Shloka 29
मुण्डतालवनानीव तत्र तत्र चकाशिरे । छिन्ना रथध्वजव्राता: केचित्तत्र क्वचित् क्वचित्,वहाँ कहीं-कहीं रथवर्ती ध्वजोंके समूह ऊपरसे कट जानेके कारण मुण्डित तालवनोंके समान प्रकाशित हो रहे थे
sañjaya uvāca |
muṇḍatālavanānīva tatra tatra cakāśire |
chinnā rathadhvajavrātāḥ kecit tatra kvacit kvacit ||
Sañjaya said: Here and there on the battlefield, some chariots—whose clusters of banners had been cut off—stood out conspicuously, resembling groves of palmyra trees with their tops shorn. The image underscores the relentless destructiveness of war: even the proud emblems of warriors are reduced to mutilated remnants, revealing the fragility of martial glory.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse conveys the transience of martial pride: banners and standards—symbols of identity and honor—are easily severed in war. The simile of lopped palmyra groves highlights how violence reduces even grand displays to mutilated forms, inviting reflection on the cost of conflict and the fragility of worldly renown.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield scene: in various places, chariots whose banner-clusters have been cut off are visible, standing out like palmyra groves with their tops shorn. It is a vivid report of the intensity of fighting and the widespread damage to warriors’ insignia and equipment.