Shloka 18
Parīkṣit-janma-saṃkaṭa and Kuntī’s petition to Vāsudeva (परिक्षिज्जन्मसंकटं कुन्त्याः प्रार्थना च)
षष्टिरुष्टसहस्राणि शतानि द्विगुणा हया: । वारणाश्न महाराज सहस्रशतसम्मिता:
ṣaṣṭir uṣṭa-sahasrāṇi śatāni dvi-guṇā hayāḥ | vāraṇāś ca mahārāja sahasra-śata-sammitāḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O dakilang hari, may animnapung libong kamelyo; mga kabayong nasa sukat na dobleng sandaang ulit; at mga elepanteng umaabot sa isang daang libo.” Ipinapakita ng taludtod ang napakalawak na yaman at lakas ng kaharian—larawan ng kapangyarihang makamundo na, sa balangkas ng aral ng Mahābhārata, nag-aanyaya ng pagninilay na ang kasaganaan ay dapat pamahalaan ng dharma, hindi ng pagmamataas o labis na pagnanasa.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights vast material and military resources, implicitly pointing to the Mahābhārata’s ethical concern: power and abundance must be restrained and directed by dharma, not by vanity or exploitation.
Vaiśampāyana is describing the enormous quantities of animals—camels, horses, and elephants—indicating the scale of royal preparations and possessions in the Ashvamedhika context.