Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.49.25 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 49, Shloka 25

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 49: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Strategic Foreboding after Abhimanyu’s Fall

Devanagari script

विचिन्रैश्व॒ परिस्तोभै: पताकाभिश्न संवृता । चामरैश्न कुथाभिश्र प्रविद्धैश्नाम्बरोत्तमै:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vicitraiś ca paristobhaiḥ patākābhiś ca saṃvṛtā | cāmaraiś ca kuthābhiś ca praviddhair ambarottamaiḥ ||

Translation

สนามรบถูกปกคลุมด้วยสิ่งของนานาพิสดาร—ธงและป้ายชัย, พัดหางจามรี, ผ้าคลุมช้าง, และอาภรณ์อันประณีตที่ถูกเหวี่ยงกระจัดกระจายไปทุกทิศ

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Word by Word

• विचित्रैः: with various/variegated
• विचित्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• परिस्तोभैः: with coverings/ornamental trappings
• परिस्तोभैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिस्तोभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पताकाभिः: with banners/flags
• पताकाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पताका
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• संवृता: covered, enveloped
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-वृ (वृञ् आवरणे)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• चामरैः: with yak-tail fans
• चामरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कुथाभिः: with blankets/saddle-cloths
• कुथाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुथा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रविद्धैः: with those thrown/scattered
• प्रविद्धैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-विद् (विद् ज्ञाने/विन्द् लम्भे) / (व्युत्पत्त्या: प्र-विद् = प्रक्षिप्/प्रविध् इत्यर्थे)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• अम्बर-उत्तमैः: with excellent garments
• अम्बर-उत्तमैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर + उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• patākā (banners/flags)
• cāmara (fly-whisks)
• kuthā (blankets/carpets, elephant coverings)
• ambara (garments)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the moral irony of war: symbols of royalty and honor—banners, fly-whisks, fine garments—end up as scattered refuse. It invites reflection on dharma by showing how outward splendor cannot justify or withstand the devastation caused by adharma-driven conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is narrating to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the दृश्य of the battlefield: it is blanketed with the fallen paraphernalia of armies—standards, ceremonial fly-whisks, elephant coverings, and fine clothes—indicating the scale of destruction and the collapse of ordered ranks into chaotic ruin.