Arjuna doesn't go to heaven at least he will gain the kingdom." But Arjuna doesn't agree that it is worth of it. Thus he says:
Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Signs of compassion (9 points)

S.No

Body part

Sign

1.

Limbs

Quivering

2.

Mouth

Drying up

3.

Whole body

Trembling

4.

Hair

Standing on end

5.

Hands

Gandiva bow slipping

6.

Skin

Burning

7.

Legs

Unable to stand any longer due to impatience

8.

“Forgetting myself and mind reeling” – Due to weakness of the heart

9.

Sees only causes of misfortune

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION II

Identification with, and attachment to the body disables one from executing his religious duties, which is ultimately to execute Krishna’s will
It is interesting to analyze the cause and effect of Arjuna’s bewilderment
It is brought on by seeing in terms of one’s own self-interest
The result of such vision is fear, loss of composure, indecision, and confusion of moral codes
ARJUNA’S SECOND ARGUMENT — LOSS OF ENJOYMENT (1.31 — 1.35)

REFUTATION:

Lord Krishna refutes this argument in Texts 2.31 – 2.32

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
1.30 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
1.26 - 1.47 Arjuna said - Sanjaya said Sanjaya continued: The high-minded Arjuna, extremely kind, deeply friendly, and supremely righteous, having brothers like himself, though repeatedly deceived by the treacherous attempts of your people like burning in the lac-house etc., and therefore fit to be killed by him with the help of the Supreme Person, nevertheless said, 'I will not fight.' He felt weak, overcome as he was by his love and extreme compassion for his relatives. He was also filled with fear, not knowing what was righteous and what unrighteous. His mind was tortured by grief, because of the thought of future separation from his relations. So he threw away his bow and arrow and sat on the chariot as if to fast to death.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
1.30 – 1.34 Na ca sreyah, etc., upto mahikrte. Those who are wrongly conceived as object of slaying, with the individualizing idea that 'these are my teachers etc.'8 would necessarily generate sin. Similarly, the act of slaying even of those deserving to be slain in the battle-if undertaken with the idea that 'This battle is to be fought for the apparent results like pleasures, happiness etc.'- then it generates sin necessarily. This idea lurks in the objection [of Arjuna]. That is why a reply is going to be given [by Bhagavat] as 'You must undertake actions simply as your own duty, and not with an individualizing idea'.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
1.30. The (bow) Gandiva slips from my hand, and also my skins burns all over; I am unable even to stand and my mind is reeling, as it were.
Commentary

1.30 गाण्डीवम् Gandiva? स्रंसते slips? हस्तात् from (my) hand? त्वक् (my) skin? च and? एव also? परिदह्यते burns all over? न not? च and? शक्नोमि (I) am able? अवस्थातुम्? to stand? भ्रमति इव seems whirling? च and? मे my? मनः mind.No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
1.30 Moreover, O Kesava (Krsna), I am not able to stand firmly, and my mind seems to be whirling. And I notice the omens to be adverse.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
1.30 The bow Gandeeva slips from my hand, and my skin burns. I cannot keep quiet, for my mind is in tumult.
Related values & verses
Related values
Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Arjava (Simplicity / Straightforwardness)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 2.1 BG 2.7 BG 18.66 SB 8.2.32 SB 1.8.25 SB 10.29.26 CC Madhya 22.100 CC Antya 20.32 CC Madhya 19.151 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23BRS 1.2.100
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
When the mind reels and even the bow slips from the hand, illusion has reached its peak — and Kṛṣṇa is closest.
Practical Applications
  • Treat moments of complete confusion as portals, not failures.
  • When the bow slips — when you cannot continue your normal life — use that as the cue to turn to Kṛṣṇa fully.
  • Reach out to a trusted devotee in such moments rather than withdrawing.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in my life has the bow already slipped, and I am pretending it is still in my hand?
  • What would it look like to fully admit my incapacity and ask Kṛṣṇa for help?
Analogy

When even the mind reels — when even Arjuna, the conqueror of sleep, cannot stand — the *bhṛama*, the dizziness, is itself a doorway. The Gītā teaches that the moment one cannot keep one's own ground is the moment Kṛṣṇa can finally place the ground beneath one's feet.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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