119 
frequently given names that have become immortal in 
song and story. The beautiful Excalibur wielded by 
Arthur in many glorious fights, Charlemagne’s famous 
brand Joyeuse, and the magic Tyrfing so oft the theme 
of Viking sagas, have their parallels in the names of 
the conchs of the Mahabharata heroes. 
When the opposing hosts of Kauravas and Pandavas 
confronted each other on the field of Kurukshetra, we 
read in the Bhagavat-Gita (verses r1 to 19) how the 
prelude to battle was the deafening clamour sounded by 
the leaders on their great conchs. 
“The Ancient of the Kurus, the Grandsire (Bhisma), 
the glorious, sounded on high his conch, ‘“‘ The Lion’s 
Roar.” 
“Then conchs and kettledrums, tabors and drums 
and cowhorns, suddenly blared forth with tumultuous 
clamour. 
‘Stationed in their great war-chariot yoked to white 
horses, Madhava (Krishna) and the son of Pandu 
(Arjuna) blew the:r divine conchs, 
“ Panchajanya was blown by Hrishikisha (Krishna) 
and Devadatta by Dhananjaya (Arjuna). Vrikodara 
(Bhima) of terrible deeds blew his mighty conch, 
Paundra. 
“The king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew 
Anantavijaya ; Nakula and Sahadeva blew their conchs 
Sughosha and Manipushpaka. 
“And Kashya of the great bow and Shikhandi, the 
mighty carwarrior, Dristadyumna and Virata and Satykai, 
the unconquered. 
‘Drupada and the Draupadeyas, O Lord of Earth, 
aul Saubhadra, the mighty-armed, on all sides their 
several conchs blew. : 
“That tumultuous uproar rent the hearts of the sons 
of Dhritarashtra, filling the earth and sky with sound.” 
Here the nanes of the conchs possessed by all the 
five Pandava brothers are given,—Paundra, Devadatta, 
Anantavijaya, Sughosha and Manipushpaka. Paundra 
appears to have been named from Pundra, a demon kill- 
ed by Bhima; the others signify respectively God-given, 
Eternal Victory, Sweet Voice or Honey-tone, and Jewel- 
blossom, 
