Shloka 15
सेनासमागमः — The Convergence of Armies
भगदत्तो महीपाल: सेनामक्षौहिणीं ददौ । तस्य चीनै: किरातैश्व काज्चनैरिव संवृतम्
bhagadatto mahīpālaḥ senām akṣauhiṇīṃ dadau | tasya cīnaiḥ kirātaiś ca kāñcanair iva saṃvṛtam ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナ（Vaiśaṃpāyana）は語った。「バガダッタ王（Bhagadatta）は一つのアクシャウヒニー（akṣauhiṇī）をまるごと差し出した。その軍勢は支那（Cīna）とキラタ（Kirāta）の兵に取り巻かれ、まるで黄金のごとく輝いて、飾り立てられているかのようであった。」
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of royal agency in war: a king’s decision to supply a full akṣauhiṇī is not merely logistical but a moral commitment that amplifies the scale of violence and responsibility. It also reflects how power and ambition draw in diverse peoples, making conflict broader than a single dynasty’s quarrel.
Vaiśaṃpāyana is enumerating the forces assembling for the Kurukṣetra war. Here he notes that King Bhagadatta contributes a full akṣauhiṇī, and that his force is accompanied by Cīna and Kirāta troops, described as shining like gold—emphasizing both splendor and formidable strength.