Shloka 65
भीष्मस्य मध्याह्नयुद्धवर्णनम् / Mid-day Battle Description: Bhīṣma Engaged by the Pāñcālas
अनुकर्ष: पताकाभिरुपासज्लैर्ध्वजैरपि | प्रवीराणां महाशड्खेैरविंप्रकीर्णैश्व॒ पाण्डुरै:,अनुकर्ष, पताका, उपासंग, ध्वज तथा बड़े-बड़े वीरोंके श्वेत महाशंख बिखरे पड़े थे
anukarṣaḥ patākābhir upāsaṅgair dhvajair api | pravīrāṇāṁ mahāśaṅkhair aviprakīrṇaiś ca pāṇḍuraiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: The field was strewn with the harness and trappings, with banners and standards as well; and with the great white conches of mighty warriors, scattered all about. The scene conveys the aftermath of fierce combat—emblems of identity and instruments of proclamation lying abandoned—hinting at the impermanence of martial pride and the heavy cost that war exacts from even the foremost heroes.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the transience of external marks of power—banners, standards, and war-conches—once battle has raged. Even the symbols that proclaim heroism and command become debris, pointing to the ethical gravity of war and the fragility of worldly glory.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra what is visible on the battlefield: martial equipment and insignia—banners, standards, and the large white conches of renowned warriors—lying scattered, indicating intense fighting and the disarray left in its wake.