Shloka 7
Adhyāya 152: Kaurava-sainyavibhāgaḥ
Division and Standardization of the Kaurava Host
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण तपोधन । कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च यद् यदासीद् विचेष्टितम्
janamejaya uvāca |
etad icchāmy ahaṃ śrotuṃ vistareṇa tapodhana |
kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca yad yad āsīd viceṣṭitam ||
Janamejaya dit : «Ô ascète riche en austérités, je souhaite entendre en détail tout ce qui fut accompli—chaque acte et chaque manœuvre—par les Kuru et les Pāṇḍava.»
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined inquiry: before judging a conflict, one should hear the full account of both sides’ actions in detail. Ethically, it points to the need for comprehensive understanding (śravaṇa) prior to forming conclusions about dharma in war.
Within the frame narrative, King Janamejaya asks the sage to narrate, in full detail, the deeds and maneuvers of the Kurus and the Pandavas—setting up a more expansive account of events leading toward the great war.