This shloka shows the first clear expression of Arjuna’s inner transformation.

In the previous shlokas, Arjuna saw the people standing in both armies as fathers, grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law, well-wishers, and relatives. That seeing was not casual. He saw them closely and intensely. Now the result of that seeing appears.

The word kṛpayā is very important. In ordinary usage, it can mean compassion or pity. But here it should not be understood as noble compassion. Compassion belongs to a clear mind. Here Arjuna is not acting from clarity. He is being emotionally overwhelmed. Therefore, kṛpā here means attachment, rāgaḥ — a sentimental emotional leaning toward “my people.”

The word parayā means intense or extreme. Arjuna’s attachment is not mild. It is strong enough to overpower him.

The word āviṣṭaḥ means “overpowered,” “possessed,” or “taken over.” This shows that Arjuna is no longer master of the emotion. The emotion has become the master. A wise person may use an emotion deliberately, like a tool. But here Arjuna is not using emotion; emotion is using him.

Then comes viṣīdan — grieving, sorrowing, sinking into sadness. Attachment and sorrow are connected. When the mind depends on people or situations for its happiness, the thought of losing them produces sorrow. Arjuna has not yet lost Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and the others. But he imagines their loss. That imagined loss is enough to make the sorrow rise.

Thus the angry Arjuna has become the sorrowful Arjuna. The rational Arjuna has become emotional Arjuna. The soldier Arjuna has become saṁsāri Arjuna. Until now, he saw the war as dharma-yuddha. Now he begins to see it through svajana — “my own people.”

The word svajanam is central. Arjuna says, “seeing this svajanam.” Sva means one’s own, and jana means people. So svajanam means “my own people.” The moment he sees them as “my people,” the earlier dharma-adharma clarity begins to weaken. He no longer says, “I see those who support Duryodhana’s adharma.” He says, “I see my own people.”

He also says yuyutsum samupasthitam — they are assembled here, eager to fight. The painful contradiction is now before his eyes. These are his own people, and they are ready for battle. Until now, he was ready to fight. But seeing “my people” ready to fight changes the entire inner atmosphere.

This shloka marks the beginning of Arjuna’s sorrow. The full physical symptoms and arguments will come in the next shlokas. Here the root is shown: attachment has overpowered him, and sorrow has begun.