Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ते ध्वजैर्वैजयन्तीभिज्वलद्धि: परमायुधै: । सादिभ्षिश्षास्थिता रेजुर्द्रमवन्‍्त इवाचला:,वे हाथी ध्वजों, वैजयन्ती पताकाओं, प्रकाशमान अस्त्र-शस्त्रों तथा सवारोंसे सुशोभित हो वृक्षसमूहोंसे युक्त पर्वतोंके समान शोभा पा रहे थे

Transliteration

te dhvajair vaijayantībhir jvaladdhiḥ paramāyudhaiḥ | sādibhiḥ saśastrāsthitā rejur drumavanta ivācalāḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Pinalamutian ng matatayog na watawat at mga bandilang vaijayantī, kumikislap sa napakahuhusay na sandata, at punô ng mga nakasakay at mga armadong kawal, ang mga elepanteng pandigma ay nagningning na parang mga bundok na nababalutan ng mga kakahuyan.

Word by Word

तेthey/those (men)

ध्वजैःwith banners/standards

वैजयन्तीभिःwith victory-flags (vaijayantīs)

ज्वलद्भिःshining, blazing

परमायुधैःwith excellent weapons

सादिभिःwith riders/horsemen

अवस्थिताःstanding/posted

रेजुःshone, were splendid

द्रुमवन्तःtree-covered, having trees

इवlike, as if

अचलाःmountains

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

dhvaja (banners/standards)

vaijayantī (victory pennants)

āyudha (weapons)

war-elephants (implied by context of riders/standards and the Hindi gloss)

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 underscores how outward splendor—banners, weapons, and imposing formations—can project irresistible power in war, reminding the reader that the battlefield is shaped not only by strategy but also by morale, spectacle, and the intimidating display of force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates the appearance of the assembled forces: the elephant divisions (with riders, standards, and shining weapons) look like tree-covered mountains, conveying the scale and grandeur of the army as the battle intensifies in Karṇa Parva.