Shloka 7
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 65 — Duḥśāsana’s Elephant Corps Engages Arjuna; Retreat to the Śakaṭa-vyūha
रथे रथे शतं चाश्वा बलिनो हेममालिन: । अश्वे अश्वे गोसहस्रं गवां पज्चाशदाविका:,हर एक रथके साथ सोनेके हारोंसे विभूषित सौ-सौ बलवान अश्व थे। प्रत्येक अश्वके पीछे हजार-हजार गौएँ तथा एक-एक गायके पीछे पचास-पचास भेड़ें थीं
rathe rathe śataṃ cāśvā balino hemamālinaḥ | aśve aśve gosahasraṃ gavāṃ pañcāśad āvikāḥ ||
Nārada berkata: “Pada setiap kereta ada seratus kuda perkasa, berkalungkan untaian emas. Di belakang tiap kuda ada seribu sapi, dan di belakang tiap sapi ada lima puluh domba.” Gambaran ini menegaskan keluasan harta dan perbekalan, sekaligus menyiratkan bobot etis dari sumber daya yang dihimpun, dipamerkan, dan dialirkan dalam bayang-bayang perang.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare and kingship are intertwined with vast material resources—animals, wealth, and display. Implicitly, it invites reflection on the responsibility (dharma) that accompanies power: such abundance can sustain armies and also becomes a moral ledger of acquisition, protection, and rightful distribution.
Nārada is describing an extraordinary scale of possessions accompanying chariots and horses: each chariot has a hundred strong, gold-adorned horses; each horse is followed by a thousand cows; each cow by fifty sheep. It functions as a vivid inventory-like depiction of royal or martial opulence and logistical might.