Swamy Gitananda A Daily Exploration of Dharma, Jnana, and Relevance to Modernity
By Swami Gitananda
Published on New Zealand Bharat (NZB) News, April 02, 2025
Om Shri Saraswatyai Namaha. Salutations to Saraswati, the goddess of vidya (wisdom), as we journey deeper into the Bhagavad Gita, the Jnana-Sagara (ocean of knowledge) that guides the jivatma (individual soul) from samsara (worldly chaos) to moksha (liberation). Yesterday, Bhishma roared like a lion and blew his conch, igniting the Kurukshetra war to gladden Duryodhana, his shakti (power) shadowed by dharma’s complexity. Today, the Kaurava army responds with a thunderous cacophony, a martial symphony that escalates the conflict and primes us for Arjuna’s vishada (despondency) and Krishna’s upadesha (teaching).
This series is a daily satsang (spiritual communion), unveiling one shloka at a time—its direct meaning, a profound unpacking of its tattva (essence), insights from sampradayas (spiritual traditions), and its resonance with modern domains like quantum science, leadership, and svasthya (wellbeing). Let us now immerse ourselves in Adhyaya 1, Shloka 13, where the battlefield reverberates with the Kauravas’ answer, a prelude to the Gita’s eternal wisdom.
The Shloka
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः।
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्॥
Tatah shankhashcha bheryashcha panavanakagomukhah,
Sahasaivabhyahanyanta sa shabdastumulo’bhavat.
Direct Meaning
“Then (tatah), conches (shankhashcha), drums (bheryashcha), cymbals, tabors, and horns (panavanakagomukhah) were sounded all at once (sahasaivabhyahanyanta); that sound became tumultuous (sa shabdastumulo’bhavat).”
In this verse, following Bhishma’s conch-blast, the Kaurava army erupts in a sudden, chaotic chorus of instruments—conches, drums, cymbals, tabors, and horns—creating a deafening, tumultuous roar that fills the battlefield.
Explanation of the Shloka
This shloka amplifies the war’s commencement, shifting from Bhishma’s singular roar to the collective clamor of the Kauravas, a soundscape that mirrors their rajasic zeal and tamasic disarray. The tumult, though a display of might, carries undertones of adharma, contrasting with the dharma-bound silence of the Pandavas yet to come. Let us explore its layers with viveka (discernment) and bhakti (devotion).
- Tatah: The Immediate Response
The opening tatah (“then”) links this shloka to Bhishma’s action, marking an instantaneous reaction. It reflects the Kauravas’ readiness to follow their pitamaha (grandsire), a kshatriya reflex to rally. Yet, this haste hints at rajas—action driven by passion, not purpose—foreshadowing Krishna’s teaching in Adhyaya 2: “Yogastha kuru karmani”—“Perform actions established in yoga.” - Shankhashcha Bheryashcha Panavanakagomukhah: The Instruments of War
The list—shankhashcha (conches), bheryashcha (drums), panavanakagomukhah (cymbals, tabors, horns)—paints a vivid martial orchestra:- Shankhas: Sacred conches, symbolizing vijaya (victory) and the primal nada (sound) of Om, yet here wielded for adharma.
- Bheris: Large drums, evoking rhythm and power, stirring the manas (mind) to battle.
- Panava-Anaka-Gomukhah: Smaller drums (tabors), cymbals, and horns, adding layers of intensity and chaos.
This array showcases the Kauravas’ might, yet its diversity suggests fragmentation, unlike the Pandavas’ later disciplined response.
- Sahasaivabhyahanyanta: Sounded All at Once
Sahasaivabhyahanyanta (“were sounded all at once”) captures the suddenness and spontaneity of the Kauravas’ reply. Sahasa (suddenly) reflects rajasic impulsiveness, a contrast to the sattvic order Krishna will later extol. The verb abhyahanyanta (were struck) conveys force, a collective surge of shakti (power) that lacks dharma’s anchor. - Sa Shabdastumulo’bhavat: The Tumultuous Sound
The phrase sa shabdastumulo’bhavat (“that sound became tumultuous”) describes a deafening roar, tumula implying chaos and confusion. This tumult mirrors the Kauravas’ inner state—chitta-vritti (mental fluctuations) fueled by krodha (anger) and lobha (greed)—contrasting with the Pandavas’ forthcoming samatva (equanimity). It foreshadows Krishna’s nada-brahman (sound as divine), where true shabda (sound) aligns with satyam (truth). - The War’s Momentum Builds
This cacophony escalates the war’s momentum, a sonic wave that drowns Duryodhana’s doubts and Bhishma’s dharma-sankata (ethical dilemma). It marks the point of no return, priming us for Arjuna’s vishada-yoga (yoga of despondency), where the clash of dharma and adharma births Krishna’s jnana. The Kauravas’ noise, though impressive, lacks the shanti (peace) of dharma, a theme the Gita will unravel.
This shloka, then, is a storm of sound—martial might shadowed by adharma’s disarray, a prelude to the Pandavas’ response and Krishna’s wisdom. It invites us to reflect: Do we, like the Kauravas, revel in noise, or can we seek the silence of dharma within?
Spiritual Wisdom from Authoritative Voices
The Bhagavad Gita’s divya-artha (divine meaning) glows through the bhashyas of acharyas, each illuminating its eternal truth. Let us draw from their insights.
- Adi Shankaracharya (Advaita Vedanta)
Shankaracharya sees the tumula shabda as maya’s clamor—transient sounds of samsara over the eternal atman. The Kauravas’ rajas blinds them to Brahman’s silence. This shloka urges viveka—to discern the nada of truth beyond the battlefield, a revelation Krishna will offer in Adhyaya 7. - Ramanujacharya (Vishishtadvaita)
Ramanuja interprets the Kauravas’ noise as adharma’s discord, lacking Narayana’s bhakti-bound harmony. The shankhas, though sacred, serve delusion here, unlike the Pandavas’ prapatti. The shloka hints at true shakti—divine order over chaotic might, a path Arjuna will embrace. - Madhvacharya (Dvaita)
Madhvacharya views the tumula sound as tamasic fervor, contrasting with the Pandavas’ sattvic alignment with Vishnu. The Kauravas’ shankhas lack divine sanction, echoing asuric pride. This shloka underscores the jiva’s choice: daiva-nada or asuric noise. - Swami Vivekananda (Neo-Vedanta)
Vivekananda reads this as action’s roar. “The Kauravas sound their might, but dharma speaks in stillness,” he writes. Noise without purpose falters. He urges us to awaken shakti in our karmakshetra, aligning with Krishna’s dharma, not mere clamor—a lesson the Gita unfolds.
These voices weave a jnana-mala (garland of wisdom), guiding us toward moksha.
Relevance to Today’s Context
The Bhagavad Gita is a jivan-shastra (manual for life), its wisdom vibrant today. Let us explore how this shloka resonates with quantum science, leadership, and svasthya.
- Quantum Science and Cosmology
The Kauravas’ tumula shabda mirrors cosmic entropy—chaos born of multiplicity—while the Pandavas’ silence evokes quantum coherence, unified by Krishna’s ekatva (oneness). The shankha’s nada parallels the universe’s primal vibration, yet here serves disorder. This shloka suggests a dharmakshetra cosmos, where harmony aligns with divine will, a unity science seeks. - Leadership and Business
In the corporate Kurukshetra, the Kauravas’ clamor reflects a leader’s show of force—shankhas as bravado, bheris as momentum—yet lacks sangathan (collaboration). The Pandavas’ restraint triumphs. Krishna’s nishkama karma offers a path: lead with purpose, not noise, fostering drishti (vision) for enduring success. - Svasthya (Wellbeing)
The tumula noise mirrors modern overstimulation—chitta-vikshepa from external chaos—while the Pandavas’ calm suggests samatva. The shankha’s nada aligns with pranayama (breath control), grounding the manas. Practices inspired by this shloka—dhyana (meditation)—nurture shanti amidst discord.
Conclusion: The Roar Before the Silence
This thirteenth shloka fills Kurukshetra with the Kauravas’ tumult, a martial cry shadowed by adharma. It builds toward Arjuna’s vishada, where Krishna’s jnana will dawn. Each day, we unveil another shloka of this divya-gita, seeking satyam (truth) and sundaram (beauty).
Tomorrow, the Pandavas will answer, their conches heralding dharma’s voice. Let us approach with bhakti and vichar, chanting: “Vasudeva sutam devam”—to Krishna, the divine son. May His kripa guide us onward.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
