Bhagavad Gita BG 1.13
Chapter 1, Verse 13 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च पणवानकगोमुखाः । सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त स च शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥ १३ ॥
tataḥ śaṅkhāś ca bheryaś ca paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa ca śabdas tumulo 'bhavat
Meaning
Thereupon, conches, kettledrums, tabors, trumpets, and horns were suddenly played all at once, and the combined noise was tumultuous.
Understanding
In response to Bhishma's conch, the entire Kaurava army erupts in sound. This verse lists five types of war instruments used in ancient Indian battle: śaṅkha (conch), bherī (kettledrum), paṇava (small drum), ānaka (war drum), and gomukha (a horn shaped like a cow's mouth). The sudden simultaneous blast signals the official commencement of the great war.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| शङ्खाः | śaṅkhāḥ | conch shells |
| भेर्यः | bheryaḥ | kettledrums |
| पणवानकगोमुखाः | paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ | tabors, war drums, and cow-horns |
| सहसा | sahasā | suddenly / all at once |
| तुमुलः | tumulaḥ | tumultuous / uproarious |
| ततः | tataḥ | thereupon / then |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| अभ्यहन्यन्त | abhyahanyanta | were sounded / were beaten / played |
| सः | saḥ | that (sound) |
| शब्दः | śabdaḥ | the sound / the noise |
| अभवत् | abhavat | became / was |