Bhagavad Gita, The Song of God - 16 to 18 : Swami Mukundananda.

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Wednesday, 19 Jul 2023. 06:30.

Chapter -1. Arjuna Vishada Yogam: 16 to 18

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Slogas - 16 to 18

anantavijayam raja kunti-putro yudhishthirah

nakulah sahadevashcha sughosha-manipushpakau (16)

kashyashcha parameshvasah shikhandi cha maha-rathah

dhrishtadyumno viratashcha satyakish chaparajitah (17)

drupado draupadeyashcha sarvashah prithivi-pate

saubhadrashcha maha-bahuh shankhandadhmuh prithak prithak (18)

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16.

ananta-vijayam—the conch named Anantavijay; 

raja—king; 

kunti-putrah—son of Kunti; 

yudhishthirah—Yudhishthira; 

nakulah—Nakula; 

sahadevah—Sahadeva; 

cha—and; 

sughosha-manipushpakau—the conche shells named Sughosh and Manipushpak; 

17.

kashyah—King of Kashi; 

cha—and; 

parama-ishu-asah—the excellent archer; 

shikhandi—Shikhandi; 

cha—also; 

mahā-rathah—warriors who could single handedly match the strength of ten thousand ordinary warriors; 

dhrishtadyumnah—Dhrishtadyumna; 

viratah—Virata; 

cha—and; 

satyakih—Satyaki; 

cha—and; 

aparajitah—invincible; 

18.

drupadah—Drupada; 

draupadeyah—the five sons of Draupadi; 

cha—and; 

sarvashah—all;

prithivi-pate—Ruler of the earth; 

saubhadrah—Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra; 

cha—also; 

maha-bahuh—the mighty-armed; 

shankhan—conch shells; 

dadhmuh—blew; 

prithak prithak—individually.

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BG 1.16-18: 

King Yudhishthira, blew the Anantavijay, while Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughosh and Manipushpak. The excellent archer and king of Kashi, the great warrior Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Virat, and the invincible Satyaki, Drupada, the five sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed Abhimanyu, son of Subhadra, all blew their respective conch shells, O Ruler of the earth.

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Yudhisthtira, the eldest Pandava is being addressed here as “King.” He always displayed royal grace and nobility, whether living in a palace or in a forest when in exile. He also got this title by performing the Rajasuya Yajna a royal sacrifice, which earned him tributes from all the other kings of the world.  

In this sloga, Sanjay also called Dhritarashtra the “Ruler of the earth.” The real reason for this appellation was to remind him of his duties as the ruler of the country. With so many kings and princes participating from both sides in this war, it was as if the entire earth was split into two parties. It was definite that this mammoth war would cause irreversible destruction. The only person who could stop the war at this juncture was Dhritarashtra, and Sanjay wanted to know if he was willing to do that.

*****

To be continued

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