Gita 01.14: The dramatically humble entry of the hero

 

Audio link 2: Gita 01.14 – The dramatically humble entry of the hero

 

tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte

mahati syandane sthitau

mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva

divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ

 

Word for word: 

tataḥ — thereafter; śvetaiḥ — with white; hayaiḥ — horses; yukte—being yoked; mahati—in a great; Syandane—chariot; sthitau — situated; mādhavaḥ — Kṛṣṇa (the husband of the goddess of fortune); pāṇḍavaḥ — Arjuna (the son of Pāṇḍu); ca — also; eva — certainly; divyau — transcendental; śaṅkhau — conchshells; pradadhmatuḥ — sounded.

 

Translation:

On the other side, both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells.

 

Explanation:

 

On the Kaurava side, events are described until the thirteenth verse. Now, Sanjaya’s camera shifts to the Pāṇḍava side, where it will remain for the rest of the Gita. The first thing mentioned is “śvetair hayair yukte.” As the camera moves to the Pāṇḍavas, we see their horses—strikingly beautiful, shining, white, and majestic. These celestial steeds, along with the chariot, were a gift to Arjuna from Agni.

 

The phrase “mahati syandane sthitau” refers to the magnificent chariot. “Mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva” refers to Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, the names by which these two characters are commonly referred to in the Gita. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is respectfully referred to as “Shri Bhagawan”, but here, for poetic effect, names with alliterative endings are used: Madhava and Pāṇḍava. After describing the scene, the verse describes the action: “divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ,” meaning both blew their transcendental conchshells.

 

In movies, heroes often make dramatic entries. For instance, a hero might arrive in a posh car, doors springing open, revealing the hero’s shining shoes, then his clothes, and finally the hero’s handsome face as he springs into action. This creates a dramatic and impactful entrance for the hero.

 

Similarly, in this verse, the twin heroes, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, make a dramatic entrance. Though Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, His entry is surprisingly normal. Though He is the Supreme Hero, “Nayakanam Shiromani,” as he is known in the Bhakti tradition, among all heroes, He is the greatest, yet what is He doing? He has taken up the humble station of a charioteer. Normally, the chauffeur is hardly ever the hero; the chauffeur is simply a humble assistant, often receiving little attention. However, in the Vedic cultural context, Kṛṣṇa has taken this position as Arjuna’s charioteer. People might think that this person is just a charioteer, an ordinary person of little importance, but they would be greatly mistaken. As the Bhagavad Gita’s narrative progresses, it becomes clear that Kṛṣṇa is “mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat, kiñcid asti dhanañ-jaya,” meaning there is no truth beyond Him, He is the highest truth, as declared in Gita 7.7. Here, He is just described as being situated in the chariot “śvetair hayair yukte.”

 

As the camera focuses on the Pāṇḍavas, the first thing seen is the steeds of the chariot. In Vedic tradition, chariots are given with horses, much like cars come with wheels. For a special car racing driver, the standard wheels of the car might be replaced with specially customized ones. However, a Formula 1 racing car is entirely special and comes with customized wheels from the start, not standardized ones.

 

Similarly, Arjuna’s chariot, which he received from Agni, is very special; it comes with extraordinary steeds. “śvetair hayair, mahati syandane” refers to a magnificent chariot. Arjuna obtained this chariot when he and Kṛṣṇa were in the Khāṇḍava forest. After the Pāṇḍavas had returned to Hastinapur and were given half of the kingdom, Khāṇḍava Prastha, they began their efforts to make it habitable, civilized, and prosperous. While they were at the edge of the forest, a tall, effulgent-looking Brahmin appeared. This Brahmin was Agni, who explained that a king had given him a lot of ghee in sacrifice, which had upset his stomach. He needed to eat medicinal herbs from the nearby Khāṇḍava forest, but Indra, whose friend Takshaka resided in the forest, kept pouring rain to protect it, preventing Agni from consuming the herbs. Agni asked Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna for help, playing the role of a Brahmin and requesting charity, while Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna played the roles of Brahmanas.

 

They listened to Agni’s request with folded hands and a reverential look and immediately agreed to help. However, Arjuna said, “I definitely want to serve you, but I need a chariot equal to this task.”

 

Arjuna, as a member of the royal dynasty, had his chariots, but resisting and holding back the gods led by Indra would be a formidable task that could not be accomplished with an ordinary chariot, which would be destroyed by the force of celestial weapons. Therefore, Arjuna requested Agni to provide him with a special chariot and a bow. Agni consented, closed his eyes, and meditated. He summoned Varuna and asked him to retrieve a huge and magnificent bow along with two inexhaustible quivers of arrows from the depths of his waters, and to also get a magnificent chariot from Soma, the moon god.

 

Within moments, Varuna fulfilled Agni’s request, and the chariot appeared in front of Arjuna. Arjuna was stunned, amazed, and thrilled to see such a magnificent chariot and the bow. He circumambulated the chariot, climbed in, and became ready to fight. Using the gift that Agni had given him, he defeated all the rakshasas who had occupied, contaminated, defiled, and abused the forest and its resources. The same hero with the same heroic chariot is now here. The chariot, like Agni, can spread in all directions very quickly, making it capable of taking the war in any direction and conquering warriors. It was truly a magnificent chariot, “mahati syandane.”

 

The verse also describes the conchshells as “divyau.” Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental nature makes his conchshell divine. Arjuna, though not the Supreme Lord, is devoted to Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental cause, making his conchshell transcendental through its application. In Gita 4.9, Kṛṣṇa says his birth and activities are divine, “janma karma ca me divyam.” Similarly, Arjuna’s conch becomes divine in service to the Lord. Kṛṣṇa further elaborates on this in Gita 4.24 and 9.16, emphasizing the spiritualization of sacrificial elements and their highest manifestation as Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus, Arjuna’s conch, while materially made, is spiritually significant due to its use in divine service.

 

The action from the Pāṇḍavas’ side starts with this verse, “divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ,” where Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna blow their conchshells. This act triggers the other Pāṇḍava leaders to blow their conchshells, as will be mentioned in the next verse. Despite Dhṛṣṭadyumna being the commander, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna blow the first conchshells because everyone knows Arjuna is the greatest warrior, and Kṛṣṇa is the greatest person. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, by example, show that contribution to a cause is more important than position. Although Kṛṣṇa did not become the king of the Yadu dynasty, he remained a courtier and advisor to King Ugrasen. Similarly, Arjuna did not take the commander’s position, although he could have, given his competence. Their actions emphasize that making a meaningful contribution is what truly matters, regardless of one’s position.

 

While Dhṛṣṭadyumna held the position of commander, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were the de facto leaders of the Pāṇḍava army. This is evident from the fact that in response to the Kaurava army’s conchshell blowing, the first conchshell blown on the Pāṇḍava side is by the two transcendental personalities, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna.

 

Thank you.