तत्र दुर्योधनो राजा शूरान् बुद्धिमतो नरान् ॥
प्रसमीक्ष्य महाबाहुश् चक्रे सेनापतींस् तदा ॥
पृथग् अक्षौहिणीनां च प्रणेतॄन् नरसत्तमान् ॥
विधिपूर्वं समानीय पार्थिवान् अभ्यषेचयत् ॥
कृपं द्रोणं च शल्यं च सैन्धवं च महारथम् ॥
सुदक्षिणं च काम्बोजं कृतवर्माणम् एव च ॥
द्रोणपुत्रं च कर्णं च भूरिश्रवसम् एव च ॥
शकुनिं सौबलं चैव बाह्लीकं च महारथम् ॥
दिवसे दिवसे तेषां प्रतिवेलं च भारत ॥
चक्रे स विविधाः संज्ञाः प्रत्यक्षं च पुनः पुनः ॥
tatra duryodhano rājā śūrān buddhimato narān ||
prasamīkṣya mahābāhuś cakre senāpatīṃs tadā ||
pṛthag akṣauhiṇīnāṃ ca praṇetṝn narasattamān ||
vidhipūrvaṃ samānīya pārthivān abhyaṣecayat ||
kṛpaṃ droṇaṃ ca śalyaṃ ca saindhavaṃ ca mahāratham ||
sudakṣiṇaṃ ca kāmbojaṃ kṛtavarmāṇam eva ca ||
droṇaputraṃ ca karṇaṃ ca bhūriśravasam eva ca ||
śakuniṃ saubalaṃ caiva bāhlīkaṃ ca mahāratham ||
divase divase teṣāṃ prativelaṃ ca bhārata ||
cakre sa vividhāḥ saṃjñāḥ pratyakṣaṃ ca punaḥ punaḥ ||
There the mighty-armed King Duryodhana, having considered the brave and wise men, made them his generals. Having separately assembled the best of men, the kings, and observing due ceremony, he consecrated them as leaders of the akshauhinis: Kripa, Drona, Shalya, the great warrior Saindhava, Sudakshina of Kamboja, Kritavarman, the son of Drona, Karna, Bhurishravas, Shakuni the son of Subala, and the great warrior Bahlika. Day by day and at every hour, O Bharata, he again and again assigned them various signals and clear identifying signs.
ec5d7a07c82e · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:17:52 AM UTC
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This chapter shows the outward face of war: not a burst of anger, but a meticulously organized machine of violence. The detailed lists of weapons, supplies, chariots, elephants, horses, and units underscore the scale of the king's responsibility: when dharma is cast aside, the entire intelligence and order of the state comes to serve destruction.