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Bhagavad-gītā 1.14

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ । माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥ १४ ॥
tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte
[tatah shvetair hayair yukte]
mahati syandane sthitau
[mahati syandane sthitau]
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva
[maadhavah paandavash chaiva]
divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ
[divyau shankhau pradadhmatuh]
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 .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte
tataḥ
thereafter
śvetaiḥ
with white
hayaiḥ
horses
yukte
being yoked
mahati syandane sthitau
mahati
in a great
syandane
chariot
sthitau
situated
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva
mādhavaḥ
Kṛṣṇa (the husband of the goddess of fortune)
pāṇḍavaḥ
Arjuna (the son of Pāṇḍu)
ca
also
eva
certainly
divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ
divyau
transcendental
śaṅkhau
conchshells
pradadhmatuḥ
sounded .
Important Words
  • śvetaiḥ — with white
    Vedic colour-coding: *śveta* = pure, sāttvika, brāhmaṇa-like. Arjuna's chariot is yoked to the colour of sattva. Krishna's chariot driving is the yoking of action (kṣatriya) to purity (brāhmaṇa) — the very synthesis the Gītā will later teach.
  • syandane — in a chariot
    *Syandana* — from *syand* (to flow, to run swiftly). The chariot is the *flowing one*, the moving platform. The Upaniṣads use the chariot as the body-image (Kaṭha 1.3.3: *ātmānaṁ rathinaṁ viddhi*). Vyāsa here puts the Lord *as charioteer* on a chariot — anticipating the metaphor that lets the whole Gītā be heard as Kṛṣṇa driving the soul.
  • mādhavaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, husband of the goddess of fortune
    *Mā* (Lakṣmī) + *dhava* (husband). The first of Kṛṣṇa's many names in the Gītā — and it is His relational name, not His personal one. Vyāsa introduces Him as *Lakṣmī's lord*. Fortune itself rides on this chariot.
  • pāṇḍavaḥ — Arjuna, son of Pāṇḍu
    Arjuna is named only as *Pāṇḍu's son* — by lineage, not by personal name. Vyāsa pairs *Mādhava* with *Pāṇḍava* — Lakṣmī's lord beside Pāṇḍu's son. The two relational names sit in dignified balance: Lord and devotee, named not by ego but by belonging.
  • divyau — transcendental
    *Divya* — from *div* (to shine, the heavens). Same root as *deva*, *divine*. The opposing conches were earthly *śaṅkhāḥ*; these are *divyau śaṅkhau*. Two conches, dual number — the Lord and His servant always sound together. The Gītā's whole theology of *nāma-saṅkīrtana* is foreshadowed here: divine sound, sounded in pairs.
On the other side, both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, stationed on a great chariot drawn by white horses, sounded their transcendental conchshells.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Sañjaya pans the camera to the Pāṇḍava side. The image is regal: Kṛṣṇa as charioteer and Arjuna as warrior on one great chariot drawn by white horses, blowing 'divya' (celestial) conchs. The dual verbs and dual nouns underline their inseparable partnership.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The white horses (śveta-haya) are gifts from Citraratha (Mahābhārata Ādi-parvan). The chariot itself is Agni's, given to Arjuna during the Khāṇḍava burning. Note the deliberate use of dual number throughout (sthitau, divyau, śaṅkhau, pradadhmatuḥ) — Sañjaya marks Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna as a pair, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, anticipating the deeper theology of their relationship that the Gītā will unfold.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
ततः श्वेतैः हयैः युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ माधवः पाण्डवः च एव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ।
tataḥ śvetaiḥ hayaiḥ yukte mahati syandane sthitau mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaḥ ca eva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ |
Then, stationed on a great chariot yoked with white horses, Mādhava and the Pāṇḍava blew their divine conchs.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
ततः श्वेतैः हयैः युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ । माधवः पाण्डवः च एव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥
tataḥ śvetaiḥ hayaiḥ yukte mahati syandane sthitau | mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaḥ ca eva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
ततः tataḥ ind. (indeclinable) thereupon
श्वेतैः śvetaiḥ श्वेत adj. ins.pl. (instrumental plural)m. white
हयैः hayaiḥ हय (m.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) with horses
युक्ते yukte √युज् p.p.p. (past passive participle) loc.sg. (locative singular)m. yoked
महति mahati महत् adj. loc.sg. (locative singular)m. great
स्यन्दने syandane स्यन्दन (m.) loc.sg. (locative singular) in/on the chariot
स्थितौ sthitau √स्था p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.du. (nominative dual)m. stationed (both)
माधवः mādhavaḥ माधव (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)
पाण्डवः pāṇḍavaḥ पाण्डव (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna)
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic
दिव्यौ divyau दिव्य adj. acc.du. (accusative dual)m. divine
शङ्खौ śaṅkhau शङ्ख (m.) acc.du. (accusative dual) two conchs
प्रदध्मतुः pradadhmatuḥ प्र+√ध्मा perf. (perfect) 3du.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) the two blew
Purport

