Mahabharata · 7.80.8–9
॥
Devanāgarī
सिंहलाङ्गूलम् उग्रास्यं धजं वानरलक्षणम् ॥
धनंजयस्य संग्रामे प्रत्यपश्याम भैरवम् ॥
स वानरवरो राजन् पताकाभिर् अलंकृतः ॥
त्रासयाम् आस तत् सैन्यं ध्वजो गाण्डीवधन्वनः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
siṃhalāṅgūlam ugrāsyaṃ dhajaṃ vānaralakṣaṇam ||
dhanaṃjayasya saṃgrāme pratyapaśyāma bhairavam ||
sa vānaravaro rājan patākābhir alaṃkṛtaḥ ||
trāsayām āsa tat sainyaṃ dhvajo gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सिंहलाङ्गूलम् उग्रास्यम्siṃhalāṅgūlam ugrāsyamwith a lion's tail, fierce-faced; with a lion's tail, with a terrible maw
ध्वजम् वानरलक्षणम्dhvajam vānaralakṣaṇama banner with a monkey emblem; a standard with the monkey [Hanuman] emblem
धनंजयस्य संग्रामेdhanaṃjayasya saṃgrāmeof Dhananjaya in battle; of Dhananjaya in the fight
प्रत्यपश्याम भैरवम्pratyapaśyāma bhairavamwe beheld, striking terror; we saw, inspiring dread
सः वानरवरः राजन्saḥ vānaravaraḥ rājanthat best of monkeys, O king; that foremost monkey, O king
पताकाभिः अलंकृतःpatākābhiḥ alaṃkṛtaḥadorned with pennants; decked with streamers
त्रासयाम् आस तत् सैन्यम्trāsayām āsa tat sainyamstruck terror into that army; filled that host with dread
ध्वजः गाण्डीवधन्वनःdhvajaḥ gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥthe banner of the Gandiva-bowman; the standard of the wielder of the bow Gandiva
Translation
"With a lion's tail, fierce-faced, the banner with the monkey emblem of Dhananjaya in battle we beheld, striking terror. That best of monkeys, O king, adorned with pennants, struck terror into that army — the banner of the Gandiva-bowman."
Version
d87c0c41f890 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
On Arjuna's standard is Hanuman, "vānaravaraḥ", best of monkeys, the devoted servant of Rama: the banner of the righteous bears the image of perfect service to the Lord. Hence it is "bhairavam", terrible to enemies, for wrongdoing dreads a strength crowned by devotion. It is telling that what strikes terror into the army is not the weapon but the very sign of service to God. The verse teaches that under the banner of bhakti valor takes on a fearsomeness before which the enemy host quails: where the spirit of service is manifest, strength becomes irresistible.