Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 14: Meaning and Special Explanation

Sloka (Verse):

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ।
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः॥१४॥

Tataḥ śvetair hayair yukte mahati syandane sthitau।
Mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaś caiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ॥14॥

Word-by-Word Meaning:

tataḥ — thereafter, then
śvetaiḥ — by white
hayaiḥ — by horses
yukte — yoked
mahati — in a great
syandane — in the chariot
sthitau — situated, seated
mādhavaḥ — Madhava (Lord Krishna, the consort of the goddess of fortune)
pāṇḍavaḥ — the son of Pandu (Arjuna)
ca — and
eva — certainly
divyau — transcendental, divine
śaṅkhau — conchshells
pradadhmatuḥ — blew, sounded

Translation:

Thereafter, Lord Krishna and Arjuna, both seated in a great chariot yoked with white horses, blew their transcendental conchshells.

Purport

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, when Bhishmadev blew his conchshell and inspired enthusiasm among the Kaurava forces, the Pandava side did not remain silent. Lord Krishna and Arjuna both responded by sounding their conchshells. However, a highly significant and profound distinction is noted in this verse—while the conchshells of Bhishma and other Kaurava warriors are described in ordinary terms, the conchshells of Lord Krishna and Arjuna are specifically called "divyau" (transcendental).

This word "divyau" is not merely an adjective; it carries a deep spiritual indication. Divya means supernatural, heavenly, divine—something directly connected with the Supreme Lord. No matter how great and powerful a warrior Bhishmadev was, he was still a human being. But Lord Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, and Arjuna is His intimate devotee and friend. Therefore, the sound of their conchshells was not just a signal for battle—it was a firm declaration of the victory of righteousness.

Anything associated with Lord Krishna naturally becomes transcendental. The sound of the conchshells held in His hands was not merely a sound—it was a divine assurance. This transcendental conch sound conveyed a clear message: wherever Lord Krishna is present, victory is inevitable.

The scriptures declare—"yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇaḥ yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ, tatra śrīr vijayo bhūtir dhruvā nītir matir mama"—meaning, wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystic power, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. It is also said—"yeṣāṁ pakṣe janārdanaḥ, jayas tu pāṇḍu-putrāṇām"—meaning, those who have Janardan (Lord Krishna) on their side will always have victory. This is not limited to war alone—in every sphere of life, those who take shelter of Lord Krishna surely succeed and emerge victorious.

In this verse, Lord Krishna is addressed as "Madhava." The word Madhava means the husband of Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the goddess of fortune, prosperity, and victory, and she eternally remains with Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna. The goddess of fortune is always the follower of her husband. Therefore, wherever Lord Krishna resides, Lakshmi—that is, fortune, prosperity, and victory—is also certainly present. For this reason, the presence of Lord Krishna indicates that victory and good fortune are with the Pandavas, and the defeat of the Kauravas is inevitable.

The verse further mentions that Lord Krishna and Arjuna were seated in a great chariot yoked with white horses. This was no ordinary chariot—it was a gift to Arjuna from Agni, the fire god. The white color symbolizes purity, peace, and righteousness. This transcendental chariot was so powerful that it was capable of conquering all the three worlds (heaven, earth, and the nether regions). The chariot also bore the flag of Hanuman, which provided divine protection. This signifies that when a devotee takes shelter of the Lord, nature, the demigods, and all powers become his helpers.

The war at Kurukshetra was not merely a clash of weapons—it was the eternal struggle between dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness), truth and falsehood, justice and injustice. And since Lord Krishna Himself stood on the side of dharma, the victory of the Pandavas was destined. The divine conch sound was that assurance—the assurance of the victory of righteousness, the triumph of truth, and the glory of devotion to the Lord.

This verse offers a profound teaching for our lives. In the battlefield of life, we often feel afraid, doubtful, and weak—Can I do this? Will I be defeated? The opposition is so powerful! But if Lord Krishna is with us, if we walk the path of righteousness, if we follow His guidance and take shelter of Him, then there is no reason to fear. External power, wealth, or numbers are not decisive—the presence of the Lord is the real key to victory.

Lord Krishna never allows His devotees to be defeated. He always protects those who surrender unto Him. No matter how difficult the situation we face, if we remember Lord Krishna, depend on Him, and follow His instructions, victory will surely be ours. Because victory is actually the result of Krishna's mercy—not our own strength.

Thus, the transcendental conch sound was not merely the beginning of war—it was a divine proclamation. This sound declared that the victory of righteousness over unrighteousness was certain. No matter how powerful the Kaurava side was, no matter how many great warriors were on their side—since Lord Krishna was with the Pandavas, the defeat of the Pandavas was impossible. And this truth is applicable not only to Kurukshetra but also to the battlefield of every person's life—if one takes shelter of Lord Krishna.

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Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare।
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare॥