Shloka 18
Parīkṣit-janma-saṃkaṭa and Kuntī’s petition to Vāsudeva (परिक्षिज्जन्मसंकटं कुन्त्याः प्रार्थना च)
षष्टिरुष्टसहस्राणि शतानि द्विगुणा हया: । वारणाश्न महाराज सहस्रशतसम्मिता:,महाराज! साठ हजार ऊँट, एक करोड़ बीस लाख घोड़े, एक लाख हाथी, एक लाख रथ, एक लाख छकड़े और उतनी ही हथिनियाँ थीं। गधों और मनुष्योंकी तो गिनती ही नहीं थी
ṣaṣṭir uṣṭa-sahasrāṇi śatāni dvi-guṇā hayāḥ | vāraṇāś ca mahārāja sahasra-śata-sammitāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó grande rei, havia sessenta mil camelos; cavalos em medida duas vezes centuplicada; e elefantes somando cem mil.” O verso ressalta a escala imensa dos recursos reais mobilizados—uma imagem de poder mundano que, no quadro ético do Mahābhārata, convida à reflexão: tal abundância deve ser governada pelo dharma, não pelo orgulho nem pelo excesso.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights vast material and military resources, implicitly pointing to the Mahābhārata’s ethical concern: power and abundance must be restrained and directed by dharma, not by vanity or exploitation.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the enormous quantities of animals—camels, horses, and elephants—indicating the scale of royal preparations and possessions in the Ashvamedhika context.