Text 11
svalaṅkṛtaṁ śyāma-turaṅga-yojitaṁ
rathaṁ mṛgendra-dhvajam āśritaḥ purāt
vṛto rathāśva-dvipapatti-yuktayā
sva-senayā digvijayāya nirgataḥ
su-alaṅkṛtam — very well decorated; śyāma — black; turaṅga — horses; yojitam — tackled; ratham — chariot; mṛga-indra — lion; dhvajam — flagged; āśritaḥ — under the protection; purāt — from the capital; vṛtaḥ — surrounded by; ratha — charioteers; aśva — cavalry; dvipapatti — elephants; yuktayā — thus being equipped; sva-senayā — along with infantry; digvijayāya — for the purpose of conquering; nirgataḥ — went out.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit sat on a chariot drawn by black horses. His flag was marked with the sign of a lion. Being so decorated and surrounded by charioteers, cavalry, elephants and infantry soldiers, he left the capital to conquer in all directions.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit is distinguished from his grandfather Arjuna, for black horses pulled his chariot instead of white horses. He marked his flag with the mark of a lion, and his grandfather marked his with the mark of Hanumānjī. A royal procession like that of Mahārāja Parīkṣit surrounded by well-decorated chariots, cavalry, elephants, infantry and band not only is pleasing to the eyes, but also is a sign of a civilization that is aesthetic even on the fighting front.