"Seeing this kinsmen arrayed, O Krishna, eager for battle..." – The name 'Krishna' was very dear to Arjuna. This form of address appears nine times in the Gita. No other form of address for Lord Shri Krishna appears this many times. Similarly, the name 'Partha' was very beloved to the Lord for Arjuna. Therefore, the Lord and Arjuna used these names in their conversations with each other, and this fact was also well-known among people. From this perspective, Sanjaya mentions the names 'Krishna' and 'Partha' at the end of the Gita: "Where there is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, and where there is Partha, the wielder of the bow..." (18.78).
Earlier, Dhritarashtra had said, "assembled together, desirous to fight," and here Arjuna also says, "eager for battle, arrayed"; however, there is a great difference in their perspectives. In Dhritarashtra's view, Duryodhana and others are *my* sons, and Yudhishthira and others are Pandu's sons – such is the distinction; therefore, Dhritarashtra used the terms 'my sons' and 'the sons of Pandu' there. But in Arjuna's view, there is no such distinction; therefore, Arjuna says 'kinsmen' here, which includes people from both sides. The implication is that Dhritarashtra has fear and sorrow due to the apprehension of his own sons dying in the war; but Arjuna is grieving with the apprehension of relatives from both sides dying – that whichever side anyone dies from, they are still our kinsmen.
Until now, the word 'seeing' has appeared three times: "Having seen the army of the Pandavas..." (1.2), "Having seen the sons of Dhritarashtra arrayed..." (1.20), and here "Seeing this kinsmen..." (1.28). The meaning of these three is that Duryodhana's seeing remained of one kind only, i.e., Duryodhana's sentiment was solely that of war; but Arjuna's seeing became of two kinds. First, seeing the sons of Dhritarashtra, Arjuna, filled with valor, stands up for battle, taking up his bow; and now, seeing his kinsmen, he is becoming possessed by cowardice, desisting from war, and the bow is falling from his hand.
"My limbs are giving way... and my mind is reeling as it were" – In Arjuna's mind, anxiety and sorrow are arising concerning the future consequences of the war. The effect of that anxiety and sorrow is falling upon Arjuna's entire body. That very effect Arjuna is describing in clear words: each limb of my body – hands, feet, face, etc. – is becoming weak! The mouth is drying up, making it difficult even to speak! The whole body is trembling! All the hairs on the body are standing on end, meaning the entire body is horripilating! That Gandiva bow, by the twang of whose string enemies become terrified, that very Gandiva bow is today falling from my hand. There is a burning sensation in the skin, throughout the body. My mind is becoming bewildered, meaning I cannot even discern what I ought to do! Here, in this battlefield, I am becoming incapable of even standing on the chariot! It seems I will fall down unconscious! In such a disastrous war, even standing here seems like a sin.
**Connection:** Having described the eight signs of sorrow in his body in the previous verse, Arjuna now, from the perspective of omens indicative of future consequences, states the impropriety of waging war.
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