Shloka 2

द्रोण-पार्थ-युद्धम्

Droṇa–Pārtha Strategic Engagement

Devanagari script

ददृशुस्ते ध्वजाग्रं वै शुश्रुवुश्ष महास्वनम्‌ । दोधूयमानस्य भृशं गाण्डीवस्थ च निः:स्वनम्‌

Transliteration

dadṛśus te dhvajāgraṃ vai śuśruvuś ca mahāsvanam | dodhūyamānasya bhṛśaṃ gāṇḍīvasya ca niḥsvanam ||

Translation

వారు ధ్వజాగ్రాన్ని చూచిరి, మహానాదాన్ని వినిరి; అలాగే బలంగా ఊపబడుతున్న గాండీవం నుండి వచ్చే తీక్ష్ణమైన, మార్మోగే టంకారధ్వనিও వారి చెవులకు పడెను।

Word by Word

ददृशुःthey saw

तेthey

ध्वजाग्रम्the tip/top of the banner (flagstaff)

वैindeed

शुश्रुवुःthey heard

चand

महास्वनम्a great roar/sound

दोधूयमानस्यof (it) being violently shaken

भृशम्exceedingly, greatly

गाण्डीवस्यof Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna's bow)

चand

निःस्वनम्the twang/resounding sound

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

dhvaja (banner/standard)

Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna’s bow)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how visible symbols (a banner’s crest) and audible signs (a mighty roar and the bow’s twang) communicate power and intent in a dharmic conflict: strength is not merely personal but publicly signaled, shaping morale and the ethical seriousness of the moment before battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Observers on the scene notice the banner’s high crest and hear a tremendous sound, including the reverberation of the Gāṇḍīva being forcefully shaken—an announcement of a great archer’s presence and the escalation toward open fighting.