Shloka 306

Droṇa’s Withdrawal, Death, and the Kaurava Rout (द्रोणनिधन-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

व्यदीपयंस्ते ध्वजिनी प्रदीप्तां तथा बलं॑ पाण्डवेयाभिगुप्तम्‌ । दोनों ही सेनाओंके अन्यान्य पैदल सैनिक हाथोंमें प्रदीप धारण किये दोनों ही सेनाओंके भीतर विचरण करने लगे। सारी सेनाओंके पैदलसमूह हाथी, रथ और अश्वसमूहोंके साथ मिलकर आपकी सेनाको तथा पाण्डवोंद्वारा सुरक्षित वाहिनीको भी अत्यन्त प्रकाशित करने लगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

vyadīpayaṃs te dhvajinī pradīptāṃ tathā balaṃ pāṇḍaveyābhiguptam |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Sie erhellten dein loderndes Heer und ebenso die Streitmacht, die von den Söhnen Pāṇḍus geschützt wurde. Die Fußsoldaten gingen mit Lampen in den Händen innerhalb beider Heere umher; und die Masse der Infanterie—zusammen mit Elefanten, Wagen und Pferden—leuchtete deutlich auf, sodass sowohl dein Heer als auch die von den Pāṇḍavas bewachte Abteilung völlig sichtbar wurde.“

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sañjaya said', 'vyadīpayan': 'illuminating, causing to shine (intensive/causative sense)', 'te': 'your (addressing Dhṛtarāṣṭra)', 'dhvajinī': 'army, host, bannered force', 'pradīptām': 'blazing, brightly lit, aflame (also ‘fully illuminated’ in context)', 'tathā': 'and likewise, similarly', 'balam': 'force, army, military strength', 'pāṇḍaveya': 'belonging to the Pāṇḍavas

• the sons/descendants of Pāṇḍu', 'abhiguptam': 'well-guarded, protected, secured'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'te')
• Kaurava army (your dhvajinī)
• Pāṇḍava forces (pāṇḍaveya-bala)
• lamps/torches (pradīpa, implied by narrative gloss)
• infantry
• elephants
• chariots
• horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the extremity of war, disciplined awareness—‘illumination’ and clear recognition—remains essential; the passage also highlights the moral tension of a righteous order being used within an unrighteous, kin-slaying conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

During a night or low-visibility phase of battle, foot-soldiers move through both camps carrying lamps/torches, lighting up the Kaurava host and the Pāṇḍava-protected force so troops, formations, and vehicles (elephants, chariots, horses) can be seen clearly.