Gita : Ch-1. Slo-17 & 18.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :


Chapter-1. ( Arjuna-vishadha-yogam )


Slokam-s- 17 & 18. (  That great archer the King of Kasi, the great fighter Sikandi, Dhrshtadyumna, Virata and the unconquerable Satyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the others, O King, such as the son of Subhadra, greatly armed, all blew their respective conchshells. )


17

kasyasca     parameshasah    sikhandi    ca    maharathah,



dhrshtadyumno     viratasca     satyakiscaparajitah.



18
drupado    draupadeyasca    sarvasah     prthvipate,



saubhadrasca    mahabahuh    samkhan    dadhmuh    prthak   prthak.



parameshasah    kasyah   ca   =   the   great    archer    the   king   of   kasi;

maharathah   sikhandi   ca   =   and   great   general   sikhand;

dhrshtadyumnah     viratas    ca   =   and   dhrshtadyumn   and   viratan;

aparajitah   satyaki    ca   =   and   unconquerable   satyaki   oo;

drupadah   draupadeya   ca   =   and   drupada   and   sons   of   draupati;

mahabahuh    saubhadrah    ca    =    and   great   warrior   abhimanyu;

prthvipate!   =   from   all   over   the   places;

prthak   prthak    samkhan    dadhmuh   =   different   different   sound   of   conch   shells   heard.




The narration is that the conchshell Pancajanya of Lord Krishna and the conch shells Devadatta, Paundram, Anantavijaya, Sughosa and Manipuspaka of the five Panadvas are renowned and famous; but in the army of Duryodhana there are no famous conch shells with any names. The point is whoever has aligned themselves with the Supreme Lord Krishna as their protector, undoubtedly without question will always be victorious. Then the warriors of the Pandava army began to sound their conch shells. Sikhandi is the son of Drupada who was born out of penance especially to slay Bhishma. Dristradyumna was born from a fire sacrifice especially to slay Drona. Satyaki was invincible like Arjuna never knowing defeat. So this verse is indirectly revealing to Dhritarastra that he should not entertain any ideas that his son Duryodhana will be victorious in the battle even with the assistance of Bhishma and Drona. 


The use of the word raja meaning king illustrates Yudhisthira receiving that title from the Rasasuya ceremony he successfully performed by receiving tribute from all other kings and crowning him so. Thus the superiority of the Pandavas is illustrated along with the inferiority of the Kauravas. By addressing Dhritarastra as prthivi-pate, Sanjaya is implying that the destruction of his dynasty by his own evil instigations and unrighteousness is eminent. 


Sanjaya informed King Dhrtarashtra very tactfully that his unwise policy of deceiving the sons of Pandu and endeavoring to enthrone his own sons on the seat of the kingdom was not very laudable. The signs already clearly indicated that the whole Kuru dynasty would be killed in that great battle. Beginning with the grandsire, Bhishma, down to the grandsons like Abhimanyu and others—including kings from many states of the world—all were present there, and all were doomed. The whole catastrophe was due to King Dhrtarashtra, because he encouraged the policy followed by his sons.

To be continued ...