Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 183

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

सौवर्णी प्रतिपश्याम सीतामप्रतिमां शुभाम्‌ । मद्रराज शल्यकी ध्वजाके अग्रभागमें हमने अग्निशिखाके समान उज्ज्वल, सुवर्णमय, अनुपम तथा शुभ लक्षणोंसे युक्त एक सीता (हलसे भूमिपर खींची हुई रेखा) देखी थी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | sauvarṇīṃ pratipaśyāma sītām apratimāṃ śubhām | madrarāja śalyakī dhvajāgre bhāgame 'smābhir agniśikhāsamānāṃ ujjvalāṃ suvarṇamayīm anupamāṃ tathā śubhalakṣaṇayuktāṃ sītāṃ dṛṣṭā ||

Translation

संजय म्हणाला—मद्रराज शल्याच्या ध्वजाच्या अग्रभागी आम्ही अग्निशिखेसारखी उज्ज्वल, सुवर्णमयी, अनुपम व शुभलक्षणयुक्त अशी एक ‘सीता’—नांगराने भूमीवर ओढलेल्या रेषेसारखी—पाहिली होती.

Word by Word

• सौवर्णी: golden, made of gold
• सौवर्णी: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिपश्याम: we saw, we beheld
• प्रतिपश्याम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√पश् (दृश्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Plural

• सीताम्: a furrow/line drawn by a plough (sītā)
• सीताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अप्रतिमाम्: incomparable, matchless
• अप्रतिमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शुभाम्: auspicious, beautiful
• शुभाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Madra (kingdom)
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• sītā (furrow-line emblem)
• agniśikhā (flame)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how warriors and narrators read auspicious symbols on standards as indicators of fortune and legitimacy in battle; ethical reflection arises from the contrast between outward auspiciousness and the destructive reality of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an observed emblem/mark on Śalya’s banner—described as a blazing, golden, auspicious ‘sītā’ (furrow-line)—presented as a notable sign amid the war descriptions in Droṇa Parva.