Shloka 8
द्रोणसेनापत्यं, व्यूहविन्यासः, उत्पातदर्शनं, आरम्भयुद्धम्
Droṇa’s Command, Battle-Formations, Omens, and Opening Engagement
रुद्रोंमें शंकर, वसुओंमें पावक, यक्षोंमें कुबेर, देवताओंमें इन्द्र, ब्राह्मणोंमें वसिष्ठ, तेजोमय पदार्थोमें भगवान् सूर्य, पितरोंमें धर्मराज, जलचरोंमें वरुणदेव, नक्षत्रोंमें चन्द्रमा और दैत्योंमें शुक्राचार्यके समान आप समस्त सेनानायकोंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं; अतः हमारे सेनापति होइये ।। अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च वशगा: सनन््तु तेडनघ । ताभि: शत्रून् प्रतिव्यूह्द जहीन्द्रो दानवानिव,अनघ! मेरी ग्यारह अक्षौहिणी सेनाएँ आपके अधीन रहें। उन सबके द्वारा शत्रुओंके मुकाबलेमें व्यूह बनाकर आप मेरे विरोधियोंका उसी प्रकार नाश कीजिये, जैसे इन्द्र दैत्योंका नाश करते हैं
duryodhana uvāca |
rudreṣu śaṅkaraḥ, vasuṣu pāvakaḥ, yakṣeṣu kuberaḥ, deveṣv indraḥ, brāhmaṇeṣu vasiṣṭhaḥ, tejomayeṣu padārtheṣu bhagavān sūryaḥ, pitṛṣu dharmarājaḥ, jalacareṣu varuṇadevaḥ, nakṣatreṣu candramāḥ, daityeṣu śukrācārya iva ca bhavān sarveṣu senānāyakeṣu śreṣṭhaḥ; ataḥ asmākaṃ senāpatir bhava ||
akṣauhiṇyo daśaikā ca vaśagāḥ santu te 'nagha |
tābhiḥ śatrūn prativyūhya jahīndro dānavān iva, anagha ||
Duryodhana said: “As Śaṅkara is foremost among the Rudras, Pāvaka among the Vasus, Kubera among the Yakṣas, Indra among the gods, Vasiṣṭha among the Brahmins, the Sun among radiant beings, Dharmarāja among the Pitṛs, Varuṇa among water-dwellers, the Moon among the constellations, and Śukrācārya among the Daityas—so are you the best of all commanders. Therefore, become our commander-in-chief. Let my eleven akṣauhiṇīs be under your control, O blameless one. With them, array the battle-formations against the enemy and destroy my opponents, just as Indra destroys the Dānavas.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how political-military authority is often secured through exalted praise and cosmic comparisons. Ethically, it shows the tension between invoking ideals (calling someone ‘anagha’, ‘best among leaders’) and using that authority to intensify violence—highlighting how dharmic language can be employed to legitimize war aims.
Duryodhana addresses his chosen commander and, through a chain of superlative comparisons to major deities and sages, urges him to accept the role of commander-in-chief. He places his eleven akṣauhiṇīs under that leader’s control and commands him to form counter-battle arrays and annihilate the enemy like Indra defeating the Dānavas.