Shloka 21

भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा

Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength

Devanagari script

सत्यश्रवा रथस्त्वेको राजपुत्रो बृहद्धल: । तव राजन्‌ रिपुबले कालवत्‌ प्रचरिष्यति

Transliteration

satyśravā rathas tv eko rājaputro bṛhaddhalaḥ | tava rājan ripubale kālavat pracariṣyati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “O King, there is a single great chariot-warrior, the prince Bṛhaddhala, famed for truthful renown. Moving within the enemy host, he will range like Death itself.”

Word by Word

• सत्यश्रवाः: one of true fame (truth-renowned)
• सत्यश्रवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यश्रवस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथः: chariot-warrior / chariot (context: chariot-fighter)
• रथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• एकः: one/single
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजपुत्रः: king’s son / prince
• राजपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बृहद्धलः: Bṛhaddhala (proper name; ‘having a great host/army’)
• बृहद्धलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद्धल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तव: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• रिपुबले: in the enemy army/force
• रिपुबले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपुबल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कालवत्: like Death / as Time (Yama-like)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कालवत्

• प्रचरिष्यति: will roam/move about
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चर्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• King (rājan)
• Bṛhaddhala
• Enemy army (ripu-bala)
• Kāla (Death/Time)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links martial prowess with moral reputation: a warrior’s effectiveness in battle is framed alongside satya-śravas (true fame), suggesting that power gains ethical weight when grounded in truth and honorable conduct, even amid the inevitability of Kāla (Death/Time).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a notable prince-warrior, Bṛhaddhala, to the king, emphasizing that he is a formidable chariot-fighter who will move through the opposing forces with the unstoppable force of Death.