Shloka 21
Virāṭa’s Conciliation and Uttara’s Account of the Unseen Champion
Bṛhannadā/Arjuna
ऋते शान्तनवाद् भीष्मात् कृष्णाद् वा देवकीसुतात् । आचार्यप्रवराद् वापि भारद्वाजान्महाबलात्
ṛte śāntanavād bhīṣmāt kṛṣṇād vā devakīsutāt | ācāryapravarād vāpi bhāradvājān mahābalāt ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Kecuali Bhīṣma, putera Śāntanu, atau Kṛṣṇa, putera Devakī—atau lagi, kecuali guru terunggul itu, Bhāradvāja yang maha perkasa—(tiada yang sebanding).”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a standard epic ethical-narrative device: true excellence is measured against acknowledged exemplars. By naming Bhīṣma, Kṛṣṇa, and Droṇa, it frames martial and moral authority as anchored in revered elders and divinely guided leadership, implying that claims of superiority must be tested against the highest standards.
Vaiśampāyana is describing someone’s exceptional capability by stating that, apart from the greatest figures—Bhīṣma, Kṛṣṇa, and the foremost teacher Droṇa—no one else could match (that person). The line functions as a comparative encomium within the ongoing account in Virāṭa Parva.