Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
BG 1.12
tasya saïjanayan harñaà
kuru-våddhaù pitämahaù
siàha-nädaà
vinadyoccaiù
çaìkhaà dadhmau
pratäpavän
SYNONYMS
tasya—his; saïjanayan—
increasing; harñam—
cheerfulness; kuru—
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
våddhaù—the grandsire
of the Kuru dynasty
(Bhéñma); pitämahaù—
the grandfather; siàha-
nädam—roaring sound,
like that of a lion;
vinadya—vibrating;
uccaiù—very loudly;
çaìkham—conchshell;
dadhmau—blew;
pratäpa-vän—the valiant.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
TRANSLATION
Then Bhéñma, the great
valiant grandsire of the
Kuru dynasty, the
grandfather of the
fighters, blew his
conchshell very loudly,
making a sound like the
roar of a lion, giving
Duryodhana joy.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Gita Bhushan 1.12
Then Bhéñma in great joy,
understanding that
Duryodhana was praising
him, blew his conch shell
to drive away the inner
fear of Duryodhana.
Without saying a word,
just by blowing his conch,
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Bhéñma announced that
he would give up his life
according to kñatriya-
dharma for Duryodhana,
though victory or defeat
was really dependent only
on the Lord.
PURPORT
The grandsire of the
Kuru dynasty could
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
understand the inner
meaning of the heart of
his grandson
Duryodhana, and out of
his natural compassion
for him he tried to cheer
him by blowing his
conchshell very loudly,
befitting his position as a
lion. Indirectly, by the
symbolism of the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
conchshell, he informed
his depressed grandson
Duryodhana that he had
no chance of victory in
the battle, because the
Supreme Lord Kåñëa was
on the other side. But
still, it was his duty to
conduct the fight, and no
pains would be spared in
that connection.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
BG 1.13
tataù çaìkhäç ca bheryaç
ca
paëavänaka-gomukhäù
sahasaiväbhyahanyanta
sa çabdas tumulo 'bhavat
SYNONYMS
tataù—thereafter;
çaìkhäù—conchshells;
ca—also; bheryaù—large
drums; ca—and; paëava-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
änaka—small drums and
kettledrums; go-
mukhäù—horns;
sahasä—all of a sudden;
eva—certainly;
abhyahanyanta—were
simultaneously sounded;
saù—that; çabdaù—
combined sound;
tumulaù—tumultuous;
abhavat—became.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
TRANSLATION
After that, the
conchshells, drums,
bugles, trumpets and
horns were all suddenly
sounded, and the
combined sound was
tumultuous.
Gita Bhushan 1.13
At the time that Bhéñma
blew his conch,
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
instruments and conches
began to sound suddenly
in his army.
Abhyahanyanta is a
reflexive passive, literally
meaning “the instruments
were sounded by
themselves” or “the
instruments made
sounds.” Paëava, änaka,
and gomukha are types of
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
instruments. The sound
was very great since the
instruments sounded all
at once.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
BG 1.14
tataù çvetair hayair
yukte
mahati syandane sthitau
mädhavaù päëòavaç
caiva
divyau çaìkhau
pradadhmatuù
SYNONYMS
tataù—thereafter;
çvetaiù—with white;
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
hayaiù—horses; yukte—
being yoked; mahati—in
a great; syandane—
chariot; sthitau—
situated; mädhavaù—
Kåñëa (the husband of
the goddess of fortune);
päëòavaù—Arjuna (the
son of Päëòu); ca—also;
eva—certainly; divyau—
transcendental;
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
çaìkhau—conchshells;
pradadhmatuù—
sounded.
TRANSLATION
On the other side, both
Lord Kåñëa and Arjuna,
stationed on a great
chariot drawn by white
horses, sounded their
transcendental
conchshells.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Gita Bhushan 1.14
In this verse, the desire to
fight which arose in the
troops of the Päëòavas is
described. Though the
others were also standing
in their chariots, Kåñëa
and Arjuna are
particularly mentioned in
this regard to indicate the
special nature of the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
chariot given by Agni
himself, which had great
power and could conquer
the three worlds.
Note : Agni gave the
chariot, quiver and horses
to Arjuna and the cakra to
Kåñëa before he devoured
the Khäëòava forest.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
PURPORT
In contrast with the
conchshell blown by
Bhéñmadeva, the
conchshells in the hands
of Kåñëa and Arjuna are
described as
transcendental. The
sounding of the
transcendental
conchshells indicated
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
that there was no hope of
victory for the other side
because Kåñëa was on the
side of the Päëòavas.
Jayas tu päëòu-puträëäà
yeñäà pakñe janärdanaù.
Victory is always with
persons like the sons of
Päëòu because Lord
Kåñëa is associated with
them. And whenever and
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
wherever the Lord is
present, the goddess of
fortune is also there
because the goddess of
fortune never lives alone
without her husband.
Therefore, victory and
fortune were awaiting
Arjuna, as indicated by
the transcendental sound
produced by the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
conchshell of Viñëu, or
Lord Kåñëa. Besides that,
the chariot on which both
the friends were seated
had been donated by
Agni (the fire-god) to
Arjuna, and this
indicated that this
chariot was capable of
conquering all sides,
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
wherever it was drawn
over the three worlds.
BG 1.15
päïcajanyaà håñékeço
devadattaà dhanaïjayaù
pauëòraà dadhmau
mahä-çaìkhaà
bhéma-karmä våkodaraù
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
SYNONYMS
päïcajanyam—the
conchshell named
Päïcajanya; håñéka-
éçaù—Håñékeça (Kåñëa,
the Lord who directs the
senses of the devotees);
devadattam—the
conchshell named
Devadatta; dhanam-
jayaù—Dhanaïjaya
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
(Arjuna, the winner of
wealth); pauëòram—the
conch named Pauëòra;
dadhmau—blew; mahä—
çaìkham—the terrific
conchshell; bhéma-
karmä—one who
performs herculean
tasks; våka-udaraù—the
voracious eater (Bhéma).
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
TRANSLATION
Lord Kåñëa blew His
conchshell, called
Päïcajanya; Arjuna blew
his, the Devadatta; and
Bhéma, the voracious
eater and performer of
herculean tasks, blew his
terrific conchshell, called
Pauëòra.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Gita Bhushan 1.15-18
The names of the conches
starting with Kåñëa’s
Païcajanya are listed. The
word håñékeça (master of
the senses) used in
describing the Lord
indicates that the Lord
would help this army (He
would help by directing
their senses skilfully).
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Mentioning the names of
the conches indicates that
these persons had many
conches of divine nature.
The word räjä indicates
that Yudhiñöhira had
performed the räjasüya
sacrifice.
Note: He was not
recognized as king until
after the battle.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
The word bhéma-karmä
(man of ferocious actions)
indicates that Bhéma had
killed many demons such
as Hiòimba. The word
dhanaïjaya indicates that
Arjuna had gathered
unlimited treasures when
he went out to conquer
the directions. Thus the
outstanding nature of the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Päëòava army is
indicated. The opposing
army, not having these
descriptive names, was
therefore inferior.
PURPORT
Lord Kåñëa is referred to
as Håñékeça in this verse
because He is the owner
of all senses. The living
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
entities are part and
parcel of Him, and
therefore the senses of
the living entities are also
part and parcel of His
senses. The
impersonalists cannot
account for the senses of
the living entities, and
therefore they are always
anxious to describe all
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
living entities as
senseless, or impersonal.
The Lord, situated in the
hearts of all living
entities, directs their
senses. But He directs in
terms of the surrender of
the living entity, and in
the case of a pure devotee
He directly controls the
senses. Here on the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Battlefield of Kurukñetra
the Lord directly controls
the transcendental
senses of Arjuna, and
thus His particular name
of Håñékeça. The Lord has
different names
according to His different
activities. For example,
His name is
Madhusüdana because
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
He killed the demon of
the name Madhu; His
name is Govinda because
He gives pleasure to the
cows and to the senses;
His name is Väsudeva
because He appeared as
the son of Vasudeva; His
name is Devaké-nandana
because He accepted
Devaké as His mother;
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
His name is Yaçodä-
nandana because He
awarded His childhood
pastimes to Yaçodä at
Våndävana; His name is
Pärtha-särathi because
He worked as charioteer
of His friend Arjuna.
Similarly, His name is
Håñékeça because He gave
direction to Arjuna on
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
the Battlefield of
Kurukñetra.
Arjuna is referred to as
Dhanaïjaya in this verse
because he helped his
elder brother in fetching
wealth when it was
required by the king to
make expenditures for
different sacrifices.
Similarly, Bhéma is
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
known as Våkodara
because he could eat as
voraciously as he could
perform herculean tasks,
such as killing the demon
Hiòimba. So the
particular types of
conchshell blown by the
different personalities on
the side of the Päëòavas,
beginning with the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Lord's, were all very
encouraging to the
fighting soldiers. On the
other side there were no
such credits, nor the
presence of Lord Kåñëa,
the supreme director, nor
that of the goddess of
fortune. So they were
predestined to lose the
battle—and that was the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
message announced by
the sounds of the
conchshells.
BG 1.16–18
anantavijayaà räjä
kunté-putro yudhiñöhiraù
nakulaù sahadevaç ca
sughoña-maëipuñpakau
käçyaç ca parameñv-äsaù
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
çikhaëòé ca mahä-rathaù
dhåñöadyumno viräöaç ca
sätyakiç cäparäjitaù
drupado draupadeyäç ca
sarvaçaù påthivé-pate
saubhadraç ca mahä-
bähuù
çaìkhän dadhmuù
påthak påthak
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
SYNONYMS
ananta-vijayam—the
conch named Ananta-
vijaya; räjä—the king;
kunté-putraù—the son of
Kunté; yudhiñöhiraù—
Yudhiñöhira; nakulaù—
Nakula; sahadevaù—
Sahadeva; ca—and;
sughoña—
maëipuñpakau—the
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
conches named Sughoña
and Maëipuñpaka;
käçyaù—the King of Käçé
(Väräëasé); ca—and;
parama-iñu-äsaù—the
great archer; çikhaëòé—
Çikhaëòé; ca—also;
mahä-rathaù—one who
can fight alone against
thousands;
dhåñöadyumnaù—
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Dhåñöadyumna (the son
of King Drupada);
viräöaù—Viräöa (the
prince who gave shelter
to the Päëòavas while
they were in disguise);
ca—also; sätyakiù—
Sätyaki (the same as
Yuyudhäna, the
charioteer of Lord
Kåñëa); ca—and;
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
aparäjitaù—who had
never been vanquished;
drupadaù—Drupada, the
King of Päïcäla;
draupadeyäù—the sons
of Draupadé; ca—also;
sarvaçaù—all; påthivé-
pate—O King;
saubhadraù—
Abhimanyu, the son of
Subhadrä; ca—also;
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
mahä-bähuù—mighty-
armed; çaìkhän—
conchshells; dadhmuù—
blew; påthak påthak—
each separately.
TRANSLATION
King Yudhiñöhira, the son
of Kunté, blew his
conchshell, the Ananta-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
vijaya, and Nakula and
Sahadeva blew the
Sughoña and
Maëipuñpaka. That great
archer the King of Käçé,
the great fighter
Çikhaëòé,
Dhåñöadyumna, Viräöa,
the unconquerable
Sätyaki, Drupada, the
sons of Draupadé, and
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
others, O King, such as
the mighty-armed son of
Subhadrä, all blew their
respective conchshells.
Gita Bhushan
Käçya indicates the king
of Käçé, who was a great
archer (parameñv-äsaù).
Sätyaki was shining with
his bow (cäpa-räjitaù).
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
“O Dhåtaräñöra, lord of the
earth (påthivé-pate), your
bad advice has brought
about this calamity in the
form of the destruction of
the dynasty.” That is the
suggestion of addressing
the king as “lord of the
earth.”
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
PURPORT
Saïjaya informed King
Dhåtaräñöra very tactfully
that his unwise policy of
deceiving the sons of
Päëòu and endeavoring
to enthrone his own sons
on the seat of the
kingdom was not very
laudable. The signs
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
already clearly indicated
that the whole Kuru
dynasty would be killed
in that great battle.
Beginning with the
grandsire, Bhéñma, down
to the grandsons like
Abhimanyu and others—
including kings from
many states of the
world—all were present
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
there, and all were
doomed. The whole
catastrophe was due to
King Dhåtaräñöra,
because he encouraged
the policy followed by his
sons.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Bg 1.19
sa ghoño
dhärtaräñöräëäà
hådayäni vyadärayat
nabhaç ca påthivéà caiva
tumulo 'bhyanunädayan
SYNONYMS
saù—that; ghoñaù—
vibration;
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
dhärtaräñöräëäm—of the
sons of Dhåtaräñöra;
hådayäni—hearts;
vyadärayat—shattered;
nabhaù—the sky; ca—
also; påthivém—the
surface of the earth; ca—
also; eva—certainly;
tumulaù—uproarious;
abhyanunädayan—
resounding.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
TRANSLATION
The blowing of these
different conchshells
became uproarious.
Vibrating both in the sky
and on the earth, it
shattered the hearts of
the sons of Dhåtaräñöra.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Gita Bhushan 1.19
The sound of the
Päëòavas’ conches split
the hearts of all of
Dhåtaräñöra’s followers
including Bhéñma. That
means it produced pain
equal to piercing the
heart. The intense sound
filled the sky and earth
with its echoes. The
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
sound of the conches of
the followers of
Dhåtaräñöra did not cause
any agitation in the hearts
of the Päëdavas, because
nothing was mentioned of
this.
PURPORT
When Bhéñma and the
others on the side of
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
Duryodhana blew their
respective conchshells,
there was no heart-
breaking on the part of
the Päëòavas. Such
occurrences are not
mentioned, but in this
particular verse it is
mentioned that the
hearts of the sons of
Dhåtaräñöra were
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
shattered by the sounds
vibrated by the Päëòavas'
party. This is due to the
Päëòavas and their
confidence in Lord
Kåñëa. One who takes
shelter of the Supreme
Lord has nothing to fear,
even in the midst of the
greatest calamity.
