In Bhagavad Gita 1.13, after Bhishma’s signal, the Kaurava army sounds its conches, kettledrums, tabors, drums and horns all at once, and the noise is tremendous.
Sanskrit Verse
सञ्जय उवाच · Sanjaya said
ततः शङ्खाश्च भेर्यश्च
पणवानकगोमुखाः
सहसैवाभ्यहन्यन्त
स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥ १-१३ ॥
tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca
paṇavānakagomukhāḥ
sahasaivābhyahanyanta
sa śabdastumulo’bhavat
English transliteration tatah shankhaashcha bheryashcha
panavaanakagomukhaah
sahasaivaabhyahanyanta
sa shabdastumulo’bhavat ॥ 1.13 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Then conches and kettledrums, tabors, drums and cow-horns were suddenly sounded, and the noise was tumultuous.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ततः tataḥ | then |
| शङ्खाः śaṅkhāḥ | conches |
| च ca | and |
| भेर्यः bheryaḥ | kettledrums |
| च ca | and |
| पणवानकगोमुखाः paṇavānakagomukhāḥ | tabors, drums and cow-horns paṇava (tabors) + ānaka (drums) + gomukhāḥ (cow-horns) |
| सहसा sahasā | suddenly |
| एव eva | indeed |
| अभ्यहन्यन्त abhyahanyanta | were sounded |
| सः saḥ | that |
| शब्दः śabdaḥ | sound |
| तुमुलः tumulaḥ | tumultuous |
| अभवत् abhavat | was |
Word-wise Chanting
- ta–taḥ śaṅ–khāś–ca bher–yaś–ca 8 syllables ta-tah shan-khaash-cha bher-yash-cha
- pa–ṇa–vā–na–ka–go–mu–khāḥ | 8 syllables pa-na-vaa-na-ka-go-mu-khaah
- sa–ha–sai–vābh–ya–han–yan–ta 8 syllables sa-ha-sai-vaabh-ya-han-yan-ta
- sa śab–das–tu–mu–lo–‘bha–vat || 1-13 8 syllables sa shab-das-tu-mu-lo-‘bha-vat
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 1 Verse 13
Context
Bhishma has blown his conch (1.12); now the whole Kaurava army joins in.
Meaning
Sanjaya describes a wall of noise: every kind of instrument sounding at once. The word tumula suggests confusion as much as volume. The Kaurava army’s sound is impressive, but it is a crowd’s sound, without a single clear note. Sanjaya will soon contrast it with the divine conches of Krishna and Arjuna.
The mind can be like this army: when it prepares to fight, it fills itself with noise, opinions, alarms and arguments. Volume feels like strength. But clarity rarely shouts. The Gita’s teaching will arise in the stillness between two armies, in a quiet conversation, not in the uproar.
In Practice
When you feel agitated, reduce the noise around you for a few minutes: phone, screens, conversation. Notice what becomes clear in the quiet.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 1: Arjuna Vishada Yoga (The Yoga of Arjuna’s Despondency). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.