Shloka 3
अध्याय ८ — शल्यस्य सत्कारः, वरदानं, पाण्डवसमागमश्च (Śalya’s Reception, the Boon, and Meeting the Pāṇḍavas)
अक्षौहिणीपती राजन् महावीर्यपराक्रम: । विचित्रकवचा: शूरा विचित्रध्वजकार्मुका:
akṣauhiṇīpatī rājan mahāvīryaparākramaḥ | vicitrakavacāḥ śūrā vicitradhvajakārmukāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ô roi, les chefs commandant des akṣauhiṇīs entières étaient des hommes de grande puissance et de haute vaillance—des héros revêtus d’armures variées, distingués par la diversité de leurs étendards et de leurs arcs.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the scale and ordered structure of war: power is not merely individual bravery but organized command (akṣauhiṇī-pati). Ethically, it hints at the grave responsibility borne by leaders whose prowess and decisions move vast forces toward conflict.
Vaiśampāyana describes the war-ready host by highlighting its commanders and their martial splendor—armored heroes marked by distinctive banners and bows—setting the scene for the mobilization and impending confrontation in the Udyoga Parva.