Shloka 116
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda
Arrow-storm Engagement
नन्दनं कौरवेन्द्राणां द्रौणेलक्ष्म समुच्छितम् अश्व॒त्थामाका इन्द्रध्वजके समान प्रकाशमान सुवर्णमय ऊँचा ध्वज वायुकी प्रेरणासे फहराता हुआ कौरव-नरेशोंका आनन्द बढ़ा रहा था
nandanam kauravendrāṇāṃ drauṇelakṣmā samucchitam | aśvatthāmāka indradhvajake samānaprakāśamānaṃ suvarṇamayaṃ ūrdhvaṃ dhvajaṃ vāyukī-preraṇayā phaharataḥ kaurava-nareśānām ānandaṃ vardhayām āsa ||
Sañjaya said: The lofty, golden banner of Aśvatthāmā—shining like Indra’s standard and raised high as the emblem of Droṇa’s line—fluttered under the impulse of the wind and heightened the joy and confidence of the Kaurava kings. In the moral atmosphere of the war, this image underscores how outward signs of power and lineage can inflame pride and morale, even as the battlefield tests the deeper claims of dharma.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how symbols—banners, lineage-emblems, and displays of splendor—can intensify collective confidence and pride in war. Ethically, it hints at the contrast between external grandeur and the inner demands of dharma, reminding readers that morale fueled by spectacle does not guarantee righteousness.
Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāmā’s tall, golden standard, radiant like Indra’s banner, fluttering in the wind. Its sight increases the joy and confidence of the Kaurava rulers on the battlefield.