अक्षौहिणी हि सेना सा तदा यौधिष्ठिरं बलम् ॥
प्रविश्यान्तर्दधे राजन् सागरं कुनदी यथा ॥
तथैवाक्षौहिणीं गृह्य चेदीनाम् ऋषभो बली ॥
धृष्टकेतुर् उपागच्छत् पाण्डवान् अमितौजसः ॥
मागधश् च जयत्सेनो जारासंधिर् महाबलः ॥
अक्षौहिण्यैव सैन्यस्य धर्मराजम् उपागमत् ॥
तथैव पाण्ड्यो राजेन्द्र सागरानूपवासिभिः ॥
वृतो बहुविधैर् योधैर् युधिष्ठिरम् उपागमत् ॥
तस्य सैन्यम् अतीवासीत् तस्मिन् बलसमागमे ॥
प्रेक्षणीयतरं राजन् सुवेषं बलवत् तदा ॥
akṣauhiṇī hi senā sā tadā yaudhiṣṭhiraṃ balam ||
praviśyāntardadhe rājan sāgaraṃ kunadī yathā ||
tathaivākṣauhiṇīṃ gṛhya cedīnām ṛṣabho balī ||
dhṛṣṭaketur upāgacchat pāṇḍavān amitaujasaḥ ||
māgadhaś ca jayatseno jārāsaṃdhir mahābalaḥ ||
akṣauhiṇyaiva sainyasya dharmarājam upāgamat ||
tathaiva pāṇḍyo rājendra sāgarānūpavāsibhiḥ ||
vṛto bahuvidhair yodhair yudhiṣṭhiram upāgamat ||
tasya sainyam atīvāsīt tasmin balasamāgame ||
prekṣaṇīyataraṃ rājan suveṣaṃ balavat tadā ||
And that army numbered a full akshauhini of troops. And when it was absorbed into the forces of Yudhishthira, it vanished entirely, like a small river flowing into the sea. In the same way, the mighty lord of the Chedis, Dhrishtaketu, came to the sons of Pandu of immeasurable might, attended by an akshauhini. And the king of Magadha, Jayatsena of vast strength, brought for Yudhishthira an army of a full akshauhini. Likewise Pandya, who dwelt on the seacoast, came to Yudhishthira, king of kings, attended by manifold troops. And, O king, when all these forces had gathered, his army, splendidly arrayed and exceedingly mighty, took on an appearance pleasing to the eye.
1936506a59a7 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:31:49 AM UTC
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This passage (5.19.6–10) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace is already unfolding against the backdrop of an unavoidable war. Key themes: the Pandavas, peace, dharma. Here dharma reveals itself through speech, through the choice of an embassy, through faithfulness to one's word, and through the responsibility kings bear for the consequences of their decisions.