Shloka 15

Karma-Yoga, Yajña-Cakra, and the Governance of Desire (कर्मयोग–यज्ञचक्र–कामनिग्रह)

Devanagari script

पाज्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनंजय: । पौण्डूरं दध्मौ महाशड्ुखं भीमकर्मा वृकोदर:,श्रीकृष्ण महाराजने पांचजन्य नामक, अर्जुनने देवदत्त नामक और भयानक कर्मवाले भीमसेनने पौण्ड्र नामक महाशंख बजाया

Transliteration

pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ | pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa) blew the conch named Pāñcajanya; Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna) blew the conch named Devadatta; and Vṛkodara (Bhīma), a doer of fearsome deeds, blew the great conch named Pauṇḍra. The sounding of these conches signals the righteous resolve of the Pāṇḍavas as they enter battle with disciplined purpose rather than personal hatred.

Word by Word

पाञ्चजन्यम्the conch named Pāñcajanya

हृषीकेशःHṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa)

देवदत्तम्the conch named Devadatta

धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)

पौण्ड्रम्the conch named Pauṇḍra

दध्मौblew

महाशङ्खम्the great conch

भीमकर्माhe whose deeds are terrible (mighty in action)

वृकोदरःVṛkodara (Bhīma)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Hṛṣīkeśa (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Dhanaṃjaya (Arjuna)

Vṛkodara (Bhīmasena)

Pāñcajanya (conch)

Devadatta (conch)

Pauṇḍra (conch)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined readiness for a dharma-yuddha: the Pāṇḍavas, led by Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, announce their resolve through auspicious conch sounds, emphasizing duty and moral purpose over rage or vengeance.

What is happening in the narrative?

At the opening of the Kurukṣetra war, Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, and Bhīma each blow their named conches—Pāñcajanya, Devadatta, and Pauṇḍra—signaling the commencement of battle and rallying their side.