Shloka 8
Sainyavinyāsa–Lakṣaṇa (Disposition of Armies and Battlefield Omens) | सैन्यविन्यास–लक्षणम्
चन्द्रप्रभं श्वेतमथातपत्र सौवर्णसख्रग् भ्राजति चोत्तमाड़े । त॑ सर्वतः शकुनि: पर्वतीयै: सार्थ गान्धारैर्याति गान्धारराज:
sañjaya uvāca |
candraprabhaṁ śvetam athātapatraṁ sauvarṇa-srag bhrājati cottamāṅge |
taṁ sarvataḥ śakuniḥ parvataiyaiḥ sārthaṁ gāndhārair yāti gāndhāra-rājaḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Un parasol blanc, éclatant comme la lune, était tenu haut au-dessus de lui, et une guirlande d’or brillait sur sa tête. Le roi de Gāndhāra, Śakuni, s’avança avec les guerriers des montagnes de Gāndhāra, se déplaçant de manière à entourer Duryodhana de tous côtés — tableau d’une protection affichée, mais qui laisse aussi deviner l’étau de conseils et d’influences resserré autour de la cause des Kaurava, tandis que se dessinent les formations de guerre.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how outward symbols of sovereignty (parasol, gold garland) and the visible support of allies can project legitimacy and strength, yet it also suggests an ethical tension: power is being consolidated around a cause driven by ambition and contested dharma, where influence and counsel (notably Śakuni’s) shape the course toward conflict.
Sañjaya describes the Kaurava-side leaders and their formations: Śakuni, identified as the king of Gāndhāra, advances with Gāndhāra’s mountain warriors, moving in a way that surrounds and supports Duryodhana, while royal emblems—especially a moon-bright white parasol and a golden garland—mark the central figure’s prominence.