Shloka 4

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Kaurava Champions (भीष्मकृतः रथिनां गुणनिरूपणम्)

Devanagari script

सैनापत्यं च सम्प्राप्प कौरवाणां धुरन्धर: । किमचेष्टत गाड़ेयो महाबुद्धिपराक्रम:,कौरवकुलका भार वहन करनेवाले परम बुद्धिमान्‌ और पराक्रमी गंगापुत्र भीष्मने सेनापतिका पद प्राप्त करनेके पश्चात्‌ युद्धँके लिये कौन-सी चेष्टा की?

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | saināpatyaṃ ca samprāpya kauravāṇāṃ dhurandharaḥ | kim aceṣṭata gāṅgeyo mahābuddhi-parākramaḥ ||

Translation

धृतराष्ट्र बोले—कौरवों का भार वहन करने वाले, महाबुद्धि और पराक्रमी गंगापुत्र भीष्म ने सेनापति का पद पाकर युद्ध की तैयारी में क्या-क्या चेष्टा की?

Word by Word

सैनापत्यम्the office of commander-in-chief

चand

सम्प्राप्यhaving obtained

कौरवाणाम्of the Kauravas

धुरन्धरःthe burden-bearer; chief supporter

किम्what?

अचेष्टतdid (he) strive/act

गाङ्गेयःGāṅgeya (Bhīṣma, son of Gaṅgā)

महाबुद्धि-पराक्रमःof great intellect and valor

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Kauravas

Gāṅgeya (Bhīṣma)

Gaṅgā

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 foregrounds the ethical weight of leadership in war: when one is entrusted with command, intelligence and valor must be directed into deliberate, responsible action—planning and restraint as much as force—because the burden carried is not merely military but dynastic and moral.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra inquires about Bhīṣma after Bhīṣma has been appointed commander-in-chief of the Kaurava forces, asking what concrete steps he took to prepare for the impending battle.