Shloka 16
सर्व एव रथोदारा: सर्वे चाहवलक्षणा: । सर्वस्त्रिविदुष: सर्वे महात्मानो मता मम,सुकुमार, काशिक, नील, सूर्यदत्त, शंख और मदिराश्व नामक ये सभी योद्धा उदार रथी हैं। युद्ध ही इन सबका शौर्यसूचक चिह्न है। मैं इन सभीको सम्पूर्ण अस्त्रोंके ज्ञाता और महामनस्वी मानता हूँ
sarva eva rathodārāḥ sarve cāhavalakṣaṇāḥ | sarvāstravidaḥ sarve mahātmāno matā mama ||
Bhīṣma said: “All of them are noble chariot-warriors; battle itself is the mark by which each is known. I regard them all as masters of every weapon and as great-souled men.” In context, Bhīṣma is weighing the worth of the named fighters, affirming their skill and character as part of a broader ethical and strategic reckoning before war.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Competence in one’s duty (here, the warrior’s craft) is acknowledged as a form of excellence, but Bhishma’s praise also implies responsibility: those skilled in arms and famed for battle must be weighed carefully in decisions that lead to war.
In the pre-war deliberations of the Udyoga Parva, Bhishma is describing and evaluating a group of fighters, stating that they are distinguished chariot-warriors, recognized by their prowess in battle, and are knowledgeable in all weapons.