Mahabharata · 7.80.10–11
॥
Devanāgarī
तथैव सिंहलाङ्गूलं द्रोणपुत्रस्य भारत ॥
ध्वजाग्रं समपश्याम बालसूर्यसमप्रभम् ॥
काञ्चनं पवनोद्धूतं शक्रध्वजसमप्रभम् ॥
नन्दनं कौरवेन्द्राणां द्रौणेर् लक्षणम् उच्छ्रितम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tathaiva siṃhalāṅgūlaṃ droṇaputrasya bhārata ||
dhvajāgraṃ samapaśyāma bālasūryasamaprabham ||
kāñcanaṃ pavanoddhūtaṃ śakradhvajasamaprabham ||
nandanaṃ kauravendrāṇāṃ drauṇer lakṣaṇam ucchritam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तथा एव सिंहलाङ्गूलम्tathā eva siṃhalāṅgūlamlikewise with a lion's tail; equally with a lion's tail
द्रोणपुत्रस्य भारतdroṇaputrasya bhārataof Drona's son, O Bharata; of Drona's son, O descendant of Bharata
ध्वजाग्रम् समपश्यामdhvajāgram samapaśyāmawe saw the top of the banner; we beheld the crest of the standard
बालसूर्यसमप्रभम्bālasūryasamaprabhamwith radiance equal to the young sun; shining like the rising sun
काञ्चनम् पवनोद्धूतम्kāñcanam pavanoddhūtamgolden, lifted by the wind; golden, wafted by the wind
शक्रध्वजसमप्रभम्śakradhvajasamaprabhamwith radiance equal to Shakra's banner; shining like Indra's standard
नन्दनम् कौरवेन्द्राणाम्nandanam kauravendrāṇāmthe delight of the lords of the Kauravas; the joy of the rulers of the Kurus
द्रौणेः लक्षणम् उच्छ्रितम्drauṇeḥ lakṣaṇam ucchritamDrona's son's emblem, raised aloft; the Draunis emblem, lifted [on high]
Translation
"Likewise with a lion's tail, the top of the banner of Drona's son, O Bharata, we saw — with radiance equal to the young sun. Golden, lifted by the wind, with radiance equal to Shakra's banner, the delight of the lords of the Kauravas — the emblem of Drona's son, raised aloft."
Version
b773c7ce5044 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Ashvatthaman's emblem is "nandanam kauravendrāṇām", the delight of the lords of the Kurus: upon it rest their hopes, and so it shines, "bālasūryasamaprabham", like the rising sun. But the rising sun tends toward its setting; the joy placed upon a banner is as fleeting as those who delight in it. It is telling that the hope of a whole line is hung upon the standard of a mortal. The verse teaches that hopes hung upon the brilliance of earthly power are as short-lived as the shining of a banner over a doomed army.