Shloka 20
Adhyāya 140: Rātriyuddhe Droṇa-prāpti-prayatnaḥ
Night engagement and the attempt to reach Droṇa
सुवर्णविकृतैश्चापि गदामुसलपट्टिशै: । ध्वजैश्न विविधाकारै: शक्तिभि: परिघैरपि
suvarṇavikṛtaiś cāpi gadāmusalapaṭṭiśaiḥ | dhvajaiś ca vividhākāraiḥ śaktibhiḥ parighair api ||
Sañjaya said: “And with weapons fashioned and adorned with gold as well—maces, pestles, and spears; with banners of many different shapes; and also with javelins and iron bludgeons—(the warriors were equipped), displaying the full, fearsome array of battle.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the terrifying completeness of martial preparation: even weapons are beautified with gold, showing how human skill and wealth can be harnessed toward destruction. Ethically, it highlights the tension in kṣatriya-dharma—valor and readiness for battle—while implicitly reminding that outward splendor does not lessen the moral weight of violence.
Sañjaya continues describing the battlefield scene in Droṇa Parva, listing the kinds of weapons and standards present—gold-adorned maces, clubs, spears, varied banners, javelins, and iron bludgeons—emphasizing the scale and intensity of the armed confrontation.