Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1, Verse 12 (BG 1.12) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

1.12 तस्य his (Duryodhanas)? संजयन् causing? हर्षम् joy? कुरुवृद्धः oldest of the Kurus? पितामहः grandfather? सिंहनादम् lions roar? विनद्य having sounded? उच्चैः loudly? शङ्खम् conch? दध्मौ blew? प्रतापवान् the glorious.No Commentary.

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

Modern

Due to Duryodhana's foolish verbosity, the warriors of his army found themselves in a most peculiar state. A wave of despondency began to manifest among them, which Bhishma observed standing nearby. The great Bhishma perceived the anger concealed within the silence of the industrious Drona. He understood that these soldiers needed to be lifted from this state of mind; otherwise, when the impending battle commenced, the warriors would prove ineffective if left in such a condition. Recognizing this emotional state among the warriors, the commander Bhishma Pitamah, with all his might, sounded the conch to awaken joy and confidence in the hearts of all the soldiers alongside Duryodhana. Although Bhishma's sounding of the conch was inspired by compassion toward Duryodhana, it nevertheless served as a declaration of the commencement of war—much as in modern warfare, the firing of the first shot marks the beginning of battle. With this mighty blast of the conch, the great war of the Mahabharata commenced, and from the perspective of history, the Kauravas stand revealed as the aggressors.