Shloka 30
द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः
Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry
नाकुलिं तु शतानीकं शालपुष्पनिभा हया: । आदित्यतरुणप्रख्या: श्लाघनीयमुदावहन्,नकुलके स्पृहणीय पुत्र शतानीकको शालपुष्पके समान रक्त-पीतवर्णवाले और बालसूर्यके समान कान्तिमान् अश्व रणभूमिमें ले गये
nākuliṁ tu śatānīkaṁ śālapuṣpanibhā hayāḥ | ādityataruṇaprakhyāḥ ślāghanīyam udāvahan ||
Sañjaya dit : Des chevaux beaux comme des fleurs de śāla et rayonnants comme le jeune soleil portèrent Śatānīka, le fils de Nakula—spectacle digne d’éloge—jusqu’au champ de bataille.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Kṣatriya ethos in epic warfare: outward splendor—radiant horses and a prince of noble lineage—functions as a marker of honor and morale. It implicitly contrasts the admired appearance of martial readiness with the harsh reality of battle, reminding readers how dharma in war is framed through duty, reputation, and disciplined courage.
Sañjaya describes Śatānīka, Nakula’s son, being carried into the battlefield by exceptionally beautiful and sun-bright horses. It is a brief battlefield tableau emphasizing the arrival and readiness of a Pandava prince amid the Drona Parva fighting.