Shloka 1

अध्याय १६९ — भीष्मस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रशंसा तथा शिखण्डिविषये नियमः

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

Devanagari script

२-27: हु हक अल सप्तत्याधिेकशततमो< ध्याय: पाण्डवपक्षके रथियों और महारथियोंका वर्णन तथा विराट और द्रुपदकी प्रशंसा भीष्म उवाच द्रौपदेया महाराज सर्वे पजच महारथा: । वैराटिरुत्तरशक्षैव रथोदारो मतो मम,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--महाराज! द्रौपदीके जो पाँच पुत्र हैं, वे सब-के-सब महारथी हैं। विराटपुत्र उत्तरको मैं उदार रथी मानता हूँ

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | draupadeyā mahārāja sarve pañca mahārathāḥ | vairāṭir uttaraś caiva rathodāro mato mama ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—మహారాజా! ద్రౌపదీదేవి ఐదుగురు కుమారులూ మహారథులే. అలాగే విరాటుని కుమారుడు ఉత్తరుడిని కూడా నేను ఉదారుడైన, శ్రేష్ఠ రథయోధుడిగా భావిస్తున్నాను.

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'draupadeyāḥ': 'the sons of Draupadi (Draupadeyas)', 'mahārāja': 'O great king', 'sarve': 'all', 'pañca': 'five', 'mahārathāḥ': 'great chariot-warriors

• elite fighters of the highest class', 'vairāṭiḥ': 'the son/descendant of Virata

• Virata’s prince', 'uttaraḥ': 'Uttara (name of Virata’s son)', 'ca eva': 'and indeed', 'rathodāraḥ': 'noble/excellent chariot-warrior

• eminent in chariot-fighting', 'mataḥ': 'considered

• regarded', 'mama': 'by me

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Draupadi
• Draupadeyas (five sons of Draupadi)
• Virata
• Uttara

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical seriousness of war by emphasizing the caliber of those involved: when great warriors stand on a side, the conflict is not trivial, and responsibility, honor, and kṣatriya-dharma become weightier.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing notable fighters aligned with the Pandava side, praising the five Draupadeyas as mahārathas and recognizing Uttara, Virata’s son, as a noble and capable chariot-warrior.