Shloka 14

भीष्म-युधिष्ठिर-संमर्दः

Bhīṣma’s Pressure on Yudhiṣṭhira; Śikhaṇḍī’s Approach; Evening Withdrawal

Devanagari script

रथाच्च स ध्वज: श्रीमान्‌ नानारत्नविभूषितात्‌ | पपात सहसा भूमौ विद्युज्जलधरादिव,दुर्योधनके नाना रत्नविभूषित रथसे वह शोभाशाली ध्वज सहसा कटकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा, मानो मेघोंकी घटासे भूमिपर बिजली गिरी हो

Transliteration

rathāc ca sa dhvajaḥ śrīmān nānāratnavibhūṣitāt | papāta sahasā bhūmau vidyuj jaladharād iva ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：自那辆镶饰诸般宝珠的战车上，那面华美的旗帜忽然坠落于地，恰如电光自雨云中劈下。战旗之坠，预示战局在心志与道义上转入不祥：外在的辉煌并不能保全内心的安定，也不能稳固应得的福运。

Word by Word

रथात्from the chariot

चand

सःthat/he (the banner)

ध्वजःbanner, standard

श्रीमान्splendid, glorious

नाना-रत्न-विभूषितात्from (that which is) adorned with various jewels

पपातfell

सहसाsuddenly

भूमौon the ground

विद्युत्lightning

जलधरात्from a cloud

इवas if, like

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

chariot (ratha)

banner/standard (dhvaja)

earth/ground (bhūmi)

lightning (vidyut)

cloud (jaladhara)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

External magnificence—jewels, royal insignia, and martial display—does not guarantee stability or success; in war and in life, signs of decline can appear suddenly, reminding one of impermanence and the limits of mere power without dharmic grounding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes an ominous battlefield moment: the splendid banner mounted on a jewel-adorned chariot suddenly falls to the ground, compared to lightning falling from a cloud—an image suggesting shock, foreboding, and a turning of fortune.