Shloka 72
Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)
नानावर्णविचित्राभि: पताकाभिरलंकृतान् । वारणाननुपश्याम धावमानान् समन्तत:ः
nānāvarṇavicitrābhiḥ patākābhir alaṅkṛtān | vāraṇān anupaśyāma dhāvamānān samantataḥ ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—നാനാവർണ്ണങ്ങളുടെയും വിചിത്ര രൂപങ്ങളുടെയും പതാകകളാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട ആനകൾ എല്ലാദിക്കുകളിലേക്കും പാഞ്ഞോടുന്നതായി ഞങ്ങൾ കണ്ടു.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily serves narrative realism rather than direct moral instruction: it highlights the scale and pageantry of war, implicitly reminding the listener that even splendid martial display (banners, ornamentation) accompanies destructive violence, urging discernment about the true cost of conflict.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra what is seen on the battlefield: war-elephants, decorated with multicolored standards, are rushing about on all sides—signaling intense, chaotic movement in the ongoing combat.