Shloka 3
Adhyāya 152: Kaurava-sainyavibhāgaḥ
Division and Standardization of the Kaurava Host
महेन्द्रमिव चादित्यैरभिगुप्तं महारथै: । श्र॒ुत्वा दुर्योधनो राजा किं कार्य प्रत्यपद्यत
mahendram iva cādityair abhiguptaṁ mahārathaiḥ | śrutvā duryodhano rājā kiṁ kārya pratyapadyata ||
Janamejaya demanda : « Ô sage, lorsque le roi Duryodhana apprit que Yudhiṣṭhira—entouré de nombreux grands guerriers de char et protégé tel Indra au milieu des Ādityas—était arrivé à Kurukṣetra avec ses troupes et y avait établi son camp, quelle conduite adopta-t-il ? »
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral-political dilemma: when confronted with a rival who is strongly supported and well-protected, a ruler must choose his response carefully. It implicitly raises the ethical question of whether one should persist in adharma-driven hostility or seek a dharma-aligned resolution through prudent counsel and restraint.
Janamejaya asks the sage to narrate Duryodhana’s next move after hearing that Yudhiṣṭhira has arrived at Kurukṣetra with a formidable alliance of great warriors, guarded in a manner likened to Indra surrounded by the Ādityas.