Shloka 38

भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा

Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength

Devanagari script

एष योत्स्यति संग्रामे गजस्कन्धविशारद: | ऐरावतगतो राजा देवानामिव वासव:

Transliteration

eṣa yotsyati saṅgrāme gajaskandhaviśāradaḥ | airāvatagato rājā devānām iva vāsavaḥ ||

Translation

ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ພະຣາຊາອົງນີ້ຈະອອກຮົບໃນສົງຄາມ ຊໍານານຢ່າງຍິ່ງໃນການຕໍ່ສູ້ຈາກຫຼັງຊ້າງ. ຂີ່ໄອຣາວະຕະ ລາວຈະເຂົ້າປະຈັນກັບສັດຕູຂອງເຈົ້າ ດັ່ງວາສະວະ (ອິນທຣະ) ຈອມເທວະ»។

Word by Word

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• योत्स्यति: will fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गजस्कन्धविशारदः: skilled on an elephant's back
• गजस्कन्धविशारदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज-स्कन्ध-विशारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऐरावतगतः: mounted on Airāvata
• ऐरावतगतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐरावत-गत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• वासवः: Vāsava (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhagadatta
• Airāvata
• Indra (Vāsava)
• Devas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a warrior’s specialized skill (elephant-back combat) and symbolic association with divine power (Indra on Airāvata) are used to frame confidence and legitimacy in war—reminding listeners that morale, reputation, and perceived might strongly shape the ethical and practical landscape of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a formidable ally/warrior-king (Bhagadatta) who will fight in the coming battle. He is portrayed as an expert elephant-rider, likened to Indra riding Airāvata, emphasizing the threat he poses to the opposing side.