Shloka 18
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — सैन्यप्रशंसा, भेदनवृत्तान्त-प्रश्नः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Praise of the Host and Inquiry after the Breach
जयद्रथस्य राजेन्द्र हया: साधुप्रवाहिन: । ते चैव सप्तसाहस्रास्त्रिसाहस्राक्ष सैन्धवा:,राजेन्द्र! जयद्रथके घोड़े सवारीमें बहुत अच्छा काम देते थे। वे सब-के-सब चवँरकी कलँगीसे सुशोभित और सुवर्णमय आभूषणोंसे विभूषित थे। उन सिंधुदेशीय अश्वोंकी संख्या दस हजार थी
jayadrathasya rājendra hayāḥ sādhupravāhinaḥ | te caiva saptasāhasrās trisāhasrākṣa saindhavāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O king, Jayadratha’s horses were excellent in their pace and movement. Those Sindhu-bred steeds—seven thousand and three thousand more—served superbly in his riding and were splendidly adorned.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how worldly power in war depends not only on warriors but also on material supports—here, superior horses. It implicitly points to the ethical reality that vast resources can strengthen adharma-driven ambitions as much as dharma-driven causes, making discernment of purpose crucial.
Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the quality and large number of Jayadratha’s Sindhu-bred horses, emphasizing their excellence and the scale of his mounted strength within the ongoing battle account.