Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 17
Devanagari script
समुदग्रध्वजान् दृष्टवा कपान् सर्वे द्विजातय: । व्यसृजन् ज्वलितानग्नीन् कपानां प्राणनाशनान्
Transliteration
samudragadhvajān dṛṣṭvā kapān sarve dvijātayaḥ | vyasṛjan jvalitān agnīn kapānāṃ prāṇanāśanān |
Translation
毗湿摩说道：见群猴高举旌旗而来，诸二生者（婆罗门）尽皆掷出炽燃烈火——夺命之焰——欲灭群猴之命。
Word by Word
समुदग्रध्वजान्those having lofty/tall banners
समुदग्रध्वजान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसमुदग्रध्वज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)
कपान्monkeys
कपान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकप
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
द्विजातयःtwice-born (Brahmins)
द्विजातयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
व्यसृजन्they hurled/let loose
व्यसृजन्:
TypeVerb
Rootसृज्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada, वि
ज्वलितान्blazing
ज्वलितान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootज्वलित
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अग्नीन्fires
अग्नीन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
कपानाम्of the monkeys
कपानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootकप
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
प्राणनाशनान्life-destroying
प्राणनाशनान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootप्राणनाशन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaD
dvijātayaḥ (brāhmaṇas)K
kapa (monkeys)D
dhvaja (banners/flags)A
agni (fire)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
The verse highlights a dharmic tension: those expected to embody restraint (dvijas/brāhmaṇas) can be provoked into lethal violence. It invites reflection on when force is considered justified and how anger or fear can eclipse ethical vows.
After seeing the monkeys advancing with high banners, the dvijas respond by casting blazing, deadly fire at them, intending to kill or drive them off.