Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 19

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् ।
नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलोऽभ्यनुनादयन् (or लोव्यनु) ॥

Transliteration

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat .
nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo.abhyanunādayan (lo vyanu)॥

Meaning

That tumultuous sound, echoing through the sky and the earth, tore apart the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra.

Word meanings

सः – that
घोषः – sound, uproar
धार्तराष्ट्राणाम् – of the sons of Dhritarashtra (and their side)
हृदयानि – hearts
व्यदारयत् – rent, pierced
नभः – the sky
च – and
पृथिवीम् – the earth
च एव – and also
तुमुलः – tumultuous
व्यनुनादयन् – making resound

Anvaya (word order)

सः तुमुलः घोषः नभः च पृथिवीं च एव व्यनुनादयन् धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् ।

Explanation

Sanjaya conveys the effect of the Pandava conches vividly in a single sentence: the sound reverberated through sky and earth and seemed to tear open the hearts of the Kauravas. No effect was mentioned for the Kaurava instruments, but the Pandava conches shook the morale of the enemy.

Why should the side with eleven akshauhinis tremble at the conches of an army of seven? The answer lies in conscience. The Kauravas knew that they had humiliated Draupadi, seized the kingdom by fraud, tried to burn the Pandavas alive in the house of lac, and refused to grant even five villages. The weight of this adharma had hollowed out their minds from within. On such a mind, even a single challenge from the side of dharma falls like a thunderbolt.

Sanjaya deliberately uses the word dhartarashtranam, 'of the sons of Dhritarashtra', so that the king understands it is his own sons whose hearts were pierced. It is also a foreshadowing of the destruction to come.

The Pandava conches included Krishna's Panchajanya. Where the Lord himself is present, the call to battle carries a power that strikes not only the ears but the heart directly.

Context

Verses 14-18 described the Pandava conches; here their effect on the Kauravas is told. From the next verse the focus of the narrative turns to Arjuna, who raises his bow and prepares to speak to Krishna.

Life lesson

A guilty conscience remains fearful within, however strong it looks outside. A clear mind and righteous conduct are the armour that no fear can pierce.

Key terms

Dhartarashtra: the sons of Dhritarashtra and their side
Ghosha: a deep resounding sound
Vyanunadayan: making it echo all around