Shloka 23
Sainyasaṅgraha and Bhāga-Vyavasthā (Forces Assembled and Rival Allocations) | सैन्यसंग्रह-भागव्यवस्था
उलूकं चैव कैतव्यं ये च सारस्वता गणा: । नकुल: कल्पयामास भागं माद्रवतीसुत:,उस धूर्त जुआरी शकुनिका पुत्र जो उलूक है तथा जो सारस्वतप्रदेशके सैनिक हैं, उन सबको माद्रीकुमार नकुलने अपना भाग नियत किया है
ulūkaṃ caiva kaitavyaṃ ye ca sārasvatā gaṇāḥ | nakulaḥ kalpayāmāsa bhāgaṃ mādravatīsutaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Nakula, the son of Mādrī, assigned his allotted share of the opposing forces—namely Ulūka, the deceitful one, and the troops from the Sārasvata region.” In the ethical frame of the epic, the verse underscores the sober, methodical distribution of responsibilities in war, where even those marked by cunning are accounted for and met with disciplined strategy rather than impulsive hatred.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a morally charged conflict, leadership requires disciplined organization: responsibilities are allocated clearly, and opponents—whether honorable or deceitful—are met through strategy and duty rather than uncontrolled emotion.
Sañjaya reports the war-preparatory arrangement in which Nakula, son of Mādrī, is assigned a specific ‘share’—to face Ulūka and the Sārasvata troops—indicating the structured division of adversaries among the Pāṇḍava side.