Shloka 29
पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel
त्रयो गुल्मा गणस्त्वासीद् गणास्त्वयुतशो5भवन् | दुर्योधनस्य सेनासु योत्स्यमाना: प्रहारिण:
trayo gulmā gaṇas tv āsīd gaṇās tv ayutaśo 'bhavan | duryodhanasya senāsu yotsyamānāḥ prahāriṇaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Drei gulma bildeten eine Einheit, die „gaṇa“ genannt wurde. In Duryodhanas Heeren gab es solche Einheiten schlagkräftiger, kampfbereiter Fußsoldaten zu Zehntausenden. Die Erzählung unterstreicht das gewaltige Ausmaß der Mobilmachung und den Sog zum Krieg, wenn schiere Zahl und Organisation beginnen, Zurückhaltung und Versöhnung zu überdecken.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how organized strength and massive numbers can accelerate the inevitability of war; ethically, it hints at the danger of letting power, preparation, and pride override efforts toward peace and dharmic restraint.
Vaiśampāyana describes the structure and immense scale of Duryodhana’s forces: three gulmas form one gaṇa, and there are tens of thousands of such gaṇas of battle-ready, striking foot-soldiers within his armies.