Shloka 24
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda
Arrow-storm Engagement
शलस्य तु महाराज राजतो द्विरदो महान्,महाराज! शलके ध्वजमें चाँदीका महान् गजराज बना हुआ था। भरतश्रेष्ठ! वह ध्वज सुवर्णनिर्मित विचित्र अंगोंवाले मयूरोंसे सुशोभित था और आपकी सेनाकी शोभा बढ़ा रहा था
śalasya tu mahārāja rājato dvirado mahān | mahārāja śalake dhvajeṃ cāndī-kā mahān gajarājaḥ kṛtaḥ | bharataśreṣṭha sa dhvajaḥ suvarṇa-nirmita-vicitrāṅga-mayūraiḥ suśobhitaḥ tava senāyāḥ śobhāṃ vardhayām āsa ||
Sañjaya said: “O great king, Śala’s banner shone brilliantly. Upon that standard was fashioned a mighty lordly elephant of silver. O best of the Bharatas, the flag was further adorned with golden peacocks of wondrously varied limbs, and it heightened the splendor of your army.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how external symbols—banners, emblems, and royal artistry—are used to project power and morale in war. Ethically, it reminds the reader that martial glory often relies on spectacle and prestige, which can intensify attachment to victory and status even amid destructive conflict.
Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the striking standard of the warrior Śala: a banner bearing a large silver elephant and decorated with golden peacocks. The description emphasizes the visual grandeur of the Kaurava host and the atmosphere of the battlefield.