Shloka 23
पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel
रथस्य नागा: पञ्चाशन्नागस्यथासन् शतं हया: । हयस्य पुरुषा: सप्त भिन्नसंधानकारिण:,एक-एक रथके पीछे पचास-पचास हाथी, एक-एक हाथीके पीछे सौ-सौ घोड़े और एक-एक घोड़ेके साथ सात-सात पैदल सैनिक इस उद्देश्यसे संगठित किये गये थे कि वे समूहसे बिछुड़ी हुई दो सैनिक टुकड़ियोंको परस्पर मिला दें
rathasya nāgāḥ pañcāśan nāgasya cāsan śataṃ hayāḥ | hayasya puruṣāḥ sapta bhinnasaṃdhānakāriṇaḥ ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «Por cada carro había cincuenta elefantes; por cada elefante, cien caballos; y con cada caballo, siete infantes, organizados con el propósito táctico específico de reunir destacamentos militares que se hubiesen separado de sus formaciones mayores. La descripción subraya un orden bélico disciplinado, destinado a evitar la confusión y la fragmentación en la batalla.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in warfare, effectiveness depends on disciplined organization and the capacity to restore cohesion when units break apart; leadership is shown in planning for reunification rather than letting disorder spread.
The narrator describes a structured deployment: chariots supported by elephants, elephants by horses, and horses by foot-soldiers, with the foot-soldiers tasked to reconnect separated groups and maintain formation integrity.