Shloka 16

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 165 — Bhīṣma’s Appraisal and Karṇa’s Rebuttal (भीष्म–कर्ण विवादः)

Devanagari script

रथौ तौ कुरुशार्दटूल मतौ मे रथसत्तमौ । क्षत्रधर्मरतौ वीरौ महत्‌ कर्म करिष्यत:,कुरुश्रेष्ठ! ये दोनों वीर रथी तो हैं ही, रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ भी हैं। ये क्षत्रियधर्ममें तत्पर होकर युद्धमें महान्‌ पराक्रम करेंगे

Transliteration

rathau tau kuruśārdūla matau me rathasattamau | kṣatradharmaratau vīrau mahat karma kariṣyataḥ ||

Translation

കുരുശാർദൂലാ! എന്റെ അഭിപ്രായത്തിൽ ആ ഇരുവരും രഥികൾ—രഥികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാർ തന്നെ. ക്ഷത്രിയധർമ്മത്തിൽ നിരതരായ ആ വീരർ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ മഹത്തായ കർമ്മങ്ങൾ നിർവഹിക്കും.

Word by Word

रथौtwo chariot-warriors / two on chariots

तौthose two

कुरुशार्दूलO tiger among the Kurus

मतौconsidered / regarded (as)

मेof me / my

रथसत्तमौthe best among chariot-warriors

क्षत्रधर्मरतौdevoted to kshatriya-duty

वीरौtwo heroes

महत्great

कर्मdeed / act

करिष्यतःthey two will do / will perform

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Kuru lineage (Kurus)

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 affirms the ideal of kṣatriya-dharma: a warrior’s excellence is measured by disciplined commitment to rightful martial duty and the capacity to act with great courage in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is evaluating and praising “those two” warriors as foremost chariot-fighters, predicting that, being devoted to the warrior code, they will accomplish major feats in the coming conflict.