Shloka 12
गान्धारी-प्रशमनम् — Pacification of Gāndhārī and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel at Hāstinapura
अथावतीर्णे भूतानामीश्वरे सुमहात्मनि । कपिरन्तर्दथे दिव्यो ध्वजो गाण्डीवधन्चन:,समस्त प्राणियोंके ईश्वर परमात्मा श्रीकृष्णके उतरते ही गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनका ध्वजस्वरूप दिव्य वानर उस रथसे अन्तर्धान हो गया
athāvatīrṇe bhūtānām īśvare sumahātmani | kapir antardadhe divyo dhvajo gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: When the Supreme Lord—the great-souled ruler of all beings—had descended from the chariot, the divine monkey, which served as the banner upon Arjuna’s chariot, vanished from sight. The moment underscores reverence for the Lord’s presence: the celestial emblem remains only so long as the divine protector abides, hinting that victory-signs and extraordinary powers are sustained by dharma and divine guardianship rather than mere human prowess.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse suggests that extraordinary signs of power and victory are upheld by divine presence and dharmic alignment. When the Lord’s immediate protection withdraws (symbolized by Kṛṣṇa stepping down), the celestial emblem (the divine monkey-banner) also departs—implying that human success is not autonomous but supported by higher order and righteousness.
Sañjaya narrates that as Kṛṣṇa alights from Arjuna’s chariot, the divine monkey that forms Arjuna’s banner vanishes. This marks a transition after the climactic events of battle, highlighting the chariot’s sacred protection and the supernatural elements associated with Arjuna’s standard.