Shloka 19
Parīkṣit-janma-saṃkaṭa and Kuntī’s petition to Vāsudeva (परिक्षिज्जन्मसंकटं कुन्त्याः प्रार्थना च)
शकटानि रथाश्रैव तावदेव करेणव: । खराणां पुरुषाणां च परिसंख्या न विद्यते
śakaṭāni rathāś caiva tāvad eva kareṇavaḥ | kharāṇāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ ca parisaṃkhyā na vidyate, mahārāja |
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「荷車と戦車もまた同数であり、雌象も同じ数であった。だが大王よ、驢馬と人の数は数え尽くせぬほどであった。」この詩句は、準備と動員の規模があまりに巨大で、列挙すら及ばぬことを示し、同時に王の事業に伴う重荷と人々の労苦をほのめかしている。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how royal undertakings can reach such magnitude that they exceed ordinary measures of accounting, implicitly drawing attention to the vast material resources and human labor required—and inviting reflection on restraint, responsibility, and the ethical weight of power.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the enormous numbers of vehicles and animals involved; carts, chariots, and female elephants are said to be in equal measure, while the donkeys and the men are so numerous that they cannot be counted.