Shloka 5

यथाबलं यथोत्साहं रथिन: समुपादिशत्‌ | अर्जुन सूतपुत्राय भीम॑ दुर्योधनाय च

sañjaya uvāca |

yathābalaṁ yathotsāhaṁ rathinaḥ samupādiśat |

arjunaṁ sūtaputrāya bhīmaṁ duryodhanāya ca ||

ஒவ்வொரு ரதவீரனின் வலமும் உற்சாகமும் கருதி, அவர்களைத் தகுந்த எதிரிகளுக்கு எதிராகப் போரிடுமாறு அவர் கட்டளையிட்டார். அர்ஜுனனை சூதபுத்திரன் கர்ணனுக்கு எதிராகவும், பீமனை துரியோதனனுக்கு எதிராகவும் நியமித்தார்.

यथाas, according to
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
बलम्strength
बलम्:
TypeNoun
Rootबल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
यथाas, according to
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
उत्साहम्energy, zeal
उत्साहम्:
TypeNoun
Rootउत्साह
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
रथिनःchariot-warriors
रथिनः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथिन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
समुपादिशत्instructed, directed
समुपादिशत्:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-आ-√दिश्
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
अर्जुनम्Arjuna
अर्जुनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअर्जुन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सूतपुत्रायfor the charioteer's son (Karna)
सूतपुत्राय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootसूतपुत्र
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
भीमम्Bhima
भीमम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभीम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
दुर्योधनायfor Duryodhana
दुर्योधनाय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्योधन
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
Arjuna
K
Karṇa (Sūtaputra)
B
Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
D
Duryodhana
R
rathinaḥ (chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

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.

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.