Shloka 24
समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः
Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī
शतान्युपरि चैवाष्टौ तथा भूयश्व सप्तति: । गजानां च परीमाणमेतदेव विनिर्दिशेत्,श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्यणो! गणितके तत्त्वज्ञ विद्वानोंने एक अक्षौहिणी सेनामें रथोंकी संख्या इक्कीस हजार आठ सौ सत्तर (२१,८७०) बतलायी है। हाथियोंकी संख्या भी इतनी ही कहनी चाहिये
śatāny upari caivāṣṭau tathā bhūyaś ca saptatiḥ | gajānāṃ ca parīmāṇam etad eva vinirdiśet |
त्यात आणखी आठशे, आणि पुन्हा सत्तर अधिक—हेच निश्चित परिमाण आहे. आणि हत्तींची संख्याही नेमकी इतकीच सांगावी.
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes precise, standardized enumeration in matters of collective duty like warfare—numbers must be stated accurately and consistently, reflecting discipline and order in organizing an army.
A speaker is defining the fixed numerical components of an akṣauhiṇī. Here, the count is given as “eight hundreds plus seventy more,” and it is stated that the elephant contingent should be specified as the same measure.