Shloka 26

भीष्म–दुर्योधनसंवादः — शिखण्डिनं न हन्तुं कारणकथनम्

Amba-ākhyāna prologue

Devanagari script

पाण्ड्यराजो महावीर्य: पाण्डवानां धुरंधर: । दृढ्धन्वा महेष्वास: पाण्डवानां महारथ:

Transliteration

pāṇḍyarājo mahāvīryaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ dhuraṃdharaḥ | dṛḍhadhanvā maheṣvāsaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dijo: «El rey de la tierra de los Pāṇḍya es de gran valor, uno de los principales sostenes entre los Pāṇḍavas. Con arco firme y poderoso, maestro arquero, se alza como un gran guerrero de carro de los Pāṇḍavas».

Word by Word

• पाण्ड्यराजः: the king of Pāṇḍya
• पाण्ड्यराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्ड्यराज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महावीर्यः: of great prowess
• महावीर्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• धुरंधरः: a chief supporter/bearer of the burden
• धुरंधरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धुरंधर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दृढ्धन्वा: having a firm/strong bow
• दृढ्धन्वा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढधन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महेष्वासः: having great arrows (i.e., a great archer)
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महारथः: a great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍya king
• Pāṇḍavas
• bow (dhanus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that true martial excellence is not only personal prowess (mahāvīrya, maheṣvāsa) but also dependable responsibility and loyalty (dhuraṃdhara) in supporting one’s cause—an aspect of kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing and assessing notable warriors aligned with the Pāṇḍavas. Here he praises the Pāṇḍya king as a powerful, reliable great warrior—strong-bowed and eminent among their supporters.