Shloka 41

Devanagari script

भूयश्व श्रोतुमिच्छामि परेषां रथसत्तमान्‌ | ये चैवातिरथास्तत्र ये चैव रथयूथपा:,“अब मैं पुनः शत्रुपक्षके श्रेष्ठ रथियों, अतिरथियों तथा रथयूथपतियोंका परिचय सुनना चाहता हूँ

Transliteration

bhūyaś ca śrotum icchāmi pareṣāṁ rathasattamān | ye caivātirathās tatra ye caiva rathayūthapāḥ ||

Translation

ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຂ້າປາຖະໜາຈະຟັງອີກຄັ້ງ ເຖິງນັກຮົບລົດສົງຄາມຜູ້ເລີດລ້ຳຝ່າຍຕົວຕໍ່ຕ້ານ—ໃນພວກເຂົາ ຜູ້ໃດແມ່ນອະຕິຣະຖະ (atiratha) ແລະຜູ້ໃດແມ່ນຫົວໜ້າກອງລົດ».

Word by Word

भूयःagain, further

चand

श्रोतुम्to hear

इच्छामिI wish/desire

परेषाम्of the others (of the enemy side)

रथसत्तमान्the best of chariot-warriors

येwho

चand

एवindeed, just

अतिरथाःgreat chariot-warriors (atirathas)

तत्रthere

येwho

चand

एवindeed, just

रथयूथपाःleaders of chariot-troops

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

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?

The verse highlights prudent discernment as part of dharma in governance and warfare: a leader or adviser must accurately understand the opponent’s capabilities and command structure before acting.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma requests a renewed, detailed identification of the opposing side’s foremost chariot-warriors—specifically the top-tier champions (atirathas) and the commanders of chariot formations (rathayūthapas).