Shloka 18
Parīkṣit-janma-saṃkaṭa and Kuntī’s petition to Vāsudeva (परिक्षिज्जन्मसंकटं कुन्त्याः प्रार्थना च)
षष्टिरुष्टसहस्राणि शतानि द्विगुणा हया: । वारणाश्न महाराज सहस्रशतसम्मिता:
ṣaṣṭir uṣṭa-sahasrāṇi śatāni dvi-guṇā hayāḥ | vāraṇāś ca mahārāja sahasra-śata-sammitāḥ ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「大王よ、駱駝は六万、馬は百倍のさらに倍するほど、象は十万に及んだ。」この詩句は、王権の資源がいかに巨大な規模で動員されたかを示す——世俗の力の壮観である。しかし『マハーバーラタ』の倫理の枠内では、その豊饒は驕りや放縦ではなく、ダルマによって統べられるべきだと省察を促す。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights vast material and military resources, implicitly pointing to the Mahābhārata’s ethical concern: power and abundance must be restrained and directed by dharma, not by vanity or exploitation.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the enormous quantities of animals—camels, horses, and elephants—indicating the scale of royal preparations and possessions in the Ashvamedhika context.