Shloka 21

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava-Alliance Warriors (Śikhaṇḍin, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Allied Kings)

Devanagari script

अस्त्रग्रामश्न माहेन्द्रो रौद्र:ः कौबेर एव च । याम्यश्न वारुणश्रैव गदाश्षोग्रप्रदर्शना:

Transliteration

astragāmaś ca māhendraḥ raudraḥ kaubera eva ca | yāmyaś ca vāruṇaś caiva gadāś cogrāḥ pradarśanāḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Trên cỗ chiến xa ấy có đủ bộ vũ khí thần linh—những vũ khí do Indra, Rudra, Kubera, Yama và Varuṇa chủ quản—lại còn có cả những chùy (gadā) trông thật ghê rợn.”

Word by Word

• अस्त्रग्रामः: a collection/group of weapons
• अस्त्रग्रामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्रग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• माहेन्द्रः: belonging to/connected with Mahendra (Indra)
• माहेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रौद्रः: Rudra-related
• रौद्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कौबेरः: Kubera-related
• कौबेरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौबेर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• याम्यः: Yama-related
• याम्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वारुणः: Varