Bhagavad Gita 18.74 — Sañjaya Recounts the Wonderful, Hair-Raising Dialogue
सञ्जय उवाच ।
इत्यहं वासुदेवस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः ।
संवादमिममश्रौषमद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम् ॥ १८.७४ ॥
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Sanjaya said: Thus I have heard this wonderful and hair-raising dialogue between Vāsudeva and the great-souled Arjuna.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| iti | thus |
| aham | I |
| vāsudevasya | of Vāsudeva, of Krishna |
| pārthasya | of Arjuna |
| cha | and |
| mahātmanaḥ | of the great-souled |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| saṁvādam | dialogue |
| imam | this |
| aśhrauṣham | I heard |
| adbhutam | wonderful |
| romaharṣhaṇam | causing the hair to stand on end, thrilling |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| iti | thus | saṁvādam | dialogue |
| aham | I | imam | this |
| vāsudevasya | of Vāsudeva, of Krishna | aśhrauṣham | I heard |
| pārthasya | of Arjuna | adbhutam | wonderful |
| cha | and | romaharṣhaṇam | causing the hair to stand on end, thrilling |
| mahātmanaḥ | of the great-souled | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
In this verse, Sañjaya speaks to the blind king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, to whom he has been describing the events of the battlefield. He says that he has heard this wonderful and thrilling conversation between Lord Krishna and the great-souled Arjuna.
Essence
The narrator speaks
The Gita has been told to us through the voice of Sañjaya, the minister of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was given the gift of divine vision so that he could see and report the events of the war from afar. At this point, he steps forward again to close the account.
Ity ahaṁ vāsudevasya pārthasya ca mahātmanaḥ (thus I, of Vāsudeva and of the great-souled Pārtha): Sañjaya names the two speakers. Vāsudeva is Lord Krishna, and Pārtha is Arjuna. He calls Arjuna mahātmā, a great soul, which reflects how Arjuna has risen through the course of the teaching.
Saṁvādam imam aśrauṣam (I have heard this conversation): The Gita is again described as a saṁvāda, a dialogue. It is not a lecture delivered from above, but an exchange in which questions are asked and answered honestly.
Adbhutam (wonderful, marvellous): The conversation is described as astonishing, something beyond ordinary experience.
Roma-harṣaṇam (causing the hair to stand on end): This vivid phrase describes the thrill of awe that Sañjaya felt. The teaching moved him so deeply that it produced a physical response.
Why does the narrator's reaction matter?
Sañjaya is addressing King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was by nature bound by attachment to his sons and who had missed many chances to prevent the war. By describing his own awe, Sañjaya offers the king, and every later listener, an invitation to hear the Gita with the same wonder.
It is also notable that this conversation, which took place in the middle of a battlefield, is described as thrilling and holy. The Gita shows that the deepest wisdom can arise in the very midst of life's greatest crises.
Message for Everyday Life (Receiving Wisdom With Wonder)
It is easy to hear profound ideas and remain unmoved. Sañjaya models a different response, in which wisdom is received with awe and a sense of privilege.
A practice: When you read or hear something that deeply moves you, allow yourself to pause and feel it fully. Writing it down and returning to it helps the insight take root.
The narrator speaks
The Gita has been told to us through the voice of Sañjaya, the minister of King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was given the gift of divine vision so that he could see and report the events of the war from afar. At this point, he steps forward again to close the account.
Ity ahaṁ vāsudevasya pārthasya ca mahātmanaḥ (thus I, of Vāsudeva and of the great-souled Pārtha): Sañjaya names the two speakers. Vāsudeva is Lord Krishna, and Pārtha is Arjuna. He calls Arjuna mahātmā, a great soul, which reflects how Arjuna has risen through the course of the teaching.
Saṁvādam imam aśrauṣam (I have heard this conversation): The Gita is again described as a saṁvāda, a dialogue. It is not a lecture delivered from above, but an exchange in which questions are asked and answered honestly.
Adbhutam (wonderful, marvellous): The conversation is described as astonishing, something beyond ordinary experience.
Roma-harṣaṇam (causing the hair to stand on end): This vivid phrase describes the thrill of awe that Sañjaya felt. The teaching moved him so deeply that it produced a physical response.
Why does the narrator's reaction matter?
Sañjaya is addressing King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was by nature bound by attachment to his sons and who had missed many chances to prevent the war. By describing his own awe, Sañjaya offers the king, and every later listener, an invitation to hear the Gita with the same wonder.
It is also notable that this conversation, which took place in the middle of a battlefield, is described as thrilling and holy. The Gita shows that the deepest wisdom can arise in the very midst of life's greatest crises.
Message for Everyday Life (Receiving Wisdom With Wonder)
It is easy to hear profound ideas and remain unmoved. Sañjaya models a different response, in which wisdom is received with awe and a sense of privilege.
A practice: When you read or hear something that deeply moves you, allow yourself to pause and feel it fully. Writing it down and returning to it helps the insight take root.
Next Topic
Sañjaya has declared how deeply the dialogue moved him. In the next verse, he explains how he was able to hear it, and credits the grace of the sage Vyāsa for this wonderful opportunity.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Truth can make the hair stand on end.
Report what you have heard faithfully.
A sacred conversation echoes across ages.
Keep the capacity for wonder alive.
Every teaching lives through its tellers.
Respect the greatness of what you hear.
To hear wisdom is a gift.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is 'sañjayaḥ' (Sañjaya) and why is he speaking?
Who are 'vāsudevasya' (of Vāsudeva) and 'pārthasya' (of Arjuna) in this verse?
What does 'adbhutam romaharṣhaṇam' (wonderful and hair-raising) tell us?
Why does Sañjaya call Arjuna 'mahātmanaḥ' (the great-souled)?
What is the practical message of this verse in one sentence?
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