Shloka 44

भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय 54: फल्गुन-प्रतिरोधः, सौबली-व्यूह-विध्वंसः, दुर्योधन-भीष्म-संवादः

Devanagari script

इन्द्रायुधसवर्णाभि: पताकाभिरलड्कृत: । आकाशग इवाकाशे गन्धर्वनगरोपम:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

indrāyudhasavarṇābhiḥ patākābhir alaṅkṛtaḥ |

ākāśaga ivākāśe gandharvanagaropamaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：那旗幡以如因陀罗彩虹般的缤纷旌幡为饰，更显华耀；它仿佛在空中自持而行，如鸟翔于旷宇。远望之下，宛若乾闼婆（Gandharva）之天城，灿然夺目，在战场的肃杀之间，辉煌与毁灭并立。

Word by Word

• इन्द्रायुधसवर्णाभिः: with (flags) of the color of a rainbow
• इन्द्रायुधसवर्णाभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रायुध-सवर्ण
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• पताकाभिः: with banners/flags
• पताकाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पताका
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अलङ्कृतः: adorned/decorated
• अलङ्कृतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अलङ्कृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• आकाशगः: sky-going; moving in the sky
• आकाशगः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकाश-ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, ण्वुल्/अच्-प्रत्ययान्त (ग = going)

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• गन्धर्वनगरोपमः: resembling a Gandharva-city (aerial city)
• गन्धर्वनगरोपमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्धर्वनगर-उपम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Indra (via indrāyudha)
• banners/flags (patākāḥ)
• sky (ākāśa)
• Gandharvas (gandharva)
• celestial city (gandharvanagara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how outward magnificence—royal standards, dazzling colors, celestial comparisons—can coexist with the harshness of war. It invites discernment: do not mistake spectacle for righteousness; evaluate actions by dharma rather than by splendor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing a prominent war-standard (dhvaja implied) decorated with rainbow-like banners. Its movement and brilliance make it seem like a floating, otherworldly city of the Gandharvas when seen from a distance.