Shloka 4
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 165 — Bhīṣma’s Appraisal and Karṇa’s Rebuttal (भीष्म–कर्ण विवादः)
महाराज! प्रचण्ड वेगसे प्रहार करनेवाले इन काम्बोजनरेशके रथियोंके समुदायमें काम्बोजदेशीय सैनिकोंकी श्रेणी टिड्डियोंके दल-सी दृष्टिगोचर होती है ।।
mahārāja! pracaṇḍa-vegena prahāra-karaṇeśu eteṣāṃ kāmboja-nareśa-rathināṃ samūhe kāmboja-deśīya-sainikānāṃ śreṇī ṭiḍḍikā-dala-sī dṛśyate. nīlo māhiṣmatī-vāsī nīla-varmā rathas tava; ratha-vaṃśena kadanaṃ śatrūṇāṃ vai kariṣyati.
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai maharaja, di antara rombongan para pejuang kereta dari raja Kamboja—yang menghantam dengan kecepatan dahsyat—barisan prajurit Kamboja tampak bagaikan kawanan belalang. Dan Nīla, penghuni Māhiṣmatī, berzirah biru, adalah pejuang keretamu; dengan kekuatan garis keturunan keretanya ia sungguh akan menimpakan pembantaian atas musuh.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the epic ethic of kṣatriya warfare: leaders assess forces, recognize capable allies, and speak of martial prowess as a duty-bound instrument for protecting one’s side—while also hinting at the grave human cost through imagery of overwhelming numbers and impending slaughter.
Bhīṣma is describing the assembled forces, highlighting the Kāmboja contingents as numerous and swift-striking, and then pointing out Nīla of Māhiṣmatī—blue-armoured and famed by lineage—as a chariot-warrior on the king’s side who will inflict heavy losses on the enemy.