In contrast with the conchshell blown by Bhīṣmadeva, the conchshells in the hands of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are described as transcendental. The sounding of the transcendental conchshells indicated that there was no hope of victory for the other side because Kṛṣṇa was on the side of the Pāṇḍavas. Jayas tu pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ yeṣāṁ pakṣe janārdanaḥ. Victory is always with persons like the sons of Pāṇḍu because Lord Kṛṣṇa is associated with them. And whenever and wherever the Lord is present, the goddess of fortune is also there because the goddess of fortune never lives alone without her husband. Therefore, victory and fortune were awaiting Arjuna, as indicated by the transcendental sound produced by the conchshell of Viṣṇu, or Lord Kṛṣṇa. Besides that, the chariot on which both the friends were seated had been donated by Agni (the fire-god) to Arjuna, and this indicated that this chariot was capable of conquering all sides, wherever it was drawn over the three worlds.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
14. Then Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, standing in a large chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
14. Then Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, standing in a large chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches.
Commentary

In this verse, the desire to fight which arose in the troops of the Pāṇḍavas is described. Though the others were also standing in their chariots, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are particularly mentioned in this regard to indicate the special nature of the chariot, which was given by Agni himself, [Note: The chariot, quiver, horses were given to Arjuna and cakra to Kṛṣṇa by Agni before he devoured the Khāṇḍava forest.] which had great power and could conquer the three worlds.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Here are a few more symbols indicating the Pandavas' victory: Krsna is on their side. Krsna and Arjuna's conchshells are called 'divyau',transcendental. Where Krsna is present there is also Laksmidevi, the goddess of fortune.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: All Pandavas blew conchshells and all other instruments that made a tumultuous sound

NAMES OF DIFFERENT CONCHSHELLS: S. No

Warriors

Conchshell

1.

Krishna

Panchajanya

2.

Arjuna

Devadatta

3.

Yudhishtara

Anantavijaya

4.

Bhima

Paundra

5.

Nakula

Sughosa

6.

Sahadeva

Manipushpaka

PLEASE NOTE: Text 1.13 has no purport. Text 1.14 purport is covered under the main theme ‘Signs of Victory of

Pandavas’ above. Purports for Texts 1.15 to 1.18 are presented in the ‘Focus of Learning’ sections below

Focus of Learning

(a) Sanjaya very tactfully informed King Dhrtarashtra of the following points through all the above

mentioned verses:

His unwise policy of deceiving the sons of Pandu and endeavoring to enthrone his own sons was not very laudable
All the signs indicate that the whole Kuru dynasty would be killed
From the grandsire Bhisma to the grandson Abhimanyu, and all the kings of all states were doomed
And Dhrtarashtra was the cause of the whole catastrophe because he encouraged the policy followed by his sons

(a) Message announced by conchshells – Blowing of conchshells announced the message that

Kauravas were predestined to lose the battle

(b) Importance of names

Hrsikesha
Owner of all senses / senses of living entities are part and parcels of His senses

▪ Impersonalists cannot account for the senses of the living entities and they are

