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Verse 1.12

Speaker: Sanjaya

Sanskrit

तस्य सञ्जनयन्हर्षं कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः | सिंहनादं विनद्योच्चैः शङ्खं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् ||१२||

Transliteration (IAST)

tasya sañjanayanhṛṣaṁ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ | siṁhanādaṁ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṁ dadhmau pratāpavān ||12||

Word-by-Word Meanings

कुरुवृद्धः-the eldest of the Kurus
पितामहः-the grandfather (Bhishma)
सिंहनादम्-lion's roar
शङ्खम्-conch shell
दध्मौ-blew
प्रतापवान्-the valiant one

Translation

Then Bhishma, the grand old man of the Kuru dynasty, the valiant grandfather, roared like a lion and blew his conch loudly, bringing joy to Duryodhana.

Commentary

Bhishma's lion-roar and conch-blowing serve as a response to Duryodhana's anxiety. The grandfather reassures his grandson through action rather than words. The conch signals the formal commencement of hostilities from the Kaurava side.

Themes

duty

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