Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 13

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः ।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ .
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo.abhavat ॥

Meaning

Then conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums and cow-horns all blared forth at once, and the sound was tumultuous.

Word meanings

ततः – then
शङ्खाः – conches
च – and
भेर्यः – large kettledrums
पणवानकगोमुखाः – tabors, drums and cow-horns
सहसा – suddenly
एव – indeed
अभ्यहन्यन्त – were sounded
सः – that
शब्दः – sound
तुमुलः – tumultuous, uproarious
अभवत् – became

Anvaya (word order)

ततः शङ्खाः च भेर्यः च पणवानकगोमुखाः सहसा एव अभ्यहन्यन्त; सः शब्दः तुमुलः अभवत् ।

Explanation

With Bhishma's conch, the Kaurava army seemed to receive its signal. On every side conches, bheris, panavas, anakas and gomukhas burst forth together. The bheri was a great kettledrum, the panava a small drum, the anaka a kind of large drum, and the gomukha a wind instrument shaped like a cow's mouth, a kind of horn. In ancient battles such instruments gave signals to the troops and filled them with fervour.

The words sahasa eva, 'all of a sudden', suggest that the sound did not rise in any planned order but erupted together in excitement. Tumula means an uproar so great that no single note can be distinguished within it.

Notice that Sanjaya does not name the instruments of individual Kaurava warriors, nor give any conch a special name. In the description of the Pandava side that follows, every conch is named and the effect of their sound is described. The noise of the Kauravas remained only noise; no special effect on the enemy is mentioned.

This uproar is like the outward form of the inner turmoil that pervaded the side of adharma: a great deal of noise, but no steady conviction within.

Context

After Bhishma's conch (verse 12), the instruments of the whole Kaurava army sound. From the next verse the Pandava side replies, beginning with the divine conches of Krishna and Arjuna.

Life lesson

Noise and display are no proof of strength. Where there is inner conviction and clear purpose, even a few words carry deep effect.

Key terms

Bheri: a large war kettledrum
Panava, Anaka: different kinds of drums
Gomukha: a horn shaped like a cow's mouth
Tumula: tumultuous, overwhelming sound