वैशंपायन उवाच
उत्तरं सारथिं कृत्वा शमीं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् ॥
आयुधं सर्वम् आदाय ततः प्रायाद् धनंजयः ॥
ध्वजं सिंहं रथात् तस्माद् अपनीय महारथः ॥
प्रणिधाय शमीमूले प्रायाद् उत्तरसारथिः ॥
दैवीं मायां रथे युक्त्वा विहितां विश्वकर्मणा ॥
काञ्चनं सिंहलाङ्गूलं ध्वजं वानरलक्षणम् ॥
मनसा चिन्तयाम् आस प्रसादं पावकस्य च ॥
स च तच् चिन्तितं ज्ञात्वा ध्वजे भूतान्य् अचोदयत् ॥
सपताकं विचित्राङ्गं सोपासङ्गं महारथः ॥
रथम् आस्थाय बीभत्सुः कौन्तेयः श्वेतवाहनः ॥
बद्धासिः सतनुत्राणः प्रगृहीतशरासनः ॥
ततः प्रायाद् उदीचीं स कपिप्रवरकेतनः ॥
स्वनवन्तं महाशङ्खं बलवान् अरिमर्दनः ॥
प्राधमद् बलम् आस्थाय द्विषतां लोमहर्षणम् ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
uttaraṃ sārathiṃ kṛtvā śamīṃ kṛtvā pradakṣiṇam ||
āyudhaṃ sarvam ādāya tataḥ prāyād dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
dhvajaṃ siṃhaṃ rathāt tasmād apanīya mahārathaḥ ||
praṇidhāya śamīmūle prāyād uttarasārathiḥ ||
daivīṃ māyāṃ rathe yuktvā vihitāṃ viśvakarmaṇā ||
kāñcanaṃ siṃhalāṅgūlaṃ dhvajaṃ vānaralakṣaṇam ||
manasā cintayām āsa prasādaṃ pāvakasya ca ||
sa ca tac cintitaṃ jñātvā dhvaje bhūtāny acodayat ||
sapatākaṃ vicitrāṅgaṃ sopāsaṅgaṃ mahārathaḥ ||
ratham āsthāya bībhatsuḥ kaunteyaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ ||
baddhāsiḥ satanutrāṇaḥ pragṛhītaśarāsanaḥ ||
tataḥ prāyād udīcīṃ sa kapipravaraketanaḥ ||
svanavantaṃ mahāśaṅkhaṃ balavān arimardanaḥ ||
prādhamad balam āsthāya dviṣatāṃ lomaharṣaṇam ||
Vaishampayana said: 'Having made Uttara his charioteer, having circled the shami tree keeping it to his right, and having taken up all his weapons, Dhananjaya set out further. The great warrior removed the lion banner from that chariot, laid it at the root of the shami tree, and drove on with Uttara as his charioteer. Having yoked to the chariot the divine illusion wrought by Vishvakarman -- a golden banner bearing a lion's tail and the sign of a monkey -- he called to mind in his heart the grace of Agni. And Agni, knowing this thought, roused the beings upon the banner. Mounting the chariot -- adorned with its flag, richly wrought, fitted with quivers -- Bibhatsu, the son of Kunti, Shvetavahana, girded with his sword, clad in armor, bow in hand, then drove northward beneath the emblem of the foremost of monkeys. The mighty destroyer of foes, drawing on his strength, blew his great resounding conch, at whose sound the hair of his enemies stood on end.'
b75132543089 · published Jul 16, 2026, 6:27:28 PM UTC
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The change of banner completes the change of role: the dancer's mask is set aside, and the sign of the monkey appears again on the chariot. Yet Arjuna acts only after circling the shami tree -- his strength returns through reverence, not through self-will.