BHAGAVAD GEETA – 11 : Swami Advayanandaji.
=========================================================================
Chapter-1.
Arjuna Vishadha yogam (“Yoga of Arjuna’s Despondency” )
Sri Veda Vyasaji
Discourse – 1 (47 Slogas)
=========================================================================
Tuesday, 20 Jun, 2023. 06:35.
Post - 11.
========================================================================
1.3 RESPONSE OF THE PANDAVAS
(Slogas - 14-25, 12 No.)
=======================================================================
SANJAYA NOW TURNS his attention to the Pandavas. In the next 12 slogas we see
the response of the Pandavas to the war cry of the Kauravas.
Sri Veda Vyasaji raises the descriptive quality of these verses by a good few notches.
His descriptions become more charged with poetic fervour and flare. There is no doubting
which army Sri Veda Vyasa has his sympathies for.
========================================================================
Slogas - 14 & 15A : Conches – Lord Krishna & Arjuna
1
Tatah shwetaih hayaih yukte = Then, yoked with white horses,
2
mahati syandane sthitau; = seated in their magnificent chariot,
3
Maadhava Paandava cha eva = Madhava and the son of Pandu also
4
divyau shankhau pra-dadhmatuh. = blew their divine conches.
5
Paanchajanyam hrisheekeshah = Hrisheekesha blew the Panchajanya;
6
Devadattam Dhananjayah; = Dhananjaya blew the Devadatta;
=========================================================================
The response from the Pandavas begins with the Lord Himself blowing His Divine
conch, the Panchajanya. This is followed immediately by Arjuna blowing his Devadatta.
========================================================================
Slogas - 15B & 16: Conches – the Other Pandavas
7
Paundram dadhmau mahaashankham The great conch, Paundram, was blown
8
Bheema-karmaa vrikodarah. by Bhima, the “wolf-bellied”.
9
Ananta-vijayam raajaa The Anantavijaya was blown by the King
10
Kunti-putrah Yudhishthirah; Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti;
11
Nakulah Sahadevah cha Nakula and Sahadeva (blew their conches),
12
Sughosha Manipushpakau. named Sughosha and Manipushpaka.
========================================================================
We notice that Veda Vyasa has taken the trouble to actually name all six of the
conches blown so far. For the Kauravas there was no such naming ceremony.
=========================================================================
Sloga - 17: Conches – the Pandava Army Generals
1
Kaashyah cha parama ishvaasah The king of Kashi, an excellent archer;
2
Shikhandee cha mahaarathah; Shikhandi, the mighty chariot-warrior;
3
Drishtadyumnah Viraatah cha Drishtadyumna and Virata,
4
Saatyakih cha aparaajitah. and Satyaki, the invincible . . .
=========================================================================
Shikhandi was born as a woman, but, as per her Karma, she became manly and
played the role of a warrior. As advised by Bhishma himself, Arjuna positioned Shikhandi in
front of him when he faced the former in battle. Bhishma, on principle of not fighting with a
woman, refused to shoot his arrows at Arjuna. Arjuna then shot the fatal arrows at him.
Drishtadyumna was destined to kill Dronacharya in the battle. When the latter heard
that his son Aswatthama was killed (actually an elephant named Aswatthama was killed), he
dropped his bow. Being disarmed was the only condition when he could be killed.
Drishtadyumna then cut off the head of Dronacharya.
=========================================================================
Sloga - 18: Conches – the Sons of the Pandavas
1
Drupadah Draupadeyaah cha = Drupada and the sons of Draupadi,
2
prithivee-pate; = O Lord of the entire Earth,
3
Saubhadrah cha mahaabaahuh = and the son of Subhadra, the mighty-armed –
4
shankhaan dadhmuh prithak prithak. = all of them blew their respective conches.
=========================================================================
Subhadra was Sri Krishna’s sister. She was married to Arjuna. Their son’s name was
Abhimanyu.
We further note that five slogas (from 14 to 18) are used to describe the Pandavas’
response, with each one given a specific mention. In the case of the Kauravas only Bhishma
is given special mention. None of the Kaurava brothers is named. slogam 13 hastily covers
them all. Again we see here the touch of genius in Sri Veda Vyasa, and his strong support for
the Pandavas.
*****
Next
Slogam - 19: Kaurava Hearts Shattered
To be continued
=========================================================================
Comments
Post a Comment