always anxious to describe the living entities as sense-less or impersonal

Lord as Paramatma directs the senses according to the surrender of the living entity
Directly controls transcendental senses of a pure devotee like Arjuna
Govinda – Pleasure-giver to cows and senses
Dhananjaya – Arjuna helped elder brother to fetch wealth for different sacrifices
Vrkodara – Eat as voraciously as he could do herculean tasks (Bhima)
Few other names explained – Madhusudana / Vasudeva / Devaki-nandana / Yasoda-nandana / Partha-sarthy (Read 1.15 purport)
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
1.14 Sri Sankaracharya did not comment on this sloka. The commentary starts from 2.10.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
1.1 - 1.19 Dhrtarastra said - Sanjaya said Duryodhana, after viewing the forces of Pandavas protected by Bhima, and his own forces protected by Bhisma conveyed his views thus to Drona, his teacher, about the adeacy of Bhima's forces for conering the Kaurava forces and the inadeacy of his own forces for victory against the Pandava forces. He was grief-stricken within. Observing his (Duryodhana's) despondecny, Bhisma, in order to cheer him, roared like a lion, and then blowing his conch, made his side sound their conchs and kettle-drums, which made an uproar as a sign of victory. Then, having heard that great tumult, Arjuna and Sri Krsna the Lord of all lords, who was acting as the charioteer of Arjuna, sitting in their great chariot which was powerful enough to coner the three worlds; blew their divine conchs Srimad Pancajanya and Devadatta. Then, both Yudhisthira and Bhima blew their respective conchs separately. That tumult rent asunder the hearts of your sons, led by Duryodhana. The sons of Dhrtarastra then thought, 'Our cause is almost lost now itself.' So said Sanjaya to Dhrtarastra who was longing for their victory. Sanjaya said to Dhrtarastra: Then, seeing the Kauravas, who were ready for battle, Arjuna, who had Hanuman, noted for his exploit of burning Lanka, as the emblem on his flag on his chariot, directed his charioteer Sri Krsna, the Supreme Lord-who is overcome by parental love for those who take shelter in Him who is the treasure-house of knowledge, power, lordship, energy, potency and splendour, whose sportive delight brings about the origin, sustentation and dissolution of the entire cosmos at His will, who is the Lord of the senses, who controls in all ways the senses inner and outer of all, superior and inferior - by saying, 'Station my chariot in an appropriate place in order that I may see exactly my enemies who are eager for battle.'
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
1.12 1.29 Sri Abhinavgupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
1.14. Then, also, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), seated in the magnificent chariot, yoked with white horses, blew divine conches.
Commentary

1.14 ततः then? श्वेतैः (with) white? हयैः horses? युक्ते yoked? महति magnificent? स्यन्दने in the chariot? स्थितौ seated? माधवः Madhava? पाण्डवः Pandava? the son of Pandu? च and? एव also? दिव्यौ divine? शङ्खौ conches? प्रदध्मतुः blew.No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
1.14 Then, Madhava (Krsna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), stationed in their magnificent chariot with white horses yoked to it, loudly blew their divine conchs.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
1.14 Then seated in their spacious war chariot, yoked with white horses, Lord Shri Krishna and Arjuna sounded their divine shells.
Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)
Related verses
BG 1.15 BG 18.78 BG 11.33 SB 1.7.23 SB 1.15.19 SB 10.89.58 CC Ādi 1.2 CC Ādi 7.4 CC Madhya 15.274 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.1Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.6
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Kṛṣṇa and the pure devotee blow their conches together — the Lord and His servant always work in unison.
Practical Applications
  • When you serve, picture yourself working alongside a great devotee, not alone.
  • Read about Arjuna's friendship with Kṛṣṇa to feel the sweetness of confidential service.
  • Allow Kṛṣṇa to act through you today — set aside the burden of being the doer.
Reflection Questions
  • When I serve, am I aware of Kṛṣṇa as my companion, or only as my employer?
  • What 'conch' has Kṛṣṇa given me to blow — and am I sounding it?
Analogy

When the Lord and His friend stand on one chariot drawn by white horses and blow their conches together, the sound is not louder than the enemy's — it is *different*. A single transcendental note set against a hundred war-drums: small in volume, infinite in source.

Stories
The white horses of Arjuna's chariot

Arjuna's chariot was given by Agni, the fire-god, after Arjuna helped him consume the Khāṇḍava forest. Its four white horses came from the celestial regions, gifted by Citraratha the king of the Gandharvas. The chariot was indestructible and the banner was Hanumān himself, who had agreed to ride along until the war's end.

Now Kṛṣṇa drives this chariot. Vyāsa names the colour of the horses — *śveta* — because whiteness in Vedic poetry is the colour of purity, of brāhmaṇa-knowledge, of Sarasvatī. The Lord and the kṣatriya ride together, drawn by purity itself, and from this chariot the *divyau śaṅkhau* — transcendental conches — are sounded. The opposing side blew earthly conches; this side blows *divine* ones. The verse already hints at the unequal sources of sound.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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