Shloka 6
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda
Arrow-storm Engagement
पताकाश्व ततस्तास्तु श्वसनेन समीरिता:
patākāśva tatastāstu śvasanena samīritāḥ
Sañjaya dit : Alors ces bannières et ces chevaux se mirent en branle, comme soulevés par la force de leur souffle — image de l’énergie fébrile du champ de bataille, où même les signes de l’honneur guerrier (les drapeaux) et les instruments de la guerre (les chevaux) répondent à l’élan de vie et d’effort à l’approche de la violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war’s intensity permeates everything: breath, movement, and symbols of honor. It invites reflection on the living force driving conflict—courage and exertion on one side, but also the tragic momentum that carries all beings and objects into violence.
Sañjaya describes a vivid battlefield moment: banners and horses are seen as moving or fluttering, driven by the horses’ heavy breathing and agitation, conveying the charged atmosphere as armies prepare or engage.