Shloka 18
भीष्म–दुर्योधनसंवादः — शिखण्डिनं न हन्तुं कारणकथनम्
Amba-ākhyāna prologue
स हि संग्रामशोभी च भक्तश्नापि किरीटिन: । चेकितान: सत्यधृति: पाण्डवानां महारथौ | द्वाविमौ पुरुषव्याप्रौ रथोदारौ मतौ मम
sa hi saṅgrāmaśobhī ca bhaktaś cāpi kirīṭinaḥ | cekitānaḥ satyadhṛtiḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathau || dvāv imau puruṣavyāghrau rathodārau matau mama |
Dijo Bhīṣma: «Estos dos resplandecen en la batalla y, además, son devotos de Arjuna, el de la diadema. Cekitāna y Satyadhṛti—ambos son grandes guerreros de carro del bando de los Pāṇḍava. A mi juicio, estos dos hombres, cual tigres, sobresalen entre los combatientes de carro».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights two complementary virtues in a kṣatriya context: excellence in battle (saṅgrāmaśobhā) and steadfast loyalty (bhakti) to a worthy leader (Arjuna). The verse suggests that martial skill gains ethical weight when joined with disciplined allegiance and recognized merit.
In Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation setting, Bhīṣma is identifying and evaluating notable fighters on the Pāṇḍava side. He singles out Cekitāna and Satyadhṛti as great chariot-warriors, praising their battlefield brilliance and their devotion to Arjuna.