Shloka 16
भीष्म-द्रोणादिभिः पाण्डवसेनाक्षयकाल-निर्णयः | Time-estimates for the depletion of the Pāṇḍava forces
Bhīṣma–Droṇa council
तत्र ते पृथिवीपाला यथोत्साहं यथाबलम् | विविशु: शिबिराण्यत्र द्रव्यवन्ति सहस्रश:
tatra te pṛthivīpālā yathotsāhaṃ yathābalam | viviśuḥ śibirāṇy atra dravyavanti sahasraśaḥ ||
There, those kings, each according to his own zeal and strength, entered and took up quarters in the encampments—by the thousands—well supplied with necessary and valuable provisions, remaining ready for war. The scene underscores how worldly power organizes itself through resources and preparedness, even as the coming conflict raises the question of whether such mobilization accords with dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the practical side of kṣatriya politics—enthusiasm, strength, and material provisioning determine readiness for war—while implicitly setting the stage for the ethical tension of whether such vast preparation serves dharma or accelerates adharma.
Vaiśampāyana describes many allied kings arriving and settling into thousands of well-stocked military camps, each taking position according to his capability, poised for the impending conflict.