Shloka 31

ध्वजवर्णनम् | Dhvaja-varṇanam

Description of War Standards

Devanagari script

श्वेस्तां चक्रप्रमथितां द्रक्ष्य्से नूपवाहिनीम्‌

Transliteration

śvetāṁ cakra-pramathitāṁ drakṣyase nūpa-vāhinīm

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—“ତୁମେ ସେଇ ଶ୍ୱେତ-ଦୀପ୍ତ ସେନାବିଭାଗକୁ ଦେଖିବ—ରଥଚକ୍ରର ଆଘାତରେ ଚୁର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୋଇ ଅସ୍ତବ୍ୟସ୍ତ ହୋଇପଡ଼ିଥିବା।”

Word by Word

• श्वः: tomorrow
• श्वः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वस्
• Form: Temporal adverb (indeclinable)

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

• चक्र-प्रमथिताम्: crushed/ground by a discus (wheel)
• चक्र-प्रमथिताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्रप्रमथित
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

• द्रक्ष्यसे: you will see
• द्रक्ष्यसे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Simple future (luṭ), 2nd person, singular, parasmaipada-form with -से (ātmanepada usage)

• नूप-वाहिनीम्: the army/host of Nūpa
• नूप-वाहिनीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नूपवाहिनी
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariot-wheel (cakra)
• army-division/host (vāhinī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the overwhelming, impersonal force of war: once battle’s momentum is unleashed, even a proud, ‘radiant’ host can be reduced to disorder. It implicitly warns of the ethical cost of violence and the fragility of martial glory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, foretells/depicts a battlefield scene in which an opposing troop-body is smashed into confusion by the onrush of a chariot—symbolized by the ‘wheel’—indicating a rout or severe disruption of that formation.