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Mahabharata · 7.80.2–3
॥
Санджая
Devanāgarī
संजय उवाच
ध्वजान् बहुविधाकाराञ् शृणु तेषां महात्मनाम् ॥
रूपतो वर्णतश् चैव नामतश् च निबोध मे ॥
तेषां तु रथमुह्यानां रथेषु विविधा ध्वजाः ॥
प्रत्यदृश्यन्त राजेन्द्र ज्वलिता इव पावकाः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃjaya uvāca
dhvajān bahuvidhākārāñ śṛṇu teṣāṃ mahātmanām ||
rūpato varṇataś caiva nāmataś ca nibodha me ||
teṣāṃ tu rathamuhyānāṃ ratheṣu vividhā dhvajāḥ ||
pratyadṛśyanta rājendra jvalitā iva pāvakāḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ध्वजान् बहुविधाकारान्dhvajān bahuvidhākārānbanners of many-fold form; standards of varied outline
शृणु तेषाम् महात्मनाम्śṛṇu teṣām mahātmanāmlisten [about the banners] of those great of soul; hearken [to the standards] of those great of soul
रूपतः वर्णतः च एवrūpataḥ varṇataḥ ca evaby form and by color; by appearance and by hue
नामतः च निबोध मेnāmataḥ ca nibodha meand by name learn from me; and by designation understand from me
तेषाम् तु रथमुख्यानाम्teṣām tu rathamukhyānāmamong those foremost charioteers; among those first among car-warriors
रथेषु विविधाः ध्वजाःratheṣu vividhāḥ dhvajāḥvarious banners on the chariots; diverse standards on the chariots
प्रत्यदृश्यन्त राजेन्द्रpratyadṛśyanta rājendrawere seen, O lord of kings; appeared to view, O lord of kings
ज्वलिताः इव पावकाःjvalitāḥ iva pāvakāḥlike blazing fires; like flaming bonfires
Translation
"Listen to the banners of many-fold form belonging to those great of soul — learn from me by form, by color, and by name. Among those foremost charioteers, various banners were seen on the chariots, O lord of kings, like blazing fires."
Version
c5e4f7a62e5c · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Sanjaya promises to tell "rūpataḥ varṇataḥ nāmataḥ" — by form, color, and name: each banner is a sign speaking of the spirit of its bearer. The comparison "jvalitāḥ iva pāvakāḥ", like blazing fires, reminds us again that all this beauty is flame — it draws and it burns. It is telling that the beauty of the standards is inseparable from their fearsome meaning. The verse teaches that the outer sign reveals the inner, and a warrior's adornment tells what he lives for and what he is ready to burn for.