Shloka 23
Adhyāya 152: Kaurava-sainyavibhāgaḥ
Division and Standardization of the Kaurava Host
पदातयश्च पुरुषा: शस्त्राणि विविधानि च | उपाजहु: शरीरेषु हेमचित्राण्यनेकश:,पैदल योद्धाओंने भी अपने अंगोंमें सुवर्णजटित कवच तथा भाँति-भाँतिके अनेक अस्त्र-शस्त्र धारण कर लिये
padātayaś ca puruṣāḥ śastrāṇi vividhāni ca | upājahuḥ śarīreṣu hemacitrāṇy anekaśaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Para askar berjalan kaki juga melengkapkan diri dengan pelbagai cara—mengambil senjata yang beraneka, dan menghiasi tubuh mereka berulang kali dengan perisai yang disadur serta dihias emas. Pemandangan itu menegaskan persiapan perang yang sengaja dan tersusun, di mana kemegahan lahiriah dan kesiapsiagaan tempur menandakan beratnya konflik yang bakal tiba serta tekad bersama bala tentera.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the seriousness and inevitability of the approaching war: disciplined preparation and collective mobilization are shown through the infantry arming themselves. Ethically, it frames the conflict as a moment where choices have consequences—once armies are fully equipped, reconciliation becomes harder and the burden of dharma grows heavier.
Vaiśampāyana describes the troops’ mobilization: even the foot-soldiers don gold-ornamented armor and take up a variety of weapons, indicating a large-scale, organized readiness for battle.