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Shloka 75

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

नानावर्णेन रूपेण नानाकृतिमुखा हया: । रथचक्रध्वजं वीर॑ घटोत्कचमुदावहन्‌,अनेक प्रकारके रंग-रूपसे युक्त विभिन्न आकृति और मुखवाले घोड़े रथके पहियेके चिह्नसे युक्त ध्वजावाले वीर घटोत्कचको रणभूमिमें ले गये

sañjaya uvāca |

nānāvarṇena rūpeṇa nānākṛtimukhā hayāḥ |

rathacakradhvajaṃ vīraṃ ghaṭotkacam udāvahan |

Sañjaya dit : Des chevaux aux couleurs et aux formes multiples, aux visages de figures diverses, portèrent en avant le héros Ghaṭotkaca —dont le char arborait sur sa bannière l’emblème d’une roue— et le menèrent au plus épais du champ de bataille. La scène souligne comment la splendeur guerrière et la puissance se rassemblent dans la guerre, tandis que le poids moral de la violence continue de peser sur les deux camps.

नानाvarious, many kinds of
नाना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाना
वर्णेनby color
वर्णेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
रूपेणby form/appearance
रूपेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरूप
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
नानाvarious, many kinds of
नाना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाना
आकृति-मुखाःhaving faces of various shapes
आकृति-मुखाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootआकृतिमुख
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
हयाःhorses
हयाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
रथ-चक्र-ध्वजम्having a banner marked with a chariot-wheel
रथ-चक्र-ध्वजम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootरथचक्रध्वज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वीरम्the hero
वीरम्:
TypeNoun
Rootवीर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
घटोत्कचम्Ghaṭotkaca
घटोत्कचम्:
Karma
TypeProperNoun
Rootघटोत्कच
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उदावहन्carried/bore (away/forward)
उदावहन्:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-वाह्
FormImperfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
G
Ghaṭotkaca
H
horses (hayāḥ)
C
chariot (ratha)
W
wheel-emblem/banner (cakra-dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the outward grandeur and mobilization of power in war—symbols, banners, and mighty warriors—while implicitly reminding the reader that such splendor serves a violent enterprise whose ethical burden remains central to the Mahābhārata’s vision of dharma under strain.

Sañjaya describes Ghaṭotkaca being carried into battle on a chariot drawn by striking, multi-colored horses of varied forms, with a banner bearing a wheel emblem—an image that signals his formidable presence as he enters the fray.