Shloka 12

Devanagari script

सर्वायुधवरोपेतमास्थितो ध्वजशालिनम्‌

Transliteration

sarvāyudhavaropetam āsthito dhvajaśālinam

Translation

Sañjaya said: He took his stand upon the banner-bearing chariot, fully equipped with an excellent array of weapons—ready for the grim duties of battle and the responsibilities that accompany martial power.

Word by Word

• सर्वायुधवर-उपेतम्: endowed with excellent (all kinds of) weapons
• सर्वायुधवर-उपेतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वायुधवर + उपेत (√इ + उपसर्ग उप, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having mounted / having taken position
• आस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्थित (आ + √स्था, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ध्वज-शालिनम्: banner-bearing; possessing a standard
• ध्वज-शालिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वजशालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• āyudha (weapons)
• chariot (implied by dhvajaśālinam in battle context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights martial preparedness as a facet of kṣatriya-duty: power (weapons, chariot, banner) is not mere display but a readiness to act within the harsh moral economy of war, where capability must be matched by responsibility and resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior taking position on a banner-bearing chariot, fully armed with superior weapons—signaling the commencement or intensification of combat and the public, emblematic nature of battlefield leadership.