Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 17

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः ।
धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः ॥

Transliteration

kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ .
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ ॥

Meaning

The king of Kashi, a supreme archer, the great chariot-warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and the unconquered Satyaki (also blew their conches).

Word meanings

काश्यः – the king of Kashi
च – and
परमेष्वासः – the supreme archer
शिखण्डी – Shikhandi
महारथः – the great chariot-warrior
धृष्टद्युम्नः – Dhrishtadyumna
विराटः – King Virata
सात्यकिः – Satyaki (Yuyudhana)
अपराजितः – the unconquered

Anvaya (word order)

परमेष्वासः काश्यः च, महारथः शिखण्डी च, धृष्टद्युम्नः विराटः च, अपराजितः सात्यकिः च ।

Explanation

After the five Pandavas, Sanjaya describes the conches of the other leading warriors on their side. The sentence continues into the next verse, where the verb shankhan dadhmuh, 'blew their conches', appears.

The king of Kashi is called parameshvasa, a supreme archer. The royal house of Kashi had an old link with the Kurus: Bhishma had carried off the three daughters of an earlier king of Kashi, Amba, Ambika and Ambalika. Ambika and Ambalika became the mothers of Dhritarashtra and Pandu.

Shikhandi is part of the same story. Amba, humiliated because of Bhishma, performed austerities to bring about his death and was reborn in Drupada's house as Shikhandi. On the tenth day of the war Arjuna shot at Bhishma from behind Shikhandi, and Bhishma, true to his vow not to strike one who had been a woman, did not resist. The danger against which Duryodhana had ordered Bhishma's protection in verse 11 was standing right here.

Dhrishtadyumna was the supreme commander of the Pandava army, and he eventually slew Drona. Virata, king of Matsya, has already been introduced in verse 4. Satyaki is called aparajita, 'unconquered'; he was never defeated in the entire war and was among the few warriors who survived it.

Context

Verses 15-16 described the conches of the five Pandavas; this verse and the next describe those of the other heroes on their side. Together the two verses form a single sentence.

Life lesson

The consequences of injustice return sooner or later, as Amba's story returned in the form of Shikhandi. So in every action we should keep the dignity of others and justice in mind.

Key terms

Parameshvasa: the finest of archers
Shikhandi: child of Drupada, Amba reborn; the means of Bhishma's fall
Aparajita: unconquered; Satyaki