Shloka 33
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Kaurava Champions (भीष्मकृतः रथिनां गुणनिरूपणम्)
स एष रथशार्दूलस्तद् वैरं संस्मरन् रणे । योत्स्यते पाण्डवैस्तात प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजान्,तात! ये रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ जयद्रथ युद्धमें उस पुराने वैरको याद करके अपने दुस्त्यज प्राणोंकी भी बाजी लगाकर पाण्डवोंके साथ संग्राम करेंगे
sa eṣa rathaśārdūlas tad vairaṃ saṃsmaran raṇe | yotsyate pāṇḍavais tāta prāṇāṃs tyaktvā sudustyajān ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai anakku, Jayadratha—yang terunggul di antara para kesatria kereta—akan mengingat permusuhan lama itu di tengah pertempuran dan bertarung melawan para Pāṇḍava, mempertaruhkan bahkan nyawanya yang begitu sukar dilepaskan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how remembrance of past enmity can harden resolve in war, to the point that a warrior is willing to risk even the most difficult thing to relinquish—his life—showing the fierce grip of vengeance and the grave stakes of kṣatriya conflict.
Bhīṣma describes Jayadratha as a premier chariot-warrior who, recalling an earlier feud, will enter battle against the Pāṇḍavas with full commitment, even at the cost of his life.