Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava-Alliance Warriors (Śikhaṇḍin, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Allied Kings)
तात! कुन्तीका आनन्द बढ़ानेवाले स्वयं पाण्डुपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिर एक श्रेष्ठ रथी (महारथी) हैं। वे समरभूमिमें अग्निके समान सब ओर विचरेंगे, इसमें संशय नहीं है ।। भीमसेनस्तु राजेन्द्र रथोडष्टगुणसम्मित: । न तस्यास्ति समो युद्धे गदया सायकैरपि
tāta! kuntīkā ānanda-baḍhānevale svayaṃ pāṇḍuputra rājā yudhiṣṭhira eka śreṣṭha-rathī (mahārathī) haiṃ. ve samarabhūmi meṃ agni ke samāna saba ora vicareṅge, ismeṃ saṃśaya nahīṃ hai. bhīmasenas tu rājendra ratho ’ṣṭaguṇa-sammitaḥ | na tasyāsti samo yuddhe gadayā sāyakair api ||
ພີດສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ລູກເອີຍ, ຢຸດທິສຖິຣະ—ບຸດແຫ່ງປານດຸ, ກະສັດຜູ້ເພີ່ມຄວາມປິຕິໃຫ້ແກ່ກຸນຕີ—ເປັນນັກຮົບລົດອັນຍອດຢ່າງແທ້, ເປັນມະຫາຣະທີ. ໃນສະໜາມຮົບ ລາວຈະທ່ອງໄປທຸກທິດດັ່ງໄຟ; ບໍ່ມີຂໍ້ສົງໄສ. ແລະ ພີມະເສນ, ໂອ ກະສັດຜູ້ປະເສີດ, ເປັນນັກຮົບລົດຜູ້ມີພະລັງສົມບູນແປດປະການ; ໃນສົງຄາມບໍ່ມີໃຜເທົ່າທຽມລາວ—ຈະດ້ວຍຄອນ (ຄະດາ) ຫຼື ແມ່ນແຕ່ດ້ວຍລູກສອນ»។
भीष्म उवाच
Bhīṣma underscores the rightful martial capacity of the Pāṇḍavas: Yudhiṣṭhira is not merely a moral king but also a competent mahāratha, and Bhīma’s unmatched power—especially with the mace—signals that dharma in a kṣatriya context includes the ability to protect and prevail when war becomes unavoidable.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, Bhīṣma is describing and assessing the fighting strength of the Pāṇḍavas. He highlights Yudhiṣṭhira’s battlefield presence and Bhīma’s extraordinary prowess, emphasizing that their side possesses formidable warriors.