Shloka 256
सेनासमागमः — The Convergence of Armies
संहर्षयन्त: कौरव्यमक्षौहिण्या समाद्रवन् । केकयदेशके पुरुषसिंह पाँच नरेश, जो परस्पर सगे भाई थे, दुर्योधनका हर्ष बढ़ाते हुए एक अक्षौहिणी सेनाके साथ आ पहुँचे
saṁharṣayantaḥ kauravyam akṣauhiṇyā samādravan | kekayadeśake puruṣasiṁha pañca nareśāḥ, ye parasparaṁ sage bhrātaraḥ te, duryodhanasya harṣaṁ vardhayantaḥ eka-akṣauhiṇī-senayā saha ājagmuḥ |
Vaiśaṃpāyana disse: Incitando a alegria do príncipe dos Kauravas, os cinco reis do país de Kekaya, leoninos entre os homens e irmãos entre si, acorreram com um akṣauhiṇī completo de tropas.
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how political alliances and martial enthusiasm can intensify adharma-driven conflict: external support inflates a leader’s confidence, making reconciliation harder and pushing events toward war.
Five brother-kings from the Kekaya region arrive swiftly with an akṣauhiṇī of troops, deliberately boosting Duryodhana’s morale and strengthening the Kaurava war coalition.