Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 14

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ ।
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau .
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ ॥

Meaning

Then Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in their great chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches.

Word meanings

ततः – then
श्वेतैः – white
हयैः – with horses
युक्ते – yoked
महति – great
स्यन्दने – in the chariot
स्थितौ – the two, seated
माधवः – Madhava, Krishna, the lord of Lakshmi
पाण्डवः – the son of Pandu, Arjuna
च एव – and also
दिव्यौ – divine (two)
शङ्खौ – conches
प्रदध्मतुः – blew forcefully

Anvaya (word order)

ततः श्वेतैः हयैः युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ माधवः पाण्डवः च एव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ।

Explanation

Sanjaya now turns to the Pandava side, and the very tone of his description changes. For the Kauravas he spoke only of a tumultuous noise; here he describes the chariot, the horses and the conches, all of them divine. The Pandava reply also begins with Krishna and Arjuna, a sign of the presence of dharma and of the Lord.

This 'great chariot' was no ordinary vehicle. At the burning of the Khandava forest, Agni, the fire-god, had given Arjuna this chariot together with the Gandiva bow and inexhaustible quivers. Hanuman sat upon its banner, which is why Arjuna is called Kapidhvaja, 'he of the monkey banner'. Its white horses are said to have come from the gandharvas. White symbolises purity and sattva.

The name Madhava is significant. 'Ma' denotes Lakshmi, goddess of fortune, and 'dhava' means husband: Madhava is the lord of Lakshmi. Where the lord of fortune himself stands, victory and prosperity are assured. Another explanation is that he was born in the line of Madhu.

Sthitau, 'the two seated together', is deeply meaningful. God and devotee, charioteer and warrior, teacher and disciple: this union of Nara and Narayana is the true strength of the Pandavas. Krishna had vowed not to take up arms, yet as charioteer he holds the reins of Arjuna's chariot, and of his life.

Context

In answer to the conches and instruments of the Kaurava army (verses 12-13), the Pandava side now begins to sound its conches. The next verse names the conches of Krishna, Arjuna and Bhima.

Life lesson

When the reins of life's chariot are entrusted to the Divine, every action takes on something sacred. Linking our work to a pure purpose is what turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Key terms

Madhava: lord of Lakshmi; Krishna, descendant of Madhu
Syandana: a war chariot
Kapidhvaja: he whose banner bears Hanuman; Arjuna
Divya shankha: a divine, wondrous conch