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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
1.161.18

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 1.17

The armies gather; conches sound

अनन्तविजयं राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ।

नकुलः सहदेवश्च सुघोषमणिपुष्पकौ ॥ १६ ॥

काश्यश्च परमेष्वास: शिखण्डी च महारथ: ।

धृष्टद्युम्न‍ो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्‍चापराजित: ॥ १७ ॥

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वश: पृथिवीपते ।

सौभद्रश्च महाबाहु: शङ्खान्दध्मु: पृथक्पृथक् ॥ १८ ॥

anantavijayaṁ rājā

kuntī-putro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca

sughoṣa-maṇipuṣpakau

kāśyaś ca parameṣv-āsaḥ

śikhaṇḍī ca mahā-rathaḥ

dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca

sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ

drupado draupadeyāś ca

sarvaśaḥ pṛthivī-pate

saubhadraś ca mahā-bāhuḥ

śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak

Translation

King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī, blew his conchshell, the Ananta-vijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughoṣa and Maṇipuṣpaka. That great archer the King of Kāśī, the great fighter Śikhaṇḍī, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Virāṭa, the unconquerable Sātyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadī, and others, O King, such as the mighty-armed son of Subhadrā, all blew their respective conchshells.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

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

Conchshells and a Warning

  1. 1The King of Kāśī, Śikhaṇḍī, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Virāṭa, and Sātyaki blew their conchshells.
  2. 2Sañjaya tactfully told Dhṛtarāṣṭra that his policy was unwise.
  3. 3Dhṛtarāṣṭra had deceived the sons of Pāṇḍu and sought the throne for his own sons.
  4. 4The signs showed that the whole Kuru dynasty would be killed in the battle.
  5. 5Dhṛtarāṣṭra was responsible for this disaster because he encouraged his sons’ policy.

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

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Ask yourself

What does BG 1.17 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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