Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 12

Chapter 1 – Arjuna Vishada Yoga · Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit verse

तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥

Transliteration

tasya sañjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ .
siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān ॥

Meaning

Then, to cheer Duryodhana, the mighty grandsire Bhishma, eldest of the Kurus, gave a loud roar like a lion and blew his conch.

Word meanings

तस्य – his (Duryodhana's)
सञ्जनयन् – causing, kindling
हर्षम् – joy, cheer
कुरुवृद्धः – the eldest of the Kurus
पितामहः – the grandsire (Bhishma)
सिंहनादम् – a lion's roar
विनद्य – having sounded
उच्चैः – loudly
शङ्खम् – conch
दध्मौ – blew
प्रतापवान् – the glorious, valiant one

Anvaya (word order)

तस्य हर्षं सञ्जनयन् प्रतापवान् कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः उच्चैः सिंहनादं विनद्य शङ्खं दध्मौ ।

Explanation

Drona stayed silent, but Bhishma understood Duryodhana's unease. Seeing that his grandson's mind was full of fear, he roared like a lion and blew his conch to lift his spirits. In ancient warfare the sounding of the conch announced the start of battle and roused the courage of the fighters.

Sanjaya uses three epithets for Bhishma: kuruvriddha, 'eldest of the Kurus'; pitamaha, 'grandsire' of both sides; and pratapavan, 'glorious and valiant'. Bhishma was grandfather to the Pandavas and the Kauravas alike and loved them equally, yet because of his vow of loyalty to the throne of Hastinapura he became commander of the Kaurava army.

Some commentators find a silent message in this conch. Bhishma cheers Duryodhana, but gives him no promise of victory. He only declares that he will do his duty with full valour. He knew well what the outcome would be: where Krishna is, there victory lies.

It is also significant that the first conch of the war sounded from the Kaurava side. The initiative for war came from the side of adharma; the Pandavas only answered it.

Context

After Duryodhana's speech (verses 3-11), Bhishma blows his conch to encourage him. In the next verse the other instruments of the Kaurava army burst forth, and from verse 14 the Pandava side answers with its conches.

Life lesson

Elders should give courage to the fearful, but never false assurances. Like Bhishma, we should play our role with full commitment even when the outcome is not in our hands.

Key terms

Simhanada: a lion's roar; a battle cry of valour
Kuruvriddha: the eldest of the Kuru clan, Bhishma
Shankhanada: the sound of the conch, signal of battle and courage