Shloka 13
Śikhaṇḍinī’s Disclosure, Drupada’s Counsel, and the Petition to Yakṣa Sthūṇākarṇa
Udyoga Parva 192
महाद्युते! दस-दस हजार योद्धाओंका तथा एक हजार रथियोंका समूह मेरा एक भाग मानना चाहिये ।।
Mahādyute! daśa-daśa-sahasra-yoddhṝṇāṃ tathā eka-sahasra-rathināṃ samūho mama ekaṃ bhāgaṃ mantavyaḥ. Anenāhaṃ vidhānena saṃnaddhaḥ satatotthitaḥ; kṣapayeyam mahat sainyaṃ kālenānena Bhārata. Bhārata! asya vidhānasya balena ahaṃ sadā udyataḥ saṃnaddhaś ca bhūtvā tāvatā kālenaiva etad vipulaṃ sainyaṃ nāśayituṃ śaknomi.
Bhīṣma dijo: «¡Oh poderoso! Una formación compuesta por diez mil guerreros y mil combatientes de carro debe considerarse una división de mi fuerza. Con este orden, siempre armado y siempre vigilante, podría, oh Bharata, desgastar y destruir incluso un ejército inmenso dentro de ese mismo lapso de tiempo.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes disciplined organization and constant preparedness in the performance of one’s duty: a leader who structures forces clearly and remains ever-equipped and vigilant can decisively affect outcomes, even against a larger host.
Bhishma is describing a practical military scheme: he defines a standard unit (a division made of specified numbers of warriors and chariot-fighters) and asserts that, by maintaining continuous readiness under this arrangement, he could destroy a large opposing army within a fixed time.