Bhagavad Gita · Arjuna Vishada YogaChapter 1, Shloka 14 (1.14)

The first scene — Krishna and Arjuna in one chariot. The main characters of the Gita appear here for the first time — and together. Sanjaya shows them not separately but as a pair (the verb is in the dual). The whole Gita that follows will take place in this chariot, between these two.

What is special about the chariot. Bhishma, the Kaurava commander, was also in a chariot; all the warriors were in chariots. So why does Sanjaya describe this chariot at such length? Madhusudana Sarasvati says — because this chariot was extraordinary: given by Agni, dushpradharshya (extremely hard to assail). According to the Mahabharata story, Agni gave Arjuna this chariot during the episode of the Khandava forest. The meaning: "these two are invincible in every way."

White horses. The white horses of Arjuna's chariot were famous; that is why one of Arjuna's names is Shvetavahana (he of the white steeds). In tradition white is regarded as a symbol of purity and sattva — but that is a symbolic interpretation; the shloka only gives the colour.

"Divyau śaṅkhau" — divine conches. Sanjaya did not use this word for the conches of the Kaurava side. The conches of Krishna and Arjuna are "divine". Their names will come in the next shloka — and Madhusudana seizes on exactly this: the conches of the Pandava side are famous by their own names, while not a single conch on the Kaurava side is famous by name.

Conches in reply — not the first move. Worth noticing: the first conch came from the Kaurava side (Bhishma, 1.12). The Pandava conch is a reply to it. Sanjaya's order of narration records this.