The Pāṇḍava response continues. In the previous shloka, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, seated in the great chariot drawn by white horses, blew their divine conches. Now the individual conches are named.

First comes Hṛṣīkeśaḥ. This is a name of Kṛṣṇa. Hṛṣīka means the sense organs, including the mind. Īśa means the master, controller, or inner governor. So Hṛṣīkeśaḥ means the one who is the master of the sense organs and mind.

This name is very important in the chapter flow. Kṛṣṇa is not merely a charioteer holding the reins of Arjuna’s horses. He is the inner witness who knows the movement of the mind and senses. Soon Arjuna’s mind will be shaken by grief, attachment, and confusion. Kṛṣṇa will understand what is happening in Arjuna’s mind even before the teaching begins. Therefore He is called Hṛṣīkeśaḥ here.

Kṛṣṇa blows Pāñcajanyam, His conch. The verb dadhmau, “blew,” is explicitly given later in the verse, but it must be supplied for each person: Hṛṣīkeśaḥ Pāñcajanyam dadhmau — Kṛṣṇa blew Pāñcajanya.

Then comes Dhanañjayaḥ, a name of Arjuna. Dhana means wealth, and jaya means conquering or acquiring. Dhanañjaya means the one who acquired wealth or won wealth. Arjuna was not an unsuccessful person seeking spirituality because life had failed him. He had wealth, fame, beauty, strength, skill, dharma, noble birth, and extraordinary success. He had even gone to heaven and assisted Indra in battle.

This title is significant because it prepares a major teaching. If material success could remove the deepest human sorrow, Arjuna should never have faced a crisis. But the first chapter will show that even such a successful Arjuna becomes overwhelmed. Material prosperity can help create comfort and outer security, but it cannot remove deeper problems such as attachment, fear, dependence, grief, and confusion. For that, ātma-jñānam alone is the solution.

Arjuna blows Devadattam, his conch. Devadatta is the name of the conch; it is not a person.

Then comes Bhīma. He is called Bhīmakarmā and Vṛkodaraḥ. Bhīmakarmā means one whose deeds are terrible, mighty, or fearsome. Bhīma performed many powerful exploits in the Mahābhārata. He destroyed many rākṣasas and enemies. Often he did not even need special weapons; a tree, a rock, or sheer physical power was enough.

Vṛkodaraḥ means “one whose belly is like that of a wolf.” A wolf is known for eating a great deal and yet retaining a lean belly. Bhīma was known for tremendous appetite, but also tremendous strength. His eating was matched by power and action.

Bhīma blows Pauṇḍram, described as mahāśaṅkham, a great or huge conch. Naturally, such a mighty Bhīma has a mighty conch. The verse therefore presents the Pāṇḍava sound in an orderly way: Kṛṣṇa with Pāñcajanya, Arjuna with Devadatta, and Bhīma with the great conch Pauṇḍra.