He sits down and puts down the bow

evamuktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye rathopastha upāviśatvisṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ

Saying this on the battlefield, Arjuna sank down in his chariot, let go of his bow and arrows, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

What it means

Sanjaya ends the chapter with one image. Arjuna sits down in the chariot. He puts aside his bow and arrows. His mind is shaken by sorrow. The first chapter of the Gita ends not with a battle, but with a man who has stopped.

The story

This chapter is called Arjuna Vishada Yoga, the yoga of Arjuna's despair. That name is a quiet promise. Even despair can become a path, if it leads to asking for help. In the next chapter, Arjuna will ask, and Krishna will begin to speak.

In your life

Picture someone who finally sits down in a counsellor's office and says, I don't know what to do. That isn't defeat. It's the start. If you've reached your limit, stop. Then ask someone wise for help.