Shloka 21

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Kaurava Champions (भीष्मकृतः रथिनां गुणनिरूपणम्)

Devanagari script

संयन्तार: प्रहर्तार: कृतास्त्रा भारसाधना: । इष्वस्त्रे द्रोणशिष्याश्व॒ कृपस्य च शरद्वतः

Transliteration

saṁyantāraḥ prahartāraḥ kṛtāstrā bhārasādhanāḥ | iṣvastre droṇaśiṣyāś ca kṛpasya ca śaradvatāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Kamu mahir mengendalikan kereta perang dan cekap melancarkan serangan di medan laga; kamu terlatih dalam penggunaan senjata dan mampu memikul beban yang berat. Dalam ilmu busur dan anak panah, kamu ialah murid yang layak bagi Droṇa, dan juga bagi Kṛpa Śāradvata.”

Word by Word

• संयन्तारः: drivers, controllers (of chariots)
• संयन्तारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयन्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रहर्तारः: strikers, assailants
• प्रहर्तारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कृतास्त्राः: trained in weapons (lit. having made/learned weapons)
• कृतास्त्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतास्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भारसाधनाः: capable of bearing loads; strong
• भारसाधनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भारसाधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इष्वस्त्रे: in the science/use of bow-and-arrow weapons
• इष्वस्त्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्वस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• द्रोणशिष्याः: students/disciples of Droṇa
• द्रोणशिष्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणशिष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कृपस्य: of Kṛpa
• कृपस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शरद्वतः: of Śaradvat (i.e., Kṛpa)
• शरद्वतः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद्वत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Kṛpa (Śāradvata)
• bows and arrows (iṣv-astra)
• weapons (astra)
• chariot driving (saṁyantṛ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma emphasizes disciplined competence: warriors should unite technical mastery (weapons and chariot-control) with endurance and reliability. The verse frames martial excellence as a duty-bound preparedness grounded in proper training under respected teachers.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s address, he is describing and affirming the fighting capability of the addressed warriors—praising their chariot-handling, striking power, weapon-training, and their pedigree as students of Droṇa and Kṛpa—thereby strengthening resolve and assessing readiness for the coming conflict.