Shloka 3

ध्वजवर्णनम् | Dhvaja-varṇanam

Description of War Standards

Devanagari script

संतस्तार शुभां शय्यां दर्भवैदूर्यसंनिभै: । ततो माल्येन विधिवल्लाजैर्गन्धै: सुमज्रलै: २ ।। अलंचकार तां शय्यां परिवार्यायुधोत्तमै: । ततः स्पृष्टोदके पार्थे विनीता: परिचारका:

Transliteration

saṃstastāra śubhāṃ śayyāṃ darbhavaidūryasaṃnibhaiḥ | tato mālyena vidhivallājairgandhaiḥ sumañjalaiḥ || alaṃcakāra tāṃ śayyāṃ parivāryāyudhoत्तamaiḥ | tataḥ spṛṣṭodake pārthe vinītāḥ paricārakāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Ils étendirent une couche splendide, faite pour ressembler à l’herbe darbha et dont l’éclat rappelait le vaidūrya (pierre « œil-de-chat »). Puis, selon le rite prescrit, ils ornèrent cette couche de guirlandes et de parfums choisis, disposés en fines poignées. L’entourant d’armes excellentes, ils en achevèrent la parure. Ensuite, lorsque Pārtha eut été purifié rituellement en touchant l’eau, les serviteurs, bien formés et disciplinés, se tinrent prêts au service—image d’ordre et de révérence préservés jusque dans la rudesse de la guerre.

Word by Word

सन्तःthe attendants/good men

ताम्that (her/it)

शुभाम्auspicious, beautiful

शय्याम्bed, couch

दर्भ-वैदूर्य-संनिभैःwith (things) resembling darbha and vaidūrya (cat's-eye gem)

ततःthen, thereafter

माल्येनwith garlands

विधिवत्according to rule, duly

लाजैःwith parched grains (lāja)

गन्धैःwith fragrances, perfumes

सुमञ्जुलैःvery pleasant

अलञ्चकारadorned, decorated

ताम्that (bed)

शय्याम्bed, couch

परिवार्यhaving surrounded

आयुध-उत्तमैःwith excellent weapons

ततःthen, thereafter

स्पृष्ट-उदकेwhen the water had been touched (ritually purified)

पार्थेwhen/while Pārtha (Arjuna) (was present / in the case of Pārtha)

विनीताḥtrained, well-disciplined

परिचारकाःattendant women, servants

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārtha (Arjuna)

śayyā (couch/bed)

darbha grass

vaidūrya (cat’s-eye gem)

mālya (garlands)

gandha (perfumes)

āyudha (weapons)

udaka (water)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a battlefield setting, conduct is expected to remain ordered and respectful: ritual cleanliness (spṛṣṭodaka), disciplined service (vinītāḥ paricārakāḥ), and proper procedure (vidhivat) reflect a dharmic ideal of self-control and reverence amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Attendants prepare and ornament a splendid couch—spreading it, decorating it with garlands and perfumes, and placing excellent weapons around it. After Pārtha (Arjuna) performs a water-touch purification, the trained attendants stand ready to serve.