In Bhagavad Gita 1.14, Krishna and Arjuna, standing in their great chariot yoked to white horses, blow their divine conches in answer to the Kaurava army.
Sanskrit Verse
सञ्जय उवाच · Sanjaya said
ततः श्वेतैर्हयैर्युक्ते
महति स्यन्दने स्थितौ
माधवः पाण्डवश्चैव
दिव्यौ शङ्खौ प्रदध्मतुः ॥ १-१४ ॥
tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte
mahati syandane sthitau
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva
divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ
English transliteration tatah shvetairhayairyukte
mahati syandane sthitau
maadhavah paandavashchaiva
divyau shankhau pradadhmatuh ॥ 1.14 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Then Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu (Arjuna), standing in their great chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ततः tataḥ | then |
| श्वेतैः śvetaiḥ | with white |
| हयैः hayaiḥ | horses |
| युक्ते yukte | yoked |
| महति mahati | in the great |
| स्यन्दने syandane | chariot |
| स्थितौ sthitau | standing |
| माधवः mādhavaḥ | Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa) |
| पाण्डवः pāṇḍavaḥ | the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna) |
| च ca | and |
| एव eva | also |
| दिव्यौ divyau | divine |
| शङ्खौ śaṅkhau | conches |
| प्रदध्मतुः pradadhmatuḥ | blew |
Word-wise Chanting
- ta–taḥ śve–tair–ha–yair–yuk–te 8 syllables ta-tah shve-tair-ha-yair-yuk-te
- ma–ha–ti syan–da–ne sthi–tau | 8 syllables ma-ha-ti syan-da-ne sthi-tau
- mā–dha–vaḥ pāṇ–ḍa–vaś–cai–va 8 syllables maa-dha-vah paan-da-vash-chai-va
- div–yau śaṅ–khau pra–dadh–ma–tuḥ || 1-14 8 syllables div-yau shan-khau pra-dadh-ma-tuh
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 14
Context
The Kaurava army has filled the field with noise (1.13). Sanjaya now turns to the Pandava side and begins with Krishna and Arjuna.
Meaning
The scene changes in tone. Instead of a mass of instruments, two figures stand in a single great chariot drawn by white horses, and their conches are called divine. White horses suggest purity and the strength of the senses guided by wisdom; the chariot is the body, and Krishna, the charioteer, is the guiding Self. The image prepares the reader for the inner meaning of the whole Gita.
Krishna is called Madhava here, the lord of Lakshmi, the bringer of good fortune. When the Divine holds the reins, even a battlefield becomes the place of revelation. The verse quietly promises that the side guided by wisdom will prevail, not because it is louder, but because it is aligned with the deepest truth.
In Practice
Picture your own life as a chariot. Ask who is holding the reins today, your impulses or your clearest wisdom, and hand the reins to the wiser part.
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.