Shloka 9

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 165 — Bhīṣma’s Appraisal and Karṇa’s Rebuttal (भीष्म–कर्ण विवादः)

Devanagari script

त्रिगर्ता भ्रातर: पजच रथोदारा मता मम | कृतवैराश्न पार्थस्ते विराटनगरे तदा,त्रिगर्तदेशीय पाँचों भ्राताओंको मैं उदार रथी मानता हूँ। विराटनगरमें दक्षिणगोग्रहके युद्धके समय चार पाण्डवोंके साथ इनका वैर बढ़ गया था

Transliteration

Trigartā bhrātaraḥ pañca rathodārā matā mama | kṛtavairāś ca pārthais te Virāṭanagare tadā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “The five Trigarta brothers are, in my judgment, noble and capable chariot-warriors. Yet at that time in the city of Virata they became sworn enemies of the sons of Pritha, for their hostility intensified during the battle connected with the southern cattle-raid.”

Word by Word

• त्रिगर्ताः: the Trigartas
• त्रिगर्ताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिगर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भ्रातरः: brothers
• भ्रातरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च

• रथ-उदाराः: noble chariot-warriors / excellent in chariots
• रथ-उदाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथ + उदार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मताः: considered / regarded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मम: of me / my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• कृत-वैराः: having made enmity / having become enemies
• कृत-वैराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु) + वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पार्थैः: with the Pāṇḍavas (sons of Pṛthā)
• पार्थैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विराट-नगरे: in the city of Virāṭa
• विराट-नगरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट + नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• तदा: then / at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Trigarta brothers (five)
• Pandavas (Pārthas, sons of Pṛthā)
• Viratanagara
• Trigarta country

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when acknowledging an opponent’s valor and nobility, one must also recognize how specific acts in conflict create lasting enmity; ethical judgment in war includes both respect for prowess and awareness of the consequences of hostility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma identifies the five Trigarta brothers as notable chariot-warriors, and explains that their feud with the Pandavas became firmly established earlier at Viratanagara during the fighting associated with a cattle-raid episode.