Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 2

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

संजय उवाच ध्वजान्‌ बहुविधाकारान्‌ शृणु तेषां महात्मनाम्‌ | रूपतो वर्णतश्चैव नामतश्ष निबोध मे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

dhvajān bahuvidhākārān śṛṇu teṣāṃ mahātmanām |

rūpato varṇataś caiva nāmataś ca nibodha me ||

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: “O Hari, makinig habang inilalarawan ko ang sari-saring watawat na dala ng mga mandirigmang dakila ang loob. Alamin mo mula sa akin ang kanilang anyo, kulay, at pangalan—upang ang mga tanda ng pagkakakilanlan sa digmaan ay malinaw na matukoy.”

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ध्वजान्: banners/standards
• ध्वजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बहुविधाकारान्: of many kinds of forms
• बहुविधाकारान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुविधाकार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शृणु: hear/listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled (heroes)
• महात्मनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रूपतः: as to form/appearance
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रूपतः

• वर्णतः: as to color
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर्णतः

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

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• नामतः: as to name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः

• निबोध: know/understand
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me / from me
• मे: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'O King')
• dhvaja (battle-banner/standard)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the role of clear signs and identifiers (banners with distinct forms, colors, and names) in the moral and practical order of war: warriors are recognized by their emblems, and narration preserves accountability and memory of deeds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya begins a descriptive catalogue for Dhṛtarāṣṭra, announcing that he will recount the various battle-banners of the great warriors—detailing their appearance, colors, and names.