Shloka 29

Adhyāya 195 — Arjuna’s Capability and Restraint Regarding Divyāstras

Udyoga Parva

Devanagari script

रथा विंशतिसाहस्रा ये तेषामनुयायिन: । हयानां दश कोट्यश्व महतां किंकिणीकिनाम्‌

Transliteration

rathā viṁśatisāhasrā ye teṣām anuyāyinaḥ | hayānāṁ daśa koṭy-aśva mahatāṁ kiṅkiṇīkinām ||

Translation

เบื้องหลังพวกเขามีรถศึกสองหมื่นคัน และม้าชั้นยอดสิบโกฏิ—ประดับกระดิ่งกังวานกริ่งกร่าง

Word by Word

रथाःchariots

विंशति-साहस्राःtwenty-thousand (in number)

येwhich/that (those who)

तेषाम्of them

अनुयायिनःfollowers

हयानाम्of horses

दशten

कोटि-अश्वाःcrores of horses

महताम्of great (ones)

किंकिणीकिनाम्having (tinkling) bells

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

chariots (ratha)

horses (haya/aśva)

tinkling bells (kiṅkiṇī)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how the momentum toward war is built not only by intent but by vast material mobilization; it invites reflection on the ethical weight of leadership decisions when immense resources and lives are drawn into conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing the magnitude of the forces accompanying a party—counting chariots and horses—within the Udyoga Parva’s broader account of preparations and alliances leading up to the great war.