Shloka 203

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थामा ययौ यत्त: सिंहलाड्गूलकेतुना । गोवासनदेशके स्वामी महाराज शैब्य अपने अधीन राजाओंके साथ पताकासे सुशोभित राजोचित गजराजपर आखरूढ़ हो युद्धके लिये चले। कमलके समान कान्तिमान्‌ अश्वत्थामा सिंहकी पूँछके चिह्लसे युक्त ध्वजा-पताकावाले रथपर आरूढ़ हो समस्त सेनाओंके आगे रहकर चलने लगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | aśvatthāmā yayau yattaḥ siṃha-lāṅgūla-ketunā | govāsana-deśake svāmī mahārāja śaibyaḥ svādhīna-rājabhiḥ saha patākayā suśobhitaṃ rājocitaṃ gajarājaṃ samāruhya yuddhāya niryayau | kamala-sama-kāntimān aśvatthāmā siṃhasya lāṅgūla-cihna-yuktayā dhvajā-patākayā yukte rathopari samāruhya sarvāḥ senāḥ puraskṛtya jagāma ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Aśvatthāman tiến lên, mang theo lá cờ có dấu hình đuôi sư tử. Vua Śaibya, chúa vùng Govāsana, cùng các vua chư hầu dưới quyền, lên đường ra trận, ngự trên chiến tượng vương giả rực rỡ, trang hoàng bằng kỳ hiệu. Rạng ngời như hoa sen, Aśvatthāman ngồi trên chiến xa có cờ mang biểu tượng đuôi sư tử, đi đầu trước toàn quân—một hình ảnh của quyết tâm võ trận và sự phô bày công khai lòng quy phục, trước khi chiến tranh mở ra cuộc thử thách đạo lý.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थामा: Ashvatthaman
• अश्वत्थामा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular

• यत्तः: striving/intent (set forth)
• यत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सिंहलाङ्गूलकेतुना: with a banner bearing a lion-tail emblem
• सिंहलाङ्गूलकेतुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहलाङ्गूलकेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Ashvatthama
• King Shaibya
• Govasana region (Govāsana-deśa)
• lion-tail banner/standard (siṃha-lāṅgūla-ketu)
• chariot (ratha)
• royal war-elephant (gajarāja)
• armies/forces (senāḥ)
• flags/standards (dhvaja, patākā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war is preceded by visible signs of identity and allegiance—banners, standards, and royal mounts—reminding the reader that martial action is not merely personal violence but a public, duty-bound undertaking within a hierarchy of rulers and followers, where ethical responsibility accompanies power and command.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes the Kaurava-side warriors moving out for battle: Ashvatthama advances prominently with a lion-tail-emblem banner on his chariot, while King Shaibya, ruler of the Govasana region, proceeds with his subordinate kings, mounted on a decorated war-elephant, as the forces form and march forward.