Shloka 3

Adhyāya 74 (Book 6, Bhīṣma-parva): Bhīma–Duryodhana re-engagement and afternoon escalation

Devanagari script

सिंहलाड्गूलमाकाशे ज्वलन्तमिव पर्वतम्‌ | असज्जमान वृक्षेषु धूमकेतुमिवोत्थितम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | siṁhalāḍgūlam ākāśe jvalantam iva parvatam | asajjamānaṁ vṛkṣeṣu dhūmaketum ivotthitam, mahārāja |

Translation

Санджая сказал: «О царь, знамя Арджуны — украшенное знаком обезьяны и с хвостом, подобным львиному, — казалось в небе пылающей горой. Двигаясь, оно ни за что не цеплялось в кронах деревьев и виделось восходящим, словно комета. Так в тот миг мы узрели дивный, многоцветный, божественный стяг Арджуны, владеющего Гандивой».

Word by Word

• सिंहला: lion-like
• सिंहला: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंहला
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अङ्गूलम्: tail (appendage)
• अङ्गूलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गूल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वल्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पर्वतम्: mountain
• पर्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असज्जमानम्: not sticking/ not getting caught
• असज्जमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सज्ज् (सञ्ज्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शानच् (present middle participle) with negation अ-

• वृक्षेषु: among/on the trees
• वृक्षेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• धूमकेतुम्: comet
• धूमकेतुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूमकेतु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उत्थितम्: risen/appeared
• उत्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्-स्था
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as Mahārāja)
• Arjuna
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• Arjuna’s dhvaja (banner/standard)
• Vānara (monkey emblem, i.e., Hanumān)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how righteous power is portrayed through auspicious, divinely charged symbols: Arjuna’s standard, marked by the monkey emblem (Hanumān), signifies protection, steadfastness, and moral confidence in a dharma-aligned battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra the striking appearance of Arjuna’s banner on the battlefield—likening it to a blazing mountain and a rising comet—emphasizing its divine, many-colored, wondrous presence and its monkey emblem.