Shloka 7
भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा
Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength
दोषस्त्वस्य महानेको येनैव भरतर्षभ | न मे रथो नातिरथो मतः पार्थिवसत्तम,किंतु भरतश्रेष्ठ! नृपशिरोमणे! इसमें एक ही बहुत बड़ा दोष है, जिससे मैं इसे न तो अतिरथी मानता हूँ और न रथी ही
doṣas tv asya mahān eko yenaiva bharatarṣabha | na me ratho nātiratho mataḥ pārthivasattama || kintu bharataśreṣṭha! nṛpaśiromaṇe! asmin eka eva mahān doṣaḥ, yena aham enaṁ na atirathaṁ manye na rathaṁ ca ||
కానీ భరతశ్రేష్ఠా, రాజశ్రేష్ఠా! ఇతనిలో ఒకే ఒక మహాదోషం ఉంది; దాని వల్లనే నేను ఇతనిని రథీగానీ అతిరథీగానీ అని భావించను.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights that a single serious defect can outweigh many strengths: true excellence—especially in a ruler or warrior—is not only about power or skill but also about the moral and practical integrity that sustains one’s rank and reputation.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Bhīṣma is assessing someone’s standing as a chariot-warrior. He states that one major flaw prevents him from recognizing that person as even a ratha, much less an atiratha, underscoring the gravity of the defect in the context of impending conflict.