Shloka 5

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Kaurava-Aligned Mahārathas

Warrior Roster and Motivations

Devanagari script

यथाबलं यथोत्साहं रथिन: समुपादिशत्‌ | अर्जुन सूतपुत्राय भीम॑ दुर्योधनाय च

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

yathābalaṁ yathotsāhaṁ rathinaḥ samupādiśat |

arjunaṁ sūtaputrāya bhīmaṁ duryodhanāya ca ||

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Considerando a força e o ardor de cada guerreiro, ele designou os combatentes de carro aos adversários que lhes eram próprios. Assim, Arjuna foi nomeado para enfrentar Karṇa, o filho do cocheiro, e Bhīma para confrontar Duryodhana — uma ordenação da batalha que revela cálculo estratégico e, ao mesmo tempo, o grave peso moral de pôr parentes uns contra os outros.

Word by Word

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• बलम्: strength
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• उत्साहम्: energy, zeal
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्साह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रथिनः: chariot-warriors
• रथिनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समुपादिशत्: instructed, directed
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-√दिश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सूतपुत्राय: for the charioteer's son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्राय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दुर्योधनाय: for Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Karṇa (Sūtaputra)
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• Duryodhana
• rathinaḥ (chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Leadership in war must match roles to capability (bala, utsāha), yet such decisions carry ethical gravity: assigning opponents is not mere tactics but a dharmic responsibility with far-reaching consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the commander arranged the chariot-warriors by assessing their strength and spirit, specifically pairing Arjuna to face Karṇa and Bhīma to face Duryodhana.