Shloka 38
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
ततो गजा: सप्तशताक्षापपाणिभिरास्थिता: । पज्च चाश्वसहस्राणि सहदेवश्व वीर्यवान्
tato gajāḥ saptaśatākṣāpapāṇibhir āsthitāḥ | pañca cāśvasahasrāṇi sahadevaś ca vīryavān | tad-anantaraṃ dharmarājasya ājñānusāraṃ haste dhanuḥ dhṛtvā upaviṣṭaiḥ savāraiḥ yuktaḥ saptaśatā gajāḥ, pañca-sahasrāṇi aśvārūḍhāḥ, vīryavān sahadevaḥ, trīṇi sahasrāṇi padātayaḥ, draupadyāḥ sarve putrāś ca—ete sarve raṇabhūmau yuddha-durmadam śakunim abhidadhāvuḥ
Sañjaya dit : Alors s’avancèrent sept cents éléphants, chacun portant des archers l’arc en main, et cinq mille cavaliers—avec le vaillant Sahadeva, trois mille fantassins et tous les fils de Draupadī. Obéissant à l’ordre de Dharmarāja, ils chargèrent à travers le champ de bataille contre Śakuni, enivré par la fureur de la guerre.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined action under rightful authority: warriors move in coordinated obedience to Dharmarāja’s command. Ethically, it contrasts ordered, duty-bound warfare with Śakuni’s broader association with adharma—especially deceit—showing how dharmic leadership seeks to restrain chaos even amid violence.
Sañjaya reports a coordinated assault: seven hundred war-elephants with bow-bearing riders, five thousand cavalry, Sahadeva, three thousand infantry, and Draupadī’s sons surge forward on the battlefield to attack Śakuni, described as swollen with war-pride.