Shloka 19
समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः
Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī
सौतिरुवाच एको रथो गजकश्लनैको नरा: पञठच पदातय: । त्रयश्न तुरगास्तज्ज्ञैः पत्तिरित्यभिधीयते,उग्रश्रवाजीने कहा--एक रथ, एक हाथी, पाँच पैदल सैनिक और तीन घोड़े--बस, इन्हींको सेनाके मर्मज्ञ विद्वानोंने 'पत्ति' कहा है
sautir uvāca—eko ratho gajaś caikaḥ narāḥ pañca padātayaḥ | trayaś ca turagās tajjñaiḥ pattir ity abhidhīyate ||
Sauti dit : «Un char, un éléphant, cinq fantassins et trois chevaux : cette unité, selon ceux qui connaissent la science des armées, est appelée “patti”.»
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that warfare in the epic world is not merely chaotic violence but is governed by recognized standards and expert knowledge—here, a precise definition of the smallest troop-unit (‘patti’) used for counting and organizing armies.
In the early Adi Parva frame narration, Sauti (Ugraśravas) explains technical terms related to armies by defining what constitutes a ‘patti’: one chariot, one elephant, three horses, and five infantrymen.