Shloka 3

भीष्म–दुर्योधनसंवादः — शिखण्डिनं न हन्तुं कारणकथनम्

Amba-ākhyāna prologue

Devanagari script

एतस्य बहुला: सेना: पज्चालाश्च प्रभद्रका: । तेनासौ रथवंशेन महत्‌ कर्म करिष्यति

Transliteration

etasya bahulāḥ senāḥ pāñcālāś ca prabhadrakāḥ | tenāsau rathavaṁśena mahat karma kariṣyati ||

Translation

Bhishma dijo: «De su lado hay fuerzas inmensas: los Panchalas y los Prabhadrakas. Respaldado por esa hueste de guerreros de carros, realizará una gran hazaña en la batalla».

Word by Word

• एतस्य: of this (man)
• एतस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• बहुलाः: many, numerous
• बहुलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सेनाः: armies
• सेनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पाञ्चालाः: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रभद्रकाः: the Prabhadrakas
• प्रभद्रकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभद्रक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेन: by that; with that
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• असौ: he (that man)
• असौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: असद्/असौ (दर्शक-सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथवंशेन: by the line/group of chariot-warriors
• रथवंशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथवंश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कर्म: deed, feat
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• करिष्यति: will do, will accomplish
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Panchalas
• Prabhadrakas
• chariot-warriors (rathins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how alliances and collective martial capacity shape outcomes in dharmic conflict: a leader’s ‘great deed’ is enabled not only by personal valor but by the support of strong, well-aligned forces—especially elite chariot-warriors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is assessing the opposing side’s strength, noting that this warrior has the substantial backing of the Panchalas and Prabhadrakas; with such a chariot-heavy force, he is expected to perform major feats in the coming battle.