Shloka 5

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava-Alliance Warriors (Śikhaṇḍin, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Allied Kings)

Devanagari script

माद्रीपुत्रो च रथिनौ द्वावेव पुरुषर्षभी

Transliteration

mādrīputro ca rathinau dvāveva puruṣarṣabhī

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Und auch Mādrīs Sohn ist ein Wagenkämpfer; zusammen mit jenen beiden vornehmsten Wagenkämpfern sind sie wahrlich die Besten der Männer, wie Stiere unter den Sterblichen.“

Word by Word

• माद्रीपुत्रः: the son of Madri
• माद्रीपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: माद्रीपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• रथिनौ: two chariot-warriors
• रथिनौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पुरुषर्षभी: two bulls among men (best of men)
• पुरुषर्षभी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mādrī
• Mādrī’s son (Nakula or Sahadeva, implied)
• two rathins (unnamed chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment and truthful appraisal of capability: leaders must recognize excellence and strength where it exists, especially when decisions about conflict and duty are imminent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is listing or evaluating notable combatants, naming Mādrī’s son and referring to two eminent chariot-warriors, marking them as foremost men in the coming war’s strategic calculus.