Shloka 576

गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह

Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation

Devanagari script

उनन्‍्ममाथ ततस्तालं ध्वजशीर्ष महात्मन: । फिर शिखाशून्य पंखयुक्त बाणका संधान करके उसके द्वारा महात्मा भीष्मके तालचिह्नयुक्त ध्वजका ऊपरी भाग काट डाला

Transliteration

unmamātha tatastālaṃ dhvajaśīrṣa mahātmanaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rồi chàng đánh trúng và chém đứt phần trên của chiến kỳ Bhīṣma, vị đại hồn, lá cờ mang dấu hiệu cây thốt nốt. Với mũi tên có lông vũ, chàng ngắm bắn chuẩn xác và cắt phăng đỉnh cờ ấy.

Word by Word

• उन्ममाथ: he struck/churned; he smote
• उन्ममाथ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मथ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• तालम्: the palmyra-tree emblem / tāla-mark
• तालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• ध्वजशीर्षम्: the top of the banner (flag-head)
• ध्वजशीर्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वजशीर्ष
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (Bhīṣma)
• महात्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• tāla (palmyra emblem)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within war, actions are framed by kṣatriya-dharma: skill and courage are displayed, yet the episode also underscores the tragic ethical tension of righteous duty performed amid a fratricidal conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior strikes Bhīṣma’s standard and cuts off its upper part, specifically the section associated with the palmyra emblem, signaling a targeted feat of archery and a symbolic blow to an opponent’s honor and visibility on the battlefield.