Shloka 18
एनं दशसहस्राणि कुण्जराणां तरस्विनाम् | अन्वयु: पृष्ठतो राजन् यावदध्यावसत् कुरून्,राजन! ये महाराज जब कुरुदेशमें रहते थे, उस समय इनके पीछे दस हजार वेगवान् हाथी चला करते थे
enaṃ daśasahasrāṇi kuñjarāṇāṃ tarasvinām | anvayuḥ pṛṣṭhato rājan yāvad adhyāvasat kurūn ||
Arjuna berkata: “Wahai Raja, selama baginda tinggal di kalangan Kuru, sepuluh ribu ekor gajah yang gagah dan pantas dahulu mengikuti di belakang baginda.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the visible signs of royal authority and responsibility: immense power and resources (symbolized by a vast elephant retinue) accompany a ruler, implying that such strength should be governed with restraint and duty toward the realm.
Arjuna addresses a king and describes the stature of a certain person by noting that, during his residence among the Kurus, ten thousand swift elephants followed behind him—an image of extraordinary royal or martial eminence.