Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 38
शुकवाक्यं (Śuka’s Report on the Vānara Host) / Śuka Describes the Allied Forces to Rāvaṇa
शतंशङ्कुसहस्राणांमहाशङ्कु: इतिस्मृतः ।।6.28.34।।महाशङ्कुसहस्राणांशतंबृन्दमिहोच्यते ।शतंबृन्दसहस्राणांमहावृन्दमितिस्मृतम् ।।6.28.35।।महाबृन्दसहस्राणांशतंपद्ममिहोच्यते ।शतंपद्मसहस्राणांमहापद्ममितिस्मृतिम् ।।6.28.36।।महापद्मसहस्राणांशतंखर्वमिहोच्यते ।शतंखर्वसहस्राणांमहाखर्वमिवोच्यते ।।6.28.37।।महाखर्वसहस्राणांसमुद्रमभिधीयते ।तंसमुद्रसाहस्रमोघइत्यभिधीयते ।।6.28.38।।शतमोघसहस्राणांमहौघइतिविश्रुतः ।
mahākharva-sahasrāṇāṁ samudram abhidhīyate |
taṁ samudra-sāhasram ogha ity abhidhīyate ||6.28.38||
śatam ogha-sahasrāṇāṁ mahaugha iti viśrutaḥ |
مہاخَروَ کے ایک لاکھ کو ‘سَمُدر’ کہا جاتا ہے؛ اور سَمُدروں کے ایک لاکھ کو ‘اوگھ’ کے نام سے پکارا جاتا ہے۔ اوگھ کے ایک لاکھ کو ‘مہاوگھ’ کے طور پر مشہور جانا جاتا ہے۔
A lakh of Sanku is known as Maha Sanku. A lakh of Maha Shanka is spoken as Vrinda. A lakh of Vrindas is spoken as Maha Brinda. A lakh of Maha Vrindas is known as Padma. One lakh Padmas is known as Maha Padma and a lakh of Maha Padmas is known as Kharva. A lakh of Kharvas is known as Maha Kharva and a lakh of Maha Kharvas is known as a Samudra. A lakh of Samudras is known as an Ogha. A lakh of Oghas is popularly known as Maha Ogha.
FAQs
Dharma here is expressed as satya and nīti (ethical statecraft): truthful, orderly knowledge is presented so that leadership decisions align with duty and reality, not with pride or self-deception.
The verse continues the formal numeric ladder used to measure the magnitude of the vānara forces advancing toward Laṅkā, culminating in very large collective units (Samudra, Ogha, Mahaugha).
Nīti-jñatā (competent counsel) and satya: the speaker models disciplined communication—defining terms precisely—so the listener can grasp the scale and respond appropriately.