Shloka 30
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Kaurava Champions (भीष्मकृतः रथिनां गुणनिरूपणम्)
सिन्धुराजो महाराज मतो मे द्विगुणो रथ: । योत्स्यते समरे राजन् विक्रान्तो रथसत्तम:,महाराज! सिन्धुराज जयद्रथको मैं दो रथियोंके बराबर समझता हूँ। ये बड़े पराक्रमी तथा रथी योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं। राजन! ये भी समरांगणमें पाण्डवोंके साथ युद्ध करेंगे
sindhurājo mahārāja mato me dviguṇo rathaḥ | yotsyate samare rājan vikrānto rathasattamaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai raja agung, pada pertimbanganku, penguasa Sindhu—Jayadratha—setara kekuatannya dengan dua pahlawan kereta perang. Wahai raja, kusir-pejuang yang paling unggul dan gagah ini akan bertempur di medan perang, menentang para Pāṇḍava.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya-world ethic of assessing warriors by capability and role in battle: leadership involves sober evaluation of strength, not merely lineage or rhetoric, and such appraisal informs strategic and moral responsibility in war.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparations, Bhīṣma is describing and ranking allied fighters for the Kaurava side. Here he praises Jayadratha, king of Sindhu, judging him equivalent to two chariot-warriors and stating that he will fight against the Pāṇḍavas.