Shloka 256
भीष्मसेनासंनिवेशः — Bhīṣma’s Mobilization, Omens, and the Kaurava Array
महान् दुर्योधनस्थासीन्नागो मणिमयो ध्वज: । कई लाख सैनिकोंकी सेनाको अपने साथ लेकर चलनेवाले दुर्योधनका मणिमय महान् ध्वज नागचिह्से विभूषित था
mahān duryodhana-sthāsīn nāgo maṇimayo dhvajaḥ |
Sañjaya dit : Auprès de Duryodhana se dressait un grand étendard, orné de joyaux, portant l’emblème du serpent. Cette description souligne la splendeur royale et l’orgueil guerrier du chef des Kaurava, qui s’avance avec une vaste armée, répandant puissance et effroi sur le champ de bataille.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outward grandeur—gem-studded standards and fearsome emblems—can symbolize worldly power and pride in war, yet such display is ethically neutral by itself; it becomes meaningful only in relation to the leader’s intentions and adherence (or lack) to dharma.
Sañjaya is describing the Kaurava forces and their leaders’ battle insignia. Here he notes Duryodhana’s prominent standard: a large, jewel-like banner marked with a serpent, emphasizing the imposing spectacle of the Kaurava advance.