Shloka 57
पाणौ पृषत्का लिखिता ममैते धनुश्न दिव्यं विततं सबाणम् | पादौ च मे सरथौ सध्वजौ च न मादृशं युद्धगतं जयन्ति
sañjaya uvāca |
pāṇau pṛṣatkā likhitā mamaite dhanuś ca divyaṃ vitataṃ sabāṇam |
pādau ca me sarathau sadhvajau ca na mādṛśaṃ yuddhagataṃ jayanti ||
Sañjaya dijo: «En mis manos están grabadas las señales de las flechas; y también el signo de un arco divino, tensado y listo con sus saetas. Asimismo, en mis pies están las marcas de un carro de guerra y de su estandarte. Cuando un guerrero con tales signos auspiciosos entra en el campo de batalla, los enemigos no pueden vencerlo».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the epic motif of bodily auspicious marks as indicators of destiny and martial success: a warrior believed to be marked by fate and merit is portrayed as difficult to defeat, reinforcing confidence, legitimacy, and the perceived moral order behind victory in war.
Sañjaya reports a warrior’s self-description of auspicious signs—arrow and bow marks on the hands, chariot and banner marks on the feet—used as a claim that, once he enters battle, opponents will not be able to conquer him.