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Chapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra · 46 verses

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Questions & crisisChapter 1 · Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
1.141.16

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.15

The armies gather; conches sound

पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः ।

पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ॥ १५ ॥

pāñcajanyaṁ hṛṣīkeśo

devadattaṁ dhanañ-jayaḥ

pauṇḍraṁ dadhmau mahā-śaṅkhaṁ

bhīma-karmā vṛkodaraḥ

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa blew His conchshell, called Pāñcajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhīma, the voracious eater and performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell, called Pauṇḍra.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Kṛṣṇa Directs the Senses

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa blew Pāñcajanya, Arjuna blew Devadatta, and mighty, big-eating Bhīma blew his terrific conchshell, Pauṇḍra.
  2. 2Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, the owner of all senses. Living beings and their senses are parts of Him.
  3. 3From within each heart, Kṛṣṇa guides the senses according to one’s surrender. He directly controls His pure devotee Arjuna’s senses.
  4. 4The names reflect activities: Dhanañjaya points to Arjuna’s gathering wealth for sacrifices; Vṛkodara points to Bhīma’s great appetite and mighty deeds.
  5. 5The conchshells encouraged the Pāṇḍava soldiers and announced the opposing side’s destined defeat, for that side lacked Kṛṣṇa, the supreme director.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 1, Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra: the armies gather; conches sound.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Honest questions open the way to wisdom.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: saṁśaya, viṣāda.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 1.15 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to questions & crisis?

Practice

Write down the real question behind your current dilemma.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 1 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 1.1The armies gather; conches soundBG 1.2The armies gather; conches soundBG 2.7The moment Arjuna becomes a discipleBG 6.34The restless mind

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.