Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 74

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

सञ्जय उवाच ।
इत्यहं वासुदेवस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः ।
संवादमिममश्रौषमद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम् ॥

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca .
ityahaṃ vāsudevasya pārthasya ca mahātmanaḥ .
saṃvādamimamaśrauṣamadbhutaṃ romaharṣaṇam ॥

Meaning

Sanjaya said: Thus have I heard this wondrous, thrilling dialogue between Vasudeva and the great-souled Partha.

Word meanings

सञ्जयः उवाच – Sanjaya said
इति – thus
अहम् – I
वासुदेवस्य – of Vasudeva (Krishna)
पार्थस्य – of Partha (Arjuna)
च – and
महात्मनः – great-souled
संवादम् – dialogue
इमम् – this
अश्रौषम् – have heard
अद्भुतम् – wondrous
रोमहर्षणम् – making the hair stand on end, thrilling

Anvaya (word order)

सञ्जयः उवाच — इति अहं वासुदेवस्य महात्मनः पार्थस्य च इमम् अद्भुतं रोमहर्षणं संवादम् अश्रौषम् ।

Explanation

With Arjuna's final words the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna ends, and the narrative thread of the Gita returns to Sanjaya. Recall that the entire Gita is in fact being narrated by Sanjaya to the blind king Dhritarashtra, who sat in the palace at Hastinapura wanting to know what was happening on the battlefield (1.1). Now that the dialogue is complete, Sanjaya expresses his own feelings.

Sanjaya gives the dialogue two epithets. Adbhutam — wondrous, astonishing. It is wondrous because in the midst of war, between two armies, the highest spiritual knowledge was revealed; a deluded warrior rose up free of doubt; and the Lord himself displayed his cosmic form. Romaharshanam — thrilling, making the hair stand on end. This is the bodily expression of a deep spiritual experience.

Sanjaya addresses both speakers with honour. Vasudeva — son of Vasudeva, and also 'he who dwells in all' — the all-pervading Supreme. Parthasya cha mahatmanah — and of the great-souled Partha. Sanjaya calls Arjuna mahatma, a great soul, because it was his questions and surrender that gave this divine knowledge the occasion to be revealed.

There is a subtle message here for Dhritarashtra too. Sanjaya seems to be saying: O king, you can judge for yourself the outcome of a war against those on whose side Vasudeva himself stands, and among whom is a great soul like Arjuna. This thought becomes explicit in the final verse (18.78).

Context

The previous verse contained Arjuna's final words, ending the Krishna–Arjuna dialogue. This verse begins Sanjaya's conclusion, in which he shares his experience with Dhritarashtra. In the next verse (18.75) Sanjaya explains that he heard this dialogue through Vyasa's grace.

Life lesson

When true wisdom touches the heart, it thrills not only the intellect but one's whole being. Treasure opportunities for noble conversation and good company. Those whose questions give wisdom the chance to emerge also deserve honour.

Key terms

Vasudeva: Son of Vasudeva; he who dwells in all — Krishna
Mahatma: Great-souled — here, Arjuna
Adbhuta: Wondrous, extraordinary
Romaharshana: Thrilling, causing the hair to stand on end