Shloka 23
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava-Alliance Warriors (Śikhaṇḍin, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Allied Kings)
हतान्येकरथेनाजी कस्तस्य सदृशो रथ: । वज्र आदि भाँति-भाँतिके श्रेष्ठ आयुध भी उस रथमें विद्यमान हैं। अर्जुनने युद्धमें एकमात्र उस रथकी सहायतासे हिरण्यपुरमें निवास करनेवाले सहस्रों दानवोंका संहार किया है। उसके समान दूसरा कौन रथ हो सकता है? ।। एष हन्याद्धि संरम्भी बलवान् सत्यविक्रम:
hatāny ekaratheṇājau kas tasya sadṛśo rathaḥ | vajrādīni bhānti-bhāntike śreṣṭhāny āyudhāni api tasmin rathe vidyamānāni | arjunena yuddhe ekamātra-tasya rathasya sahāyatāyā hiranyapure nivāsa-karṇāṃ sahasrāṇāṃ dānavānāṃ saṃhāraḥ kṛtaḥ | tasya samaḥ dvitīyaḥ kaḥ ratho bhavitum arhati || eṣa hanyād dhi saṃrambhī balavān satyavikramaḥ ||
ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໃນສົງຄາມ ດ້ວຍລົດຮົບຄັນດຽວນັ້ນ ຜູ້ຄົນຫຼາຍຖືກສັງຫານ—ຈະມີລົດຮົບໃດສະເໝີມັນໄດ້? ໃນນັ້ນມີອາວຸດຊັ້ນເລີດຫຼາຍຊະນິດ ເຊັ່ນ ວັດຊຣະ ແລະອື່ນໆ. ດ້ວຍການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຂອງລົດຮົບນັ້ນຄັນດຽວ ອາຣະຈຸນໄດ້ທຳລາຍດານະວະນັບພັນ ຜູ້ອາໄສຢູ່ໃນ ຮິຣັນຍະປຸຣະ. ຈະມີລົດຮົບຄັນທີສອງໃດທຽບໄດ້? ແທ້ຈິງ ເມື່ອຖືກປຸກໃຫ້ເກີດຄວາມມຸ່ງມັ້ນອັນດຸເດືອດ ວິລະຊົນຜູ້ແຂງແກ່ງນີ້—ຜູ້ມີວິກຣະມະອັນແທ້—ຈະຟາດຟັນສັດຕູໃຫ້ລົ້ມລົງແນ່ນອນ»។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma underscores that true martial excellence is not mere aggression but proven capability guided by discernment: overwhelming power (symbolized by the incomparable chariot and supreme weapons) functions as a moral and political deterrent, warning that provoking a righteous, resolute warrior can lead to decisive destruction.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war counsel, Bhishma highlights Arjuna’s extraordinary war record—his destruction of thousands of Dānavas in Hiraṇyapura with the aid of a single, uniquely equipped chariot—arguing that no equal chariot exists and that Arjuna, when stirred to resolve, is certain to slay enemies.