Shloka 3
Amba’s Disclosure of Prior Choice (Śālva) and Appeal to Bhīṣma — Chapter 171
एष वीरो महेष्वास: कृती च निपुणश्च ह | चित्रयोधी च शक्तश्न मतो मे रथपुजड्गभवः
eṣa vīro maheṣvāsaḥ kṛtī ca nipuṇaś ca ha | citrayodhī ca śaktaś ca mato me rathapuṅgavaḥ ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „Dieser Mann ist ein Held, ein großer Bogenschütze — vollendet und wahrhaft kundig. Er ist auch ein Kämpfer mit vielfältigen, einfallsreichen Taktiken und von großer Kraft. Nach meinem Urteil zählt er zu den Vornehmsten unter den Wagenkriegern.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic ideal in the warrior context: competence, discipline, and proven skill are to be recognized and spoken of truthfully. Bhīṣma’s praise models responsible leadership—evaluating strength and readiness without exaggeration, as such clarity guides ethical decision-making in war.
In Udyoga Parva, as preparations for the great war intensify, Bhīṣma is describing and assessing notable fighters. Here he points out a particular warrior as a foremost chariot-combatant—mighty with the bow, expert in weapons and tactics, and strong—thereby informing the strategic appraisal of forces.