Shloka 22
पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel
रथस्यासन् दश गजा गजस्य दश वाजिन: । नरा दश हयस्यासन् पादरक्षा: समन्ततः
rathasyāsan daśa gajā gajasya daśa vājinaḥ | narā daśa hayasyāsan pādarakṣāḥ samantataḥ |
বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন—প্রত্যেক রথের পশ্চাতে দশটি করে হাতি ছিল; প্রত্যেক হাতির পশ্চাতে দশটি করে ঘোড়া; এবং প্রত্যেক ঘোড়ার পশ্চাতে দশজন করে পদাতিক—চারদিক থেকে পাদরক্ষারূপে নিয়োজিত ছিল।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined organization and layered protection in warfare: valuable units (like chariots) are safeguarded by successive rings of support (elephants, horses, infantry), implying that strength is sustained by orderly coordination and responsible guarding.
Vaiśampāyana describes a battle formation in which each chariot is backed by ten elephants, each elephant by ten horses, and each horse by ten foot-soldiers stationed all around as protective guards.