VERSES 15 TO 19 OF ARJUNA VISHADA YOGA.

VERSE NUMBER 15:

Text in Transliteration:

Paanchajanyam hrsheekeso

Devattam dhanamjayah

Paundram dadhamau mahaasandkam

Bheemakarmaa vrkodarah

Text in English:

Panchajanya was blown by Hrishikesa, and Devadatta by Dhananjaya, Vrikodara of terrible exploits blew his great conch, Paundra;

Comments:

According to Dr. Radhakrishnan, the blowing of various conches by those mentioned hereby indicates their readiness for battle.

Swami Chidbhvananda of Thirupparaithurai near Thiruchirappalli gives a detailed explanation for the way each person is described in this verse:

According to him, there is much significance in calling the Lord Krishna as Hrishikesa; the term means only to the Lord Krishna, and it means he who is in complete control of his senses. For any greatness to be achieved, the doer must have a mastery over his senses. The Lord Krishna has achieved much throughout the course of the epic Mahabharata. At a different context, Swami Chidbhavananda says that if we compare the totality of the activities done and indulged in by all the characters of the epic, they are not equal to the ceaseless and cumulative activities by Sri Krishna! This was possible for the Lord only because He was the Lord of His own senses, unlike us who are driven by our senses. The senses are the steeds and the charioteer is the Lord Krishna in us, but we should give him scope and room to steer our senses, which can be achieved by the unflinching devotion to the Lord or Bhakti Yoga by every one of us!

Lord Shiva is also called and described by the Saint Manikkavasagar as the Lord of the senses in his devotional songs called, THIRUVASAGAM in Tamil. Lord Shiva is described by him as the one with a deer under his left arm clutched strongly. Because the senses have an inbuilt proclivity to run in all directions like a deer! But the Lord has checked the course of the run-away senses! It is also significant in the context of Lord Shiva’s having given the left side of his body to His Spouse, Parvati! So, the senses described as the deer clutched under His left arm has lots and lots of significance! It is also notable that when the Indian Parliamentarians are still striving to give 33 percentage of quota of representation in the Indian Parliament for women, Lord Shiva gave as much as 50 percent of His own body to His Spouse. Surely the Lord is the first champion of the women’s Lib!

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, there is significance in describing Arjuna as Dhananjaya, for he went around the country and captured the hidden wealth of various rulers and utilised them for the public weal. And Vrikodara literally means one having the belly of the wolf. Here Bhima is described as Vrikodara because of his hunger and strong digestive power like the wolf. And further that he who has a strong digestive power can indulge in mighty activities. Both body and mind must be supplied the fuel of energy only through the digestive system. Bhima is especially known for his bodily prowess. Thus the term fits him very nicely.

VERSE NUMBER16:

Text in Transliteration:

Anantavijayam raajaa

Kunteeputro yudhishthirah

Nakulah sahadevas cha

Sughoshamaneepushpakaou

Text in English:

The King Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew Anantavijaya; Nakula and Sahadheva blew Sughosha and Manipushpaka.

Comments:

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, Yudhishthira is a king to the core. He was a king. Then at the game of dice he lost his kingdom through the scheme of Sakuni, the uncle of Duriyonadhana, and sent into exile. On both occasions the kingly bearing did not leave Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandava Brothers.

It is also significant that he is blowing the conch, namely, Anandavijaya, or the bliss begotten by victory. Already the fate of the war has been sealed by the conducts of the Kauravas.

VERSE NUMBER 17:

Text in transliteration:

Kaasyas cha parameshvaasah

Sikandee cha mahaarathah

Dhrstadyumno viraatas cha

Saatyakis chaa ‘paraajitah

Text in English:

And the Ruler of Kasi, the adept archer and Sikhandi the great chariot-warrior, Dhrshtadyumna and Virata and Satyaki, the invincible;

Swami Chidbhavananda raises a pertinent point here: Sikhandi is a eunuch. He is devoid of beard and moustache. Bhishma had taken a wow that he would lay down arms if he confronted a woman or a eunuch. Sikhandi therefore, very soon became the immediate cause of Bhishma’s defeat. And Dhrshtadyumna means one who cannot be successfully encountered by anybody.

VERSE NUMBER 18:

Text in Transliteration:

Drupado draupadeyaas cha

Savrvasah prthiveepate

Saubhadras ch mahaabaahuh

Sankhaan dadhmuh prthak-prthak

Text in English:

O Ruler of the Earth! Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty armed son of Subhadra, all these as well blew their several conches:

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, Sanjaya addresses Dhrtarashtra, the blind king, as the Ruler of the Earth is very purposeful and significant. A king’s primary duty is safeguarding his subject from external aggression so they can go about their work and daily activities without fear, but here the king , the blind king has thrust a ruinous war on his own subjects. He further opines that Sanjaya implies that your subjects are going to be annihilated, and events are heading toward a catastrophe, and what the blind king is going to do now.

VERSE NUMBER 19:

Text in transliteration:

Sa ghoso dhaartaraashtraanaam

Hrdayaani vyadarayat

Nabhas cha prthiveem chai ‘va

Tumulo vyanunaadayan

Text in English:

Filling the earth and the sky with reverberation that tumultuous uproar rent the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarashtra;

Comments:

According to Swami Chidbhavananda, those who are righteous and just have the verve, and they muster up for action.  The  Pandavas exhibit such a disposition. That uproar seems to rend the hearts of the Kauravas.

IT IS NOTABLE THAT VARIOUS PERSONS BLEW THEIR OWN BRANDS OF CONCHES. IT IS NOT EASY TO BLOW EVEN A SMALL CONCH. AND , EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE HAVING THEIR OWN SMARTPHONE-LIKE GADGETS TO BRANDISH ONE’S LUNG POWER IN FRONT OF ONE’S ENEMY, EVEN AS MANY OF US CANNOT DESIST FROM BRANDISHING   OUR COSTLY GADGETS IN FRONT OF EVEN STRANGERS. SO WEALTH, AS DIFFERENT FROM THE BODILY AND MENTAL MIGHT, MAKES ONE TREAT EVEN A STRANGER AS ONE’S ENEMY! THE SATISFACTION WE DERIVE IS IN PROPORTION TO ITS EXHIBITION AND MAKE OTHERS BECOME JEALOUS OF US! THE REAL WEALTH IS GOOD HEALTH AND A GOOD AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE! AND IF WE ARE RELIGIOUS MINDED WITHIN BOUNDS SO WE WON’T BECOME  AUTOCRATS TO THRUST OUR FAITH ON OTHERS HAVING THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND BELIEF, THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE BETTER!