Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 19

English Translation

That tremendous sound pierced the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra as it reverberated through the sky and the earth.

Detailed Commentary

1.19. Explanation: 'Sa ghoṣo Dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ tumulo vyanunādayan' – The conch-sound of the Pāṇḍava army was so vast, deep, high, and formidable that its reverberations filled the space between Earth and sky. That sound shattered the hearts of those who had unjustly usurped the kingdom and the kings who stood to aid them. This means that within their hearts, a thunderous noise and fear arose, causing a pain akin to that inflicted by weapons. That conch-sound weakened the fighting spirit in the hearts of the Kaurava army, causing them to fear the Pāṇḍava forces. Sañjaya recounts these events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. It does not seem appropriate for Sañjaya to directly state to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that 'the hearts of his sons were shattered'. Therefore, instead of 'Dhārtarāṣṭrānām', Sañjaya ought to have said 'of your sons or relatives', as that would be courteous. Here, interpreting 'Dhārtarāṣṭrānām' as 'those who unjustly seized the kingdom' seems both appropriate and refined. From this perspective, it is fitting to understand that their hearts were shattered precisely because they sided with injustice. Here, a doubt arises: why did the sounding of conches by the eleven Akṣauhiṇī army of the Kauravas have no effect on the Pāṇḍava army, while the sounding of conches by the seven Akṣauhiṇī army of the Pāṇḍavas shatter the hearts of the Kaurava army? The resolution to this is that those whose hearts are free from adharma, sin, and injustice – that is, those who righteously fulfill their duties – possess strong hearts; they do not fear. Being on the side of justice, they are filled with enthusiasm and valor. The Pāṇḍavas had ruled righteously even before their exile and, after their exile, had also righteously sought their kingdom back from the Kauravas. Therefore, there was no fear in their hearts, but rather enthusiasm and valor. This means the Pāṇḍavas' side was that of Dharma. For this reason, the sounding of conches by the eleven Akṣauhiṇī army of the Kauravas had no effect on the Pāṇḍava army. However, those who commit adharma, sin, injustice, and so forth, naturally possess weak hearts. Their own committed sins and injustices render their hearts feeble. Adharma consumes the adharmī (unrighteous). Duryodhana and others had unjustly tried to kill the Pāṇḍavas, deceitfully snatched their kingdom, and inflicted suffering upon them. Due to this, their hearts had become weak. This means the Kauravas' side was that of adharma. Therefore, the conch-sound of the Pāṇḍavas' seven Akṣauhiṇī army shattered their hearts, causing them immense agony. From this context, a sādhak (spiritual aspirant) should become vigilant, ensuring that no act of injustice or unrighteousness (adharma) is ever committed by their body, speech, or mind. Actions tainted by injustice and adharma weaken a person's heart, engendering fear within them. For example, the entire three worlds (Trilokī) feared Rāvaṇa, the lord of Laṅkā, yet when he went to abduct Sītā, he looked around fearfully. Therefore, a sādhak must never engage in conduct marked by injustice or adharma. Connection: In the first verse, Dhṛtarāṣṭra had inquired about his own sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu. Sañjaya provided the answer from the second to the nineteenth verse. Now, Sañjaya begins the narrative of the manifestation of the Bhagavad Gītā from the next verse.