Shloka 19
शकटानि रथाश्रैव तावदेव करेणव: । खराणां पुरुषाणां च परिसंख्या न विद्यते,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
śakaṭāni rathāś caiva tāvad eva kareṇavaḥ | kharāṇāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ ca parisaṃkhyā na vidyate, mahārāja |
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Havia tantos carros e tantas carruagens de guerra quanto aquilo, e o mesmo número de elefantas. Mas, ó grande rei, os jumentos e os homens estavam além de qualquer contagem.” O verso ressalta a vastidão dos preparativos e recursos mobilizados—tão grande que a enumeração falha—e sugere os fardos e o labor humano que acompanham os empreendimentos reais.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how royal undertakings can reach such magnitude that they exceed ordinary measures of accounting, implicitly drawing attention to the vast material resources and human labor required—and inviting reflection on restraint, responsibility, and the ethical weight of power.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the enormous numbers of vehicles and animals involved; carts, chariots, and female elephants are said to be in equal measure, while the donkeys and the men are so numerous that they cannot be counted.