Shloka 2
Adhyāya 152: Kaurava-sainyavibhāgaḥ
Division and Standardization of the Kaurava Host
विराटद्रुपदाभ्यां च सपुत्राभ्यां समन्वितम् | केकयैरव॑ष्णिभिश्लैव पार्थिव: शतशो वृतम्,जनमेजयने पूछा--मुने! दुर्योधनने जब यह सुना कि राजा युधिष्ठिर युद्धकी इच्छासे सेनाओंके साथ यात्रा करके भगवान् श्रीकृष्णके द्वारा सुरक्षित हो कुरुक्षेत्रमें पहुँच गये और वहाँ सेनाका पड़ाव डाले बैठे हैं, पुत्रोंसहित राजा विराट और ट्रुपद भी उनके साथ हैं, केकयराजकुमार, वृष्णिवंशी योद्धा तथा सैकड़ों भूपाल उन्हें घेरे रहते हैं तथा वे आदित्योंसहित घिरे हुए देवराज इन्द्रकी भाँति अनेक महारथी योद्धाओंद्वारा सुरक्षित हैं, तब उसने क्या किया?
virāṭa-drupadābhyāṁ ca sa-putrābhyāṁ samanvitam | kekayair vṛṣṇibhiś caiva pārthivaḥ śataśo vṛtam ||
Janamejaya disse: “(O exército de Yudhiṣṭhira) estava unido a Virāṭa e Drupada com seus filhos, e também cercado pelos Kekayas e pelos Vṛṣṇis—rodeado por centenas de reis. Ao ouvir Duryodhana que Yudhiṣṭhira, decidido à guerra e protegido por Śrī Kṛṣṇa, chegara a Kurukṣetra e ali armara seu acampamento—acompanhado de Virāṭa e Drupada com seus filhos e guardado por muitos grandes guerreiros de carro, como Indra cercado pelos Ādityas—o que fez então?”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how righteous strength in the epic is not merely personal valor but the convergence of dharmic alliances and protection—political, familial, and (through Kṛṣṇa) moral-spiritual. It frames war as a consequence of choices, where the gathering of allies signals both legitimacy and responsibility.
Janamejaya asks the sage to narrate Duryodhana’s response after he learns that Yudhiṣṭhira has reached Kurukṣetra, set up camp, and is strongly protected—joined by Virāṭa and Drupada with their sons, supported by Kekaya princes and Vṛṣṇi warriors, and surrounded by many kings and great chariot-fighters.