Shloka 2
भीष्मकृतः पाण्डवपक्ष-महारथ-प्रशंसा
Bhishma’s appraisal of Pandava-aligned chariot-warriors
बलवन्तौ नरव्याप्रौ दृढक्रोधौ प्रहारिणौ । गान्धारमुख्यौ तरुणौ दर्शनीयौं महाबलौ
balavantau naravyāghrau dṛḍhakrodhau prahāriṇau | gāndhāramukhyau taruṇau darśanīyau mahābalau ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „Jene beiden sind mächtig — Tiger unter den Menschen —, unbeugsam im Zorn und schnell im Schlag. Sie sind die Vornehmsten unter den Gandhāras: jung, eindrucksvoll anzusehen und von großer Kraft.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial excellence—strength, fearlessness, and readiness to strike—can be both admirable and dangerous when driven by unyielding anger. Ethical counsel in the Mahabharata repeatedly warns that power without restraint intensifies destruction and must be considered responsibly in decisions about war.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, Bhishma is characterizing notable fighters from Gandhara, emphasizing their youth, appearance, and formidable combat nature. Such descriptions function as strategic assessment: identifying who will matter on the battlefield and why.