Verse (Bhagavad Gita 1.29)
Sanskrit:
वेपथुश्च शरीरे मे रोमहर्षश्च जायते।
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते ॥ २९ ॥
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Literal Translation:
"My body trembles, my hair stands on end. Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns."
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Samkhya Perspective and Interpretation:
This verse vividly portrays the mind-body connection when the ego (Ahamkara) faces dissolution. The fear of letting go of attachments (Samskaras) manifests as psychosomatic symptoms. Arjuna, overwhelmed by emotional turmoil, experiences the body's natural response to resistance against higher wisdom (Jnana).
Word-by-Word Breakdown (Samkhya Perspective):
वेपथुः च शरीरे मे (Vepathuḥ Cha Śarīre Me – My body trembles)
→ Vepathuḥ (Trembling) = The agitation of the mind (Manas) when it faces uncertainty.
→ Śarīre (Body) = The gross physical body (Sthula Sharira) reacting to mental distress.
→ Symbolizes the instability of the ego (Ahamkara) when faced with a challenge to its identity.
रोमहर्षः च जायते (Romaharṣaḥ Cha Jāyate – My hair stands on end)
→ Romaharṣaḥ (Hair standing on end) = A deep emotional and nervous system response.
→ In Samkhya, this can indicate both fear (Bhaya) and awe (Adbhuta Bhava).
→ The ego oscillates between resistance to change and the recognition of a greater truth.
गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात् (Gāṇḍīvaṁ Sraṁsate Hastāt – Gandiva slips from my hand)
→ Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna's bow) = Represents Arjuna's willpower (Icchā Shakti) and resolve (Dharma).
→ Sraṁsate Hastāt (Slipping from the hand) =
The loss of control over action (Karma).
The mind (Manas) losing its determination due to emotional upheaval.
The ego (Ahamkara) resisting its dissolution, leading to inaction.
त्वक् चैव परिदह्यते (Tvak Chaiva Paridahyate – My skin burns)
→ Tvak (Skin) = The outermost sensory organ (related to the element Akasha or space).
→ Paridahyate (Burns) = Inner turmoil manifesting as physical distress.
→ Symbolizes the conflict between conditioned emotional attachments (Moha) and the emerging realization of higher truth (Buddhi).
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Final Samkhya-based Translation:
"As the conditioned ego (Ahamkara) faces dissolution, the body (Sharira) reacts with fear and agitation. The mind (Manas), resisting higher wisdom (Jnana), trembles, unable to maintain stability. The seeker (Arjuna) feels his willpower (Gandiva) slipping as the force of attachment (Moha) clouds his clarity. His sensory perception (Tvak) burns, overwhelmed by the conflict between illusion (Avidya) and awakening."
This verse signifies the body's natural resistance to transformation. When the ego confronts the reality of impermanence, fear, paralysis, and anxiety arise. The trembling body, the loss of will, and the burning sensation all symbolize the inner battle between attachment and wisdom.