Shloka 8
Sainyavinyāsa–Lakṣaṇa (Disposition of Armies and Battlefield Omens) | सैन्यविन्यास–लक्षणम्
चन्द्रप्रभं श्वेतमथातपत्र सौवर्णसख्रग् भ्राजति चोत्तमाड़े । त॑ सर्वतः शकुनि: पर्वतीयै: सार्थ गान्धारैर्याति गान्धारराज:
sañjaya uvāca |
candraprabhaṁ śvetam athātapatraṁ sauvarṇa-srag bhrājati cottamāṅge |
taṁ sarvataḥ śakuniḥ parvataiyaiḥ sārthaṁ gāndhārair yāti gāndhāra-rājaḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Ein weißer Schirm, strahlend wie der Mond, wurde hoch über ihm gehalten, und ein goldener Kranz glänzte auf seinem Haupt. Der König von Gāndhāra, Śakuni, rückte mit den Bergkriegern Gāndhāras vor und bewegte sich so, dass er Duryodhana von allen Seiten umgab — ein Bild zur Schau gestellter Bewachung, das zugleich auf das enge Geflecht aus Rat und Einfluss verweist, das die Sache der Kaurava umspann, während die Kriegsformationen Gestalt annahmen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how outward symbols of sovereignty (parasol, gold garland) and the visible support of allies can project legitimacy and strength, yet it also suggests an ethical tension: power is being consolidated around a cause driven by ambition and contested dharma, where influence and counsel (notably Śakuni’s) shape the course toward conflict.
Sañjaya describes the Kaurava-side leaders and their formations: Śakuni, identified as the king of Gāndhāra, advances with Gāndhāra’s mountain warriors, moving in a way that surrounds and supports Duryodhana, while royal emblems—especially a moon-bright white parasol and a golden garland—mark the central figure’s prominence.