Shloka 30
द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः
Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry
नाकुलिं तु शतानीकं शालपुष्पनिभा हया: । आदित्यतरुणप्रख्या: श्लाघनीयमुदावहन्,नकुलके स्पृहणीय पुत्र शतानीकको शालपुष्पके समान रक्त-पीतवर्णवाले और बालसूर्यके समान कान्तिमान् अश्व रणभूमिमें ले गये
nākuliṁ tu śatānīkaṁ śālapuṣpanibhā hayāḥ | ādityataruṇaprakhyāḥ ślāghanīyam udāvahan ||
Sañjaya said: Horses, lovely as śāla-flowers and radiant like the young sun, bore Nakula’s son Śatānīka—an admirable sight—into the battlefield. The verse highlights the martial pageantry of war: noble lineage and splendid steeds are displayed as signs of honor and morale, even as they serve the grim purpose of combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Kṣatriya ethos in epic warfare: outward splendor—radiant horses and a prince of noble lineage—functions as a marker of honor and morale. It implicitly contrasts the admired appearance of martial readiness with the harsh reality of battle, reminding readers how dharma in war is framed through duty, reputation, and disciplined courage.
Sañjaya describes Śatānīka, Nakula’s son, being carried into the battlefield by exceptionally beautiful and sun-bright horses. It is a brief battlefield tableau emphasizing the arrival and readiness of a Pandava prince amid the Drona Parva fighting.