Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 15

भीष्म-युधिष्ठिर-संमर्दः

Bhīṣma’s Pressure on Yudhiṣṭhira; Śikhaṇḍī’s Approach; Evening Withdrawal

ज्वलन्तं सूर्यसंकाशं नागं मणिमयं शुभम्‌ | ध्वजं कुरुपतेश्छिन्नं ददृशु: सर्वपार्थिवा:,कुरुराज दुर्योधनके उस सूर्यके समान प्रज्वलित नागचिह्लित मणिमय सुन्दर ध्वजको कटकर गिरते समय समस्त राजाओंने देखा

jvalantaṃ sūryasaṃkāśaṃ nāgaṃ maṇimayaṃ śubham | dhvajaṃ kurupateś chinnaṃ dadṛśuḥ sarvapārthivāḥ ||

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—സകല രാജാക്കന്മാരും കുരുപതിയുടെ ആ ശുഭമായ, മണിമയമായ, നാഗചിഹ്നധാരിയായ, സൂര്യസമമായി ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന പതാക വെട്ടിക്കീറി വീഴുന്നതു കണ്ടു।

ज्वलन्तम्blazing
ज्वलन्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootज्वलत् (√ज्वल्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सूर्य-संकाशम्sun-like, resembling the sun
सूर्य-संकाशम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसूर्य + संकाश
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
नागम्serpent (emblem)
नागम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनाग
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मणि-मयम्made of jewels
मणि-मयम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमणि + मय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
शुभम्auspicious, splendid
शुभम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
ध्वजम्banner, flag
ध्वजम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootध्वज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कुरु-पतेःof the lord of the Kurus
कुरु-पतेः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकुरुपति
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
छिन्नम्cut off, severed
छिन्नम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootछिन्न (√छिद्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
ददृशुःthey saw
ददृशुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Root√दृश्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural
सर्व-पार्थिवाःall the kings
सर्व-पार्थिवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसर्व + पार्थिव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
K
Kurupati (lord of the Kurus)
D
Duryodhana (implied by context: Kuru leader’s banner)
D
Dhvaja (royal banner/standard)
N
Nāga (serpent emblem)

Educational Q&A

The verse uses the fall of a radiant royal banner as a moral symbol: worldly authority and pride can be abruptly diminished in war, especially when conflict is driven by unrighteousness; external splendor is unstable compared to dharma.

Sañjaya reports that all the assembled kings witness the Kuru leader’s splendid, serpent-marked, gem-adorned banner—shining like the sun—being cut down, a public sign of setback and shaken prestige on the battlefield.