Shloka 2

अध्याय १६९ — भीष्मस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रशंसा तथा शिखण्डिविषये नियमः

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Forces and His Constraint Regarding Śikhaṇḍin

Devanagari script

अभिमन्युर्महाबाहू रथयूथपयूथप: । सम: पार्थन समरे वासुदेवेन चारिहा

Transliteration

abhimanyur mahābāhu rathayūthapayūthapaḥ | samaḥ pārthena samare vāsudevena cārihā ||

Translation

মহাবাহু অভিমন্যু রথ-যূথপতিদেরও যূথপতি। সমরক্ষেত্রে সে পার্থ (অর্জুন) ও বাসুদেব (শ্রীকৃষ্ণ)-এর সমান পরাক্রমী এবং শত্রুনাশক বীর।

Word by Word

• अभिमन्युः: Abhimanyu
• अभिमन्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिमन्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबाहुः: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथयूथपयूथपः: leader of the leaders of chariot-troops
• रथयूथपयूथपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथयूथपयूथप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समः: equal
• समः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थेन: with/compared to Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वासुदेवेन: with/compared to Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अरिहा: slayer of foes
• अरिहा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिहन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Abhimanyu
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma highlights the dharmic ideal of the kṣatriya: disciplined training, steadfast vows, and leadership expressed as measured valor. Excellence in war is framed not as mere aggression but as duty carried by a well-trained, self-controlled warrior.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Bhīṣma assesses key fighters. Here he praises Abhimanyu as an exceptional chariot-commander, declaring him comparable in battlefield prowess to Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, thereby signaling the Pandava side’s formidable strength.