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Shloka 146

भीष्मभीमसमागमः — Bhīṣma–Bhīma Strategic Engagement and Counsel to the King

अन्वश्वं दश धानुष्का धानुष्के दश चर्मिण: । वह व्यूह ऋष्टि और तोमर धारण करनेवाले अश्वारोहियोंके महान्‌ समुदायोंसे भरा था। एक-एक हाथीके पीछे सात-सात रथ, एक-एक रथके साथ सात-सात घुड़सवार, प्रत्येक घुड़सवारके पीछे दस-दस धनुर्धर और प्रत्येक धनुर्धरके साथ दस-दस ढाल-तलवार लिये रहनेवाले वीर खड़े थे

sañjaya uvāca | anvaśvaṃ daśa dhānuṣkā dhānuṣke daśa carmiṇaḥ |

अन्वश्वं दश धानुष्का धानुष्के दश चर्मिणः । एवं स व्यूहः ऋष्टितोमरधारिणामश्वारोहिणां महाजनैः परिपूर्णः । एकैकस्य गजस्य पृष्ठतः सप्त सप्त रथाः, एकैकस्य रथस्य सह सप्त सप्त सादिनः, प्रत्येकस्य सादिनः पृष्ठतः दश दश धनुर्धराः, प्रत्येकस्य धनुर्धरस्य सह दश दश चर्मासिधारिणो वीराः स्थिताः ।

अनुafter; following; along
अनु:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअनु
Formtrue
अश्वम्horse (each horse / per horse)
अश्वम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
दशten
दश:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदश
Formindeclinable-numeral, uninflected, uninflected
धानुष्काःarchers
धानुष्काः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधानुष्क
Formmasculine, nominative, plural
धानुष्केbehind/with an archer; in the case of an archer (per archer)
धानुष्के:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootधानुष्क
Formmasculine, locative, singular
दशten
दश:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootदश
Formindeclinable-numeral, uninflected, uninflected
चर्मिणःshield-bearers (men with shields/armor)
चर्मिणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचर्मिन्
Formmasculine, nominative, plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
archers (dhānuṣka)
S
shield-bearers (carmiṇa)
H
horses/horsemen (aśva)

Educational Q&A

The verse primarily conveys no direct moral injunction; its implicit lesson is about the disciplined, hierarchical organization of armed force—how warfare relies on layered support units (horsemen, archers, shield-bearers) to maximize offense and defense.

Sañjaya is describing the structure of a battle formation: each horseman is backed by ten archers, and each archer is backed by ten shield-bearing fighters, indicating a tightly packed, mutually supporting arrangement within the army.