Shloka 28
भीष्मकृतः पाण्डवपक्ष-महारथ-प्रशंसा
Bhishma’s appraisal of Pandava-aligned chariot-warriors
“नृपश्रेष्ठ! मैं इस युद्धमें अकेला ही पाण्डवोंकी सेनाका विनाश करूँगा; परंतु सारा यश भीष्मको मिल जायगा ।। कृत: सेनापतिस्त्वेष त्वया भीष्मो नराधिप | सेनापतौ यशो गनन््ता न तु योधान् कथंचन,“नरेश्वर! तुमने इन भीष्मको ही सेनापति बनाया है। विजयका यश सेनापतिको ही प्राप्त होता है; योद्धाओंको किसी प्रकार नहीं मिलता
nṛpaśreṣṭha! aham asmin yuddhe ekākī eva pāṇḍavānāṁ senāyā vināśaṁ kariṣyāmi; kintu sarvaṁ yaśo bhīṣmasyaiva bhaviṣyati. kṛtaḥ senāpatistveṣa tvayā bhīṣmo narādhipa | senāpatau yaśo gantā na tu yodhān kathaṁcana ||
Bhīṣma said: “O best of kings, in this war I alone can bring about the destruction of the Pāṇḍavas’ army; yet all the glory will be credited to Bhīṣma. O ruler of men, you have appointed this Bhīṣma as commander-in-chief. The fame of victory goes to the commander, not to the individual fighters—however they may strive.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma highlights how public credit and political glory tend to attach to leadership roles (the commander-in-chief) rather than to the many who actually fight. The verse reflects on responsibility, recognition, and the ethics of attributing merit in war and governance.
Bhishma addresses the king, asserting his own capacity to devastate the Pandavas’ forces, but he points out that because he has been appointed commander, the renown of victory will be ascribed to him as senapati, not to the individual warriors.