Shloka 6
Adhyāya 152: Kaurava-sainyavibhāgaḥ
Division and Standardization of the Kaurava Host
धष्टद्युम्नश्व॒ पाज्चाल्य: शिखण्डी च महारथ: । युधामन्युश्न विक्रान्तो देवैरपि दुरासद:
Janamejaya uvāca |
Dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pāñcālyaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |
Yudhāmanyuś ca vikrānto devair api durāsadaḥ, tapodhana |
Pāṇḍavā bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇo virāṭaḥ drupadaḥ pāñcālarājakumāraḥ dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ mahārathī śikhaṇḍī tathā devatābhir api durjayo mahāparākramaḥ yudhāmanyuḥ—ete sarve tu saṅgrāme ekatrībhūte indrasahitaṃ sampūrṇaṃ devagaṇaṃ api pīḍayituṃ śaknuvanti; ataḥ tatra kauravaiḥ pāṇḍavaiś ca yo-yo karma kṛtaṃ tat sarvaṃ vistareṇa śrotum icchāmi |
Janamejaya berkata: “Wahai pertapa yang besar tapanya, Dhṛṣṭadyumna dari Pāñcāla, pahlawan kereta agung Śikhaṇḍin, dan Yudhāmanyu yang gagah—yang sukar diserang bahkan oleh para dewa—bersama para Pāṇḍava, Baginda Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Virāṭa, Drupada, dan putera Pāñcāla Dhṛṣṭadyumna: jika semuanya berhimpun di medan perang, mereka dapat menggentarkan seluruh bala dewa yang dipimpin Indra. Maka aku ingin mendengar dengan terperinci segala yang dilakukan oleh pihak Kaurava dan pihak Pāṇḍava di sana.”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how collective strength and righteous alliances can become formidable, while also modeling the ethical posture of inquiry: Janamejaya seeks a detailed account of actions (karma) by both sides, implying that understanding consequences and conduct is essential for judging dharma within conflict.
Janamejaya addresses the ascetic narrator and lists major Pāṇḍava-aligned warriors and kings, emphasizing their battle power—so great it could distress even the gods led by Indra. On that basis he requests a full, detailed narration of what the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas did in that situation.