Bhagavad-gītā 1.12

Explain simply

Speaker: Sañjaya

तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः ।
सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ॥१२॥

tasya sañjanayan harṣaṁ
kuru-vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ
siṁha-nādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ
śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān

Word for word (synonyms)

tasya
his
sañjanayan
increasing
harṣam
cheerfulness
kuru-vṛddhaḥ
the grandsire of the Kuru dynasty (Bhīṣma)
pitāmahaḥ
the grandfather
siṁha-nādam
roaring sound, like a lion
vinadya
vibrating
uccaiḥ
very loudly
śaṅkham
conchshell
dadhmau
blew
pratāpavān
the valiant

Translation

Then Bhīṣma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly like the sound of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy.

Purport

The grandsire of the Kuru dynasty could 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 conchshell, he informed his depressed grandson Duryodhana that he had no chance of victory in the battle, because the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa was on the other side. But still, it was his duty to conduct the fight, and no pains would be spared in that connection.

What this verse teaches

The study note for this verse is in editorial review.

Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 1

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.