Shloka 54
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय 54: फल्गुन-प्रतिरोधः, सौबली-व्यूह-विध्वंसः, दुर्योधन-भीष्म-संवादः
रथानामयुतं पक्षौ शिरस्तु नियुतं तथा । पृष्ठमर्बुदमेवासीत् सहस्राणि च विंशति:
rathānām ayutaṃ pakṣau śiras tu niyutaṃ tathā | pṛṣṭham arbudaṃ evāsīt sahasrāṇi ca viṃśatiḥ ||
สัญชัยกล่าวว่า “ปีกทั้งสองของกระบวนทัพนั้นกว้างเท่ารถศึกหนึ่งหมื่น; ส่วนศีรษะก็หนึ่งพัน (ตามมาตรา) หลังมีขนาดหนึ่งอรพุทะ และความสูงมีสองหมื่น”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the epic’s use of vast, almost unimaginable measurements to evoke awe and gravity around the war narrative, reminding the listener that conflict unfolds amid forces and portents larger than ordinary human scale—inviting humility and ethical seriousness.
Sañjaya is reporting a striking description of a gigantic form (described through ‘wings,’ ‘head,’ and ‘back’) using chariots and large-number terms as measures, emphasizing extraordinary magnitude within the Bhīṣma Parva war account.