Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 31
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
अनीकं दशसाहस्रमश्चानां भरतर्षभ । आसीद् गान्धारराजस्य विशालप्रासयोधिनाम्
anīkaṁ daśasāhasram aśvānāṁ bharatarṣabha | āsīd gāndhārarājasya viśālaprāsayodhinām ||
ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ຜູ້ເປັນດັ່ງງົວຜູ້ກ້າໃນຫມູ່ພາຣະຕະ! ກະສັດແຫ່ງຄັນທາຣະມີກອງມ້າສິບພັນ—ນັກຮົບຜູ້ຖືຫອກຍາວໃຫຍ່. ນໍາກອງນັ້ນໄປດ້ວຍ ລາວເຄື່ອນໄປຫາທ້າຍກອງທັບປານດະວະໃນສົງຄາມທີ່ຂ້າຄົນນັ້ນ ແລະພ້ອມກັນກໍຍິງລູກສອນຄົມໆໂຈມຕີກອງນັ້ນ»។
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war magnifies strategic calculation and mass violence: large formations and specialized weapons are deployed to exploit vulnerabilities (such as the rear of an army). Ethically, it highlights the tension between kṣatriya warfare and destructive, opportunistic tactics that intensify slaughter.
Sañjaya reports that Śakuni, the king of Gandhāra, possesses a ten-thousand-strong cavalry unit equipped with large lances. He takes this force and moves toward the rear of the Pāṇḍava formation, where they collectively assail the troops with sharp arrows.