Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

सेनाकर्मण्यभिज्ञो5स्मि व्यूहेषु विविधेषु च । कर्म कारयितुं चैव भृतानप्यभृतांस्तथा,“मुझे सेनासम्बन्धी प्रत्येक कर्मका ज्ञान है। मैं नाना प्रकारके व्यूहोंके निर्माणमें भी कुशल हूँ। तुम्हारी सेनामें जो वेतनभोगी अथवा वेतन न लेनेवाले मित्रसेनाके सैनिक हैं, उन सबसे यथायोग्य काम करा लेनेकी भी कला मुझे ज्ञात है

Transliteration

senākarmāṇy abhijño 'smi vyūheṣu vividheṣu ca | karma kārayituṃ caiva bhṛtān apy abhṛtāṃs tathā ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「軍務のあらゆる務めに通じ、さまざまな陣形の布置にも熟達している。さらに、俸給を受ける兵であれ、俸給を受けぬ同盟・友軍であれ、すべての部隊に相応の役目を割り当て、遂行させて、軍を規律ある秩序のうちに動かす術を知っている。」

Word by Word

सेनाin/with regard to the army

कर्मणिin work/duty

अभिज्ञःskilled, knowledgeable

अस्मिI am

व्यूहेषुin battle-formations/arrays

विविधेषुvarious

चand

कर्मwork, task

कारयितुम्to cause (someone) to do; to get done

चand

एवindeed, just

भृतान्hired, paid (men)

अपिalso, even

अभृतान्unhired, unpaid (men)

तथाlikewise, in that manner

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

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?

Competence in leadership includes both technical knowledge (army operations and formations) and ethical-administrative skill: assigning appropriate duties to all personnel—paid or allied—so that collective action remains orderly and effective.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya presents his qualifications in military organization—claiming expertise in army work, formation-building, and in directing different categories of troops—within the broader Udyoga Parva context of mobilization and preparation for war.