Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.116.1 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 116, Shloka 1
Śaineya’s Breakthrough and Reunion with Arjuna (शैनेयस्य समागमः)
(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका १ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ६८ श्लोक हैं) ऑपन-माज बछ। जज: चतुर्दशाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: धृतराष्ट्रका विषादयुक्त वचन
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | evaṁ bahuguṇaṁ sainyam evaṁ pravicitaṁ balam | vyūḍham evaṁ yathānyāyam evaṁ bahu ca sañjaya ||
ധൃതരാഷ്ട്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു— സഞ്ജയാ! എന്റെ സൈന്യം അനേകം ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ സമ്പന്നമാണ്; മഹാസംഖ്യയിൽ സമാഹരിച്ച ശക്തിയുമാണ്. പാണ്ഡവസേനയെക്കാൾ ഇത് കൂടുതൽ പ്രബലമാണ്. യുദ്ധശാസ്ത്രവിധിപ്രകാരം യഥാന്യായം ഇതിന്റെ വ്യൂഹരചന നടക്കുന്നു; ഇങ്ങനെ മഹായോദ്ധാക്കളുടെ വിപുലസമൂഹം ഒന്നിച്ചുകൂടിയിരിക്കുന്നു.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how confidence in numbers, organization, and formal correctness can foster complacency and moral blindness. Dhṛtarāṣṭra measures success by external power—troop strength and proper formations—while the epic repeatedly suggests that adharma and partiality undermine even the best-equipped force. It implicitly points to the ethical responsibility of a ruler: strategic competence cannot substitute for righteous judgment.
At the opening of this section in Droṇa Parvan, Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses Sañjaya, taking stock of the Kaurava military situation. He asserts that his forces are numerous, well-equipped, and arranged according to proper battle procedure, and that they surpass the Pāṇḍavas’ army. The statement sets the tone for his anxious yet self-justifying outlook as Sañjaya continues reporting the unfolding combat.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata (Gita Press) in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.