Shloka 276
सेनासमागमः — The Convergence of Armies
युयुत्सममाना: कौन्तेयान् नानाध्वजसमाकुला: । इस प्रकार दुर्योधनके पास सब मिलाकर ग्यारह अक्षौहिणी सेनाएँ एकत्र हो गयीं
yuyutsamānāḥ kaunteyān nānādhvajasamākulāḥ |
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Eager to fight the sons of Kuntī, and crowded with many kinds of banners and standards, the forces gathered around Duryodhana—amounting in all to eleven akṣauhiṇīs—splendid with diverse flags, their resolve set on war against the Pāṇḍavas.
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how collective enthusiasm for war and displays of power (vast armies, many banners) can intensify conflict; it implicitly frames the ethical tension of mobilizing immense force against rightful kin, a recurring dharma-crisis in the Udyoga Parva.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that Duryodhana’s side has assembled a total of eleven akṣauhiṇīs, richly marked by diverse standards, all intent on fighting the sons of Kuntī (the Pāṇḍavas).