Bhagavad Gita 1.19
Spoken by Sanjaya · Verse 19 of 47
स घोषो धार्तराष्ट्राणां हृदयानि व्यदारयत्। नभश्च पृथिवीं चैव तुमुलोऽभ्यनुनादयन्॥
sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat / nabhaś ca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo 'bhyanunādayan
The sound of righteous forces pierces the hearts of those who know they are on the wrong side.
Word by word (9)
- sa ghoṣaḥ
- — that sound / that blast
- dhārtarāṣṭrāṇām
- — of the sons of Dhritarashtra (the Kauravas)
- hṛdayāni
- — hearts
- vyadārayat
- — pierced / tore / rent asunder · A powerful verb — not just 'frightened' but literally split the hearts. The Pandava conches had a quality that went deeper than mere sound.
- nabhaḥ
- — the sky / heaven
- pṛthivīm ca
- — and the earth
- eva
- — indeed
- tumulaḥ
- — tumultuous / uproarious
- abhyanunādayan
- — resounding / reverberating through
That tremendous sound — filling the sky and the earth — tore through the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra. Not just their ears. Their hearts.
A modern analogy
There is a particular anxiety that comes when someone articulates the truth you have been suppressing. It is not just discomfort — it 'rents' something. A brave speech, an honest document, a clear act of courage from someone you were counting on to remain silent — these pierce in a way that mere force cannot.
What it does NOT mean
This is not simply describing a loud noise frightening enemies. The verse says the Kaurava hearts were 'rent' (vyadārayat) — split. This is the sound of truth reaching through armor. Those who know they are on the wrong side feel a different kind of fear than those who simply face a powerful enemy.
Take with you
- Truth, when it arrives with full force, does not just challenge the mind — it reaches the heart.
- The Kaurava hearts being 'rent' suggests they already knew, on some level, that their cause was wrong.
- Aligning with dharma gives your presence and your voice a quality that mere power cannot match.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
The tumultuous uproar, resounding through earth and sky, rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's party. [4]
The tumultuous noise, reverberating through earth and sky, rent the hearts of the sons of Dhritarashtra. [6]
And — blowing these celestial shells — Krishna's charioteer and Pandu's son set sky and earth and heart shaking with their tumult. [7]
And that tremendous noise, reverberating through sky and earth, rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra's sons. [9]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
A blind king asks what happened on the battlefield — and the Gita begins.
Where yogeśvara Kṛṣṇa is, where archer Pārtha stands — there abide fortune, victory, flourishing, and steadfast dharma.
This most secret śāstra spoken — knowing it, one becomes truly wise and kṛta-kṛtya: all duties fulfilled.
Approach the teacher with prostration, inquiry, and service. The knowers of truth will instruct you in jñāna.
Duryodhana catalogues the Pandava heroes — naming his fears, one by one.
Duryodhana lists his greatest champions — and every name carries its own tragic irony.
Verse 19 of 47 · back to Chapter 1