Shloka 35
भीष्म–रामजामदग्न्ययुद्धप्रस्थानवर्णनम्
Bhishma’s Account of Parashurama’s Challenge and the March to Kurukshetra
तदा शतसहस्राणि प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च
tadā śatasahasrāṇi prayutāny arbudāni ca
Then, in that context, the numbers rose to vast magnitudes—hundreds of thousands, tens of thousands, and even crores—indicating an immense scale beyond ordinary counting, as Bhīṣma emphasizes the overwhelming extent of what is being described.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly human affairs—especially political and military preparations—can expand beyond ordinary limits; it cautions the listener to recognize the true magnitude of consequences when numbers and resources escalate.
Bhīṣma is describing something in terms of enormous quantities, using traditional large-number units (śata-sahasra, prayuta, arbuda) to convey an overwhelming scale within the Udyoga Parva’s context of major preparations and mobilization.