Krushna blows Panchjanya (Part 2 of Ch1)

Chapter 1

(Despondency of Arjun)

Part 2

Topic: Krushna blows Panchjanya

Synopsis: This part 2 of chapter 1 contains 10 stanzas from 12- 21.

In this part, various warriors blow their conches to indicate they are ready for the battle. The conch blowing also enthuses  their  army.

The different names of the conchs blown by Krushna and five Pandavs are mentioned here. Those names have specific meaning and there are some anecdotes about their origin. This description may hint  that each of these warriors has a distinct capability and their personality is expressed by the unique sound signature from their conchs.

तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥ १-१२ ॥

tasya sañjanayan harṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ|

siṃhanādaṃ vinadyōccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān||1.12||

12. Generating enthusiasm in him, the powerful grandsire, the oldest

among the Kurus sounded a lion-roar and blew the conch.

Inference:
Duryodhan has vowed that he will not return their Kingdom  to Pandava which was  grabbed by him through conspiracy.If they want they can  get only by  fighting. Thus the war is imposed on Pandavas. Hence  Pandavas should have first blown conches but instead of that Bhishma does that just to please Duryodhan

Though grandfather Bhishma is a noble person and loves Arjun most, because of some irony of his own life, he had pledged to remain loyal to the throne of Hastinapur and consequently to Duryodhan who is presently reigning.

.     

ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः ।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥ १-१३ ॥

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bhēryaśca paṇavānakagōmukhāḥ|

sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulō'bhavat||1.13||

13. Thereafter, conches, kettledrums trumpets, drums, and horns were

immediately sounded forth. That noise became tumultuous.

ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ ।
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥ १-१४ ॥

tataḥ śvētairhayairyuktē mahati syandanē sthitau|

mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradaghmatuḥ||1.14||

14. Thereafter, Krushna and Arjuna, seated in a grand chariot with white

horses, blew (their) divine conches.

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः ।
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ॥ १-१५ ॥

pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkēśō dēvadattaṁ dhanañjayaḥ|

pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṁ bhīmakarmā vṛkōdaraḥ || 1.15 ||

15. Krushna blew (the conch) pāñcajanyam. Arjuna (blew he conch)

Devadatta, Bhīma, of terrible deeds, (blew) the big counch Paundra.

अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ।
नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ ॥ १-१६ ॥

anantavijayaṁ rājā kuntīputrō yudhiṣṭhiraḥ|

nakulaḥ sahadēvaśca sughōṣamaṇipuṣpakau || 1.16 ||

16. The king yudhiṣṭiraḥ, son of Kunti, blew anantavijayaṁ; Nakula and

Sahadeva blew Sughosha and maṇipuṣpaka.

काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः ।
धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः ॥ १-१७ ॥

kāśyaśca paramēṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ|

dhṛṣṭadyumnō virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ || 1.17 ||

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः पृथिवीपते ।
सौभद्रश्च महाबाहुः शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक् ॥ १-१८ ॥

drupadō draupadēyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpatē|
saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak || 1.18 || 

17-18 Oh King! The king of Kasi, the wielder of a big bow, Sikhandi, a

great warrior, Dhrstadyumna, the king of Virata, the undefeated Satyaki,

King Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty Abhīmanyu, the son

of Subhadra blew the conches distinctly from all direction

स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत् ।
नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलो व्यनुनादयन् ॥ १-१९ ॥

sa ghōṣō dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ hṛdayāni vyadārayat|

nabhaśca pṛthivīṁ caiva tumulō vyanunādayan || 1.19 ||

19. Resounding throughout the sky and the earth, that tumultuous noise

pierced the hearts of the Kauravas

अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्त्रराष्ट्रान् कपिध्वजः ।
प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ॥ १-२० ॥

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapidhvajaḥ|

pravṛttē śastrasampātē dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ||20||

hṛṣīkēśaṁ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpatē| 1.21

20. O King! Then, at that moment, when the discharge of arrows was to be

commenced, he monkey-bannered Arjuna saw the Kauravas arrayed,

raised he bow, spoke the following words to Krushna.

Inference:  Stanza 13 mentions that the great sound produced by rabid army of Kaurav filled the sky but there is no mention of its effect on Pandavs.

After that Krushna blew his Conch. Though Krushna has joined  Arjun, on the condition, that Krushna  will not use any weapon and act only as a charioteer, he blew conch first. That implies that  Krushna who is  symbol of righteousness he is in charge of Pandavas. 

Utilitarian doctrines:

i)  Big but rabid sounds of Kaurav army though reached the sky but did not affect Pandavas. The sounds of distinct conchs of Pandavs pierced the hearts of Kauravas.

This means that, the organized use of clear thoughts is effective rather than large but incoherent efforts.

ii) If your cause is righteous like Pandavas’, the divine power of Krushna will accompany you.