Shloka 7
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Kaurava-Aligned Mahārathas
Warrior Roster and Motivations
सैन्धवाय च वार्ष्णेयं युयुधानं समादिशत् । शिखण्डिनं च भीष्माय प्रमुखे समकल्पयत्,धृष्टकेतुको शल्यसे, उत्तमौजाको कृपाचार्यसे, नकुलको अअभ्रवत्थामासे, शैब्यको कृतवर्मासे, वृष्णिवंशी सात्यकिको सिन्धुराज जयद्रथसे और शिखण्डीको भीष्मसे मुख्यतः युद्ध करनेका आदेश दिया
saindhavāya ca vārṣṇeyaṃ yuyudhānaṃ samādiśat | śikhaṇḍinaṃ ca bhīṣmāya pramukhe samakalpayat | dhṛṣṭaketukaḥ śalyāya, uttamaujāḥ kṛpācāryāya, nakulaḥ aśvatthāmne, śaibyaḥ kṛtavarmāṇe iti yathāyogyaṃ yoddhṝn vyavasthāpayām āsa |
വാർഷ്ണേയനായ യുയുധാനനെ (സാത്യകി) സൈന്ധവരാജൻ ജയദ്രഥനോടും, ശിഖണ്ഡിയെ മുൻനിരയിൽ ഭീഷ്മനോടും ഏറ്റുമുട്ടാൻ അദ്ദേഹം ആജ്ഞാപിച്ചു.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights responsible leadership in war: commanders must assign roles with clear purpose and proportionality, recognizing both strategic necessity and the ethical burden of sending individuals into specific, often morally charged confrontations (notably Śikhaṇḍī placed against Bhīṣma).
Sañjaya reports how the leaders arrange the battlefield by pairing major warriors against particular opponents—Yuyudhāna against Jayadratha and Śikhaṇḍī against Bhīṣma foremost—while other champions are similarly matched, indicating a planned, tactical deployment before combat.