Bhagavad Gita BG 1.20
Chapter 1, Verse 20 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अथ व्यवस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा धार्तराष्ट्रान्कपिध्वजः । प्रवृत्ते शस्त्रसम्पाते धनुरुद्यम्य पाण्डवः ॥ २० ॥
atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapi-dhvajaḥ pravṛtte śastra-sampāte dhanur udyamya pāṇḍavaḥ
Meaning
At that time, seeing Dhritarashtra's sons standing arrayed and as weapons were about to be discharged, Arjuna — whose flag bore the emblem of Hanuman — raised his bow.
Understanding
Arjuna is introduced here with a key epithet: 'kapi-dhvaja' — he whose flag bears the emblem of Hanuman (kapi = monkey). Hanuman blessed Arjuna's chariot flag, promising to raise terrifying war cries to demoralize the enemy. The moment is critical: weapons are about to fly (śastra-sampāte pravṛtte), and Arjuna raises his bow — but what happens next changes everything.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| कपिध्वजः | kapi-dhvajaḥ | he whose flag bears a monkey (Hanuman) — Arjuna |
| प्रवृत्ते | pravṛtte | having begun / about to start |
| शस्त्रसम्पाते | śastra-sampāte | the discharge / launching of weapons |
| धनुः | dhanuḥ | bow |
| उद्यम्य | udyamya | having raised / having lifted |
| अथ | atha | then / at that point |
| व्यवस्थितान् | vyavasthitān | arrayed / standing in position |
| दृष्ट्वा | dṛṣṭvā | having seen / upon seeing |
| धार्तराष्ट्रान् | dhārtarāṣṭrān | the sons of Dhritarashtra (Kauravas) |
| पाण्डवः | pāṇḍavaḥ | the Pandava (Arjuna) |