Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 55
भीष्मस्योत्तरायणप्रतीक्षा तथा युधिष्ठिरागमनम् | Bhīṣma’s uttarāyaṇa moment and Yudhiṣṭhira’s arrival
त्रिशिरास्तस्य दिव्यश्व॒ शातकुम्भमयो द्रुम: । ध्वजस्तृणेन्द्रो देवस्प भविष्यति रथाश्रित:,बलदेवजीके रथपर तीन शिखाओंसे युक्त दिव्य सुवर्णमय तालवृक्ष ध्वजके रूपमें सुशोभित होगा
triśirās tasya divyaśvaḥ śātakumbhamayo drumaḥ | dhvajas tṛṇendro devaspā bhaviṣyati rathāśritaḥ ||
Īśvara said: “For him, the banner fixed upon his chariot will be a divine palmyra-tree of pure gold, crowned with three peaks; it will be famed as ‘Tṛṇendra’ and ‘Devaspā.’”
ईश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dharmic authority is often marked by recognizable signs—here, a divinely sanctioned banner—indicating protection, rightful power, and the moral standing expected of a great warrior.
Īśvara describes the distinctive chariot-standard associated with the hero: a three-crested, golden palmyra-tree emblem mounted on the chariot, known by the epithets Tṛṇendra and Devaspā.