Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 15: Meaning and Special Explanation

Sloka (Verse):

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः ।
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ॥१५॥

Pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ ।
Pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṁ bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ ॥15॥

Word-by-Word Meaning:

pāñcajanyam — the conchshell named Panchajanya
hṛṣīkeśaḥ — Lord Krishna, the master of all senses
devadattam — the conchshell named Devadatta
dhanañjayaḥ — Arjuna, the conqueror of wealth
pauṇḍram — the conchshell named Paundra
dadhmau — blew
mahā-śaṅkham — the great conchshell
bhīma-karmā — one who performs herculean tasks
vṛkodaraḥ — Bhima, the voracious eater and slayer of demons

Translation:

Lord Krishna blew His conchshell named Panchajanya; Arjuna blew his conchshell named Devadatta; and Bhima, the performer of herculean tasks, blew his great conchshell named Paundra.

Purport

In this verse, Lord Krishna is addressed as "Hrishikesha". This name carries profound significance. "Hrishikesha" means the supreme master of all senses. He is the true controller not only of our senses but also of the senses of every living being. This is because every living being is an inseparable part of the Lord, and their senses are also integral parts of His senses.

Impersonalist philosophers often claim that the Absolute Truth is formless and has no senses or form. But this conception is completely wrong. The Bhagavad-gita clearly states that Lord Krishna is the source of all senses, and He controls the senses of living beings—but He does so according to the degree of their surrender to Him.

Ordinary living beings who are engrossed in the illusion of karma and material enjoyment find their senses controlled according to their karmic reactions. But a devotee who has completely surrendered to the Lord has his senses directly controlled by the Lord. On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna was such a pure devotee. He had completely surrendered to Krishna as his supreme friend, teacher, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, Krishna is addressed here as "Hrishikesha"—because He was directly controlling Arjuna's senses.

The Lord has different names according to His various activities. These names are not merely imaginary or symbolic—each name bears witness to one of His special activities. For example:

Madhusudana — because He killed the demon named Madhu.

Keshava — because He killed the horse-demon named Keshi.

Govinda — because He gives pleasure to the cows and the senses.

Vasudeva — because He appeared as the son of Vasudeva.

Devaki-nandana — because He took birth from the womb of Devaki.

Yashoda-nandana — because He performed His childhood pastimes as the son of Yashoda in Vrindavan.

Partha-sarathi — because He became the charioteer of Arjuna (son of Pritha).

Hrishikesha — because He was controlling Arjuna's senses.

Each of these names is evidence of one of the Lord's sweet pastimes. Krishna is not formless; He is the Supreme Person with divine senses, and He can establish a personal relationship with every living being.

In this verse, Arjuna is addressed as "Dhananjaya". This name means the conqueror of wealth. Arjuna was not only skilled in warfare, but he had also conquered vast wealth for his eldest brother Yudhishthira to perform various sacrifices. He was efficient, powerful, and supremely devoted to dharma.

Similarly, Bhima is called "Vrikodhara". This name means one who eats voraciously, and Bhima could not only consume enormous quantities of food, but he had also slain demons like Hidimba, Bakasura, and others. He is called "Bhima-karma"—meaning one who is capable of performing terrible and difficult feats.

In this verse, three warriors from the Pandava side—Lord Krishna, Arjuna, and Bhima—blew their conchshells. The blowing of conchshells was extremely significant in ancient Indian warfare. It was not merely a signal for the commencement of battle but also a means of boosting morale and instilling fear in the enemy.

The conchshell sound from the Pandava side was divine, inspiring, and victorious. This was because on their side was Lord Krishna Himself—who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and the supreme controller. Where the Lord is present, victory is inevitable. Moreover, the Pandavas had dharma, truth, and justice on their side. They were devotees of the Lord, and their purpose was to re-establish dharma on earth.

On the other hand, Duryodhana's side had no such signs. There was no presence of the Lord, no flag of dharma or justice. Therefore, their defeat in the war was predetermined. Through this conchshell sound, that message was declared—dharma will triumph, and the fall of adharma is inevitable.

This verse teaches us that when we do everything centered on the Lord, when we surrender to Him, follow His guidance, and dedicate our senses to His service, then He Himself steers the chariot of our lives. And when He is in control, there is no reason for fear. The strength to move forward on the path of truth becomes self-evident.

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