Shloka 23

भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा

Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength

Devanagari script

वृषसेनो रथस्ते5ग्र्य: कर्णपुत्रो महारथ: । प्रधक्ष्यति रिपूर्णां ते बल॑ं तु बलिनां वर:

Transliteration

vṛṣaseno rathas te 'gryaḥ karṇaputro mahārathaḥ | pradhakṣyati ripūṇāṃ te balaṃ tu balināṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു— കർണപുത്രൻ വൃഷസേനൻ നിന്റെ സൈന്യത്തിലെ അഗ്രരഥി; അവൻ യഥാർത്ഥ മഹാരഥൻ. ബലവാന്മാരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ആ വൃഷസേനൻ നിന്റെ വൈരികളുടെ വിശാല സൈന്യത്തെ ദഹിപ്പിച്ച് ചാരമാക്കും.

Word by Word

• वृषसेनः: Vrishasena
• वृषसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथः: chariot-warrior (ratha-fighter)
• रथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अग्र्यः: foremost, excellent
• अग्र्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्णपुत्रः: son of Karna
• कर्णपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior, maharatha
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रधक्ष्यति: will burn up, will consume
• प्रधक्ष्यति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धक्ष् (दह्)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular

• रिपूणाम्: of (your) enemies
• रिपूणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ते: your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• बलिनाम्: of the strong (men)
• बलिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: best, foremost
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vṛṣasena
• Karṇa
• enemy army (ripūṇāṃ balam)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of recognizing merit and strength in war: a leader should know and value capable warriors, since disciplined prowess can decisively shape outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing and praising Vṛṣasena, Karṇa’s son, as a foremost chariot-warrior, assuring that he will devastate the opposing forces in the coming conflict.