Shloka 2

भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा

Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength

Devanagari script

एतस्य सेना दुर्धर्षा समरे प्रतियायिन: । विकृतायुधभूयिष्ठा वायुवेगसमा जवे

Transliteration

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

Translation

Pasukannya sukar ditahan; di medan perang mereka teguh berdiri dan maju menyongsong musuh. Laju mereka laksana angin, dan mereka berlimpah dengan senjata-senjata beraneka bentuk yang ganjil.

Word by Word

• एतस्य: of this (one)
• एतस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सेना: army
• सेना: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्धर्षा: hard to assail, formidable
• दुर्धर्षा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर्ष
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रतियायिनः: those who advance against (the enemy), opponents/assailants
• प्रतियायिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतियायिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विकृत: varied, of diverse forms
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + कृ (क्त)
• Form: Neuter (as compound member), —, —

• आयुध: weapons
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध
• Form: Neuter (as compound member), —, —

• भूयिष्ठा: abounding in, mostly consisting of
• भूयिष्ठा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वायु: wind
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, —, —

• वेग: speed, force
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: Masculine, —, —

• समा: equal to, like
• समा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जवे: in speed; in swiftness
• जवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• army (senā)
• weapons (āyudha)
• wind (vāyu)

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.