Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 183

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

सौवर्णी प्रतिपश्याम सीतामप्रतिमां शुभाम्‌ । मद्रराज शल्यकी ध्वजाके अग्रभागमें हमने अग्निशिखाके समान उज्ज्वल, सुवर्णमय, अनुपम तथा शुभ लक्षणोंसे युक्त एक सीता (हलसे भूमिपर खींची हुई रेखा) देखी थी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | sauvarṇīṃ pratipaśyāma sītām apratimāṃ śubhām | madrarāja śalyakī dhvajāgre bhāgame 'smābhir agniśikhāsamānāṃ ujjvalāṃ suvarṇamayīm anupamāṃ tathā śubhalakṣaṇayuktāṃ sītāṃ dṛṣṭā ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Chúng tôi đã thấy, nơi phần đầu của lá cờ vua Śalya xứ Madra, một “sītā” bằng vàng—đường rãnh như vệt cày kéo trên mặt đất—rực sáng như lưỡi lửa, vô song và mang những điềm lành cát tường.

Word by Word

• सौवर्णी: golden, made of gold
• सौवर्णी: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिपश्याम: we saw, we beheld
• प्रतिपश्याम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√पश् (दृश्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Plural

• सीताम्: a furrow/line drawn by a plough (sītā)
• सीताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अप्रतिमाम्: incomparable, matchless
• अप्रतिमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शुभाम्: auspicious, beautiful
• शुभाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Madra (kingdom)
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• sītā (furrow-line emblem)
• agniśikhā (flame)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how warriors and narrators read auspicious symbols on standards as indicators of fortune and legitimacy in battle; ethical reflection arises from the contrast between outward auspiciousness and the destructive reality of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an observed emblem/mark on Śalya’s banner—described as a blazing, golden, auspicious ‘sītā’ (furrow-line)—presented as a notable sign amid the war descriptions in Droṇa Parva.