Shloka 20

पाण्डव-वृष्णि-समागमः तथा अश्वमेध-अनुज्ञा | Reunion at the Kuru Court and Authorization of the Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

तत्र तत्र विविक्तेषु समन्‍्तादुपशोभितम्‌ | पताका धूयमानाश्च समन्तान्मातरिश्वना

Transliteration

tatra tatra vivikteṣu samantādupśobhitam | patākā dhūyamānāśca samantānmātariśvanā

Translation

അവിടവിടെയായി വിശാലവും നിർവൃതവുമായ സ്ഥലങ്ങൾ ചുറ്റുമെല്ലാം ശോഭയാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. കാറ്റിൽ ഇളകി പാറുന്ന പതാകകൾ എല്ലാടവും തരംഗിച്ചു—ഉത്സവത്തിന്റെയും രാജക്രമത്തിന്റെയും ഒരുക്കപ്പെടുന്ന യാഗവിധിയുടെ പൊതുസാമൂഹിക ഗൗരവത്തിന്റെയും ചിഹ്നങ്ങളായി।

Word by Word

तत्रthere

तत्रthere (in various places)

विविक्तेषुin secluded/isolated (places)

समन्तात्on all sides, all around

उपशोभितम्adorned, beautified

पताकाःflags, banners

धूयमानाःbeing shaken/waved

चand

समन्तात्all around

मातरिश्वनाby the wind (Mātariśvan)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)

प

पताका (banners/flags)

म

मातरिश्वन् (Mātariśvan, the Wind)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a dharmic royal undertaking is marked by visible order, beauty, and auspicious signs. The ethical suggestion is that public rites and governance should manifest harmony and propriety—outer decorum reflecting inner commitment to duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the surroundings as adorned in many places, with flags and banners fluttering in the wind. The imagery sets a ceremonial atmosphere consistent with preparations and public display connected to the Aśvamedha context of the parva.