Shloka 2

भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा

Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength

Devanagari script

एतस्य सेना दुर्धर्षा समरे प्रतियायिन: । विकृतायुधभूयिष्ठा वायुवेगसमा जवे,युद्धमें डटकर शत्रुओंका सामना करनेवाले इस शकुनिकी सेना दुर्धर्ष है। इसका वेग वायुके समान है तथा यह विविध आकारवाले अनेक आयुधोंसे विभूषित है

Transliteration

etasya senā durdharṣā samare pratiyāyinaḥ | vikṛtāyudha-bhūyiṣṭhā vāyu-vega-samā jave ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Son armée est difficile à contenir. Au combat, ils tiennent bon et s’avancent à la rencontre de l’ennemi ; leur vitesse est celle du vent, et ils sont richement pourvus d’armes aux formes multiples et singulières.»

Word by Word

एतस्यof this (one)

सेनाarmy

दुर्धर्षाhard to assail, formidable

समरेin battle

प्रतियायिनःthose who advance against (the enemy), opponents/assailants

विकृतvaried, of diverse forms

आयुधweapons

भूयिष्ठाabounding in, mostly consisting of

वायुwind

वेगspeed, force

समाequal to, like

जवेin speed; in swiftness

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

army (senā)

weapons (āyudha)

wind (vāyu)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent discernment in dharmic statecraft: before action, one must realistically assess an opponent’s capability—discipline, readiness to meet attack, speed, and armament—so that decisions in war are not driven by pride or ignorance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing the formidable nature of a particular force: it is difficult to overcome, advances to confront enemies directly in battle, moves with wind-like speed, and is well supplied with a variety of weapons.