Shloka 23
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Kaurava Champions (भीष्मकृतः रथिनां गुणनिरूपणम्)
तथाहं भरतश्रेष्ठ सर्वसेनापतिस्तव । शत्रून् विध्वंसयिष्यामि कदर्थीकृत्य पाण्डवान्
tathāhaṃ bharataśreṣṭha sarvasenāpatistava | śatrūn vidhvaṃsayīṣyāmi kadarthīkṛtya pāṇḍavān ||
ਹੇ ਭਰਤਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ! ਮੈਂ ਤਾਂ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਮੂਹ ਸੈਨਾ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਸੈਨਾਪਤੀ ਹਾਂ; ਇਸ ਲਈ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਪਾਂਡਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਕਲੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਫਿਰ ਵੈਰੀ ਸੈਨਾ ਦਾ ਸੰਹਾਰ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between personal affection and role-based duty: Bhīṣma, bound by allegiance and his office as commander, commits himself to prosecuting the war against the Pāṇḍavas despite the moral weight of harming kin.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, Bhīṣma addresses a Kuru leader as “best of the Bharatas,” affirming his position as commander-in-chief and declaring his intention to subdue the Pāṇḍavas and destroy the opposing forces.