Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 2

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

संजय उवाच ध्वजान्‌ बहुविधाकारान्‌ शृणु तेषां महात्मनाम्‌ | रूपतो वर्णतश्चैव नामतश्ष निबोध मे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

dhvajān bahuvidhākārān śṛṇu teṣāṃ mahātmanām |

rūpato varṇataś caiva nāmataś ca nibodha me ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“大王，请听我叙述那些大心勇士所持的各式旗帜。它们的形制、颜色与名号，我都将一一说明——使战场上凭以识别的标志清楚分明。”

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ध्वजान्: banners/standards
• ध्वजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बहुविधाकारान्: of many kinds of forms
• बहुविधाकारान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुविधाकार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शृणु: hear/listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled (heroes)
• महात्मनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रूपतः: as to form/appearance
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रूपतः

• वर्णतः: as to color
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर्णतः

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• नामतः: as to name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः

• निबोध: know/understand
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: of me / from me
• मे: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'O King')
• dhvaja (battle-banner/standard)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the role of clear signs and identifiers (banners with distinct forms, colors, and names) in the moral and practical order of war: warriors are recognized by their emblems, and narration preserves accountability and memory of deeds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya begins a descriptive catalogue for Dhṛtarāṣṭra, announcing that he will recount the various battle-banners of the great warriors—detailing their appearance, colors, and names.