Shloka 7
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 165 — Bhīṣma’s Appraisal and Karṇa’s Rebuttal (भीष्म–कर्ण विवादः)
एतौ तौ पुरुषव्याप्रौ रिपुसैन्यं प्रधक्ष्यतः । गदाप्रासासिनाराचैस्तोमरैश्व करच्युतै:,ये दोनों पुरुषसिंह अपने हाथसे छूटे हुए गदा, प्रास, खड़्ग, नाराच तथा तोमरोंद्वारा शत्रुसेनाको दग्ध कर डालेंगे
etau tau puruṣavyāghrau ripusainyaṃ pradhakṣyataḥ | gadāprāsāsinārācais tomaraiś ca karacyutaiḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Dua pahlawan bagai harimau ini akan membakar habis bala tentara musuh, menghantam dengan senjata yang mereka lontarkan dari tangan—gada, tombak, pedang, anak panah besi, dan lembing.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of kṣatriya prowess: decisive action and martial excellence in battle. Ethically, it frames destruction as a duty-bound act within war, emphasizing capability and resolve rather than personal hatred.
Bhīṣma is describing (and effectively praising) two outstanding warriors, predicting that they will devastate the opposing forces using a range of hand-hurled weapons—mace, spear, sword, iron arrows, and javelins.