Shloka 2
पाण्डवसेनानायकाभिषेकः तथा बलरामागमन-उपदेशः | Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel
नरहस्तिरथाश्चानां सारं मध्यं च फल्गु च । सर्वेष्वेतेष्वनीकेषु संदिदेश नराधिप:,राजा दुर्योधनने पैदल, हाथी, रथ और घुड़सवार--इन सभी सेनाओंमेंसे उत्तम, मध्यम और निकृष्ट श्रेणियोंकोी पृथक्-पृथक् करके उन्हें यथास्थान नियुक्त कर दिया
narahastirathāś cānāṃ sāraṃ madhyaṃ ca phalgu ca | sarveṣv eteṣv anīkeṣu saṃdideśa narādhipaḥ ||
പദാതി, ഗജ, രഥ, അശ്വസേനകളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠം, മധ്യം, നികൃഷ്ടം എന്നിങ്ങനെ വേർതിരിച്ച് രാജാവ് ആ എല്ലാ ദളങ്ങളിലും അവരെ യഥോചിതസ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ നിയോഗിച്ചു।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores disciplined governance and strategic discernment: a ruler evaluates strengths and weaknesses and assigns roles accordingly. Ethically, it also shows how competence and order can be employed toward destructive ends, inviting reflection on the alignment of skill (nīti) with dharma.
As preparations for the Kurukṣetra war intensify, Duryodhana organizes his forces—infantry, elephants, chariots, and cavalry—classifying them into superior, middling, and inferior units and stationing each in appropriate positions within the army formations.