Shloka 3

अध्याय १६९ — भीष्मस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रशंसा तथा शिखण्डिविषये नियमः

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Forces and His Constraint Regarding Śikhaṇḍin

Devanagari script

लब्धास्त्रश्चित्रयोधी च मनस्वी च दृढव्रत: । संस्मरन्‌ वै परिकलेशं स्वपितुर्विक्रमिष्यति

Transliteration

labdhāstraś citrayodhī ca manasvī ca dṛḍhavrataḥ | saṃsmaran vai parikleśaṃ svapitur vikramiṣyati || mahābāhuḥ abhimanyuḥ ratha-yūthapatīnām api yūthapatiḥ | sa śatru-nāśako vīraḥ samarabhūmau arjuna-śrīkṛṣṇayor iva parākramī | sa astravidyāyāḥ vidhivat śikṣāṃ prāptaḥ | sa yuddhasya vicitrāḥ kalāḥ jānāti tathā dṛḍhatayā vratam pālayitā manasvī ca | sa pituḥ kleśaṃ smṛtvā avaśyaṃ parākramaṃ darśayiṣyati ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ମହାବାହୁ ଅଭିମନ୍ୟୁ ଅସ୍ତ୍ରବିଦ୍ୟାରେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଶିକ୍ଷିତ, ଯୁଦ୍ଧର ବିଚିତ୍ର କଳାରେ ପାରଙ୍ଗତ, ମନସ୍ବୀ ଓ ଦୃଢ଼ବ୍ରତ। ପିତା ଭୋଗିଥିବା କ୍ଲେଶକୁ ସ୍ମରଣ କରି ସେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ପରାକ୍ରମ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ କରିବ। ସେ ରଥ-ୟୂଥପତିମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯୂଥପତି, ଶତ୍ରୁନାଶକ ବୀର; ରଣଭୂମିରେ ଅର୍ଜୁନ ଓ ଶ୍ରୀକୃଷ୍ଣ ସମାନ ଦୁର୍ଧର୍ଷ। ବିଧିବତ୍ ଅସ୍ତ୍ରଶାସ୍ତ୍ର ଶିଖି ସେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧର ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ଯୁକ୍ତି ଜାଣେ; ନିୟମରେ ଅଟୁଟ ଓ ଦୃଢ଼ସଙ୍କଳ୍ପ ହୋଇ ପିତୃଦୁଃଖ-ସ୍ମୃତିରେ ପ୍ରେରିତ ହୋଇ ସେ ସାହସରେ କେବେ ଅପରାଧ କରିବ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• लब्धास्त्रः: one who has obtained weapons (trained in arms)
• लब्धास्त्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (√लभ्) + अस्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चित्रयोधी: a fighter of wondrous/varied tactics
• चित्रयोधी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र + योधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• मनस्वी: high-spirited, resolute
• मनस्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• दृढव्रतः: one whose vow is firm
• दृढव्रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ + व्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संस्मरन्: remembering
• संस्मरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √स्मृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• परिक्लेशम्: affliction, hardship
• परिक्लेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + क्लेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वपितुः: of his own father
• स्वपितुः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विक्रमिष्यति: will display valor / will stride forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √क्रम्
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Abhimanyu
• Arjuna
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Abhimanyu's father (Arjuna, implied by 'svapituḥ')
• ratha (chariot)
• yūtha (troop/squadron)
• astravidyā (science of weapons)
• samarabhūmi (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of kṣatriya discipline: proper training, steadfast vows, and courageous action. It also shows how remembrance of a parent’s hardship can become a moral impetus for righteous exertion—valor grounded in duty and resolve rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s assessment of the warriors, he praises Abhimanyu as a highly trained and inventive fighter, a commander among commanders. Bhīṣma predicts that Abhimanyu will fight with exceptional courage, especially when he recalls his father’s suffering, and compares his battlefield prowess to that of Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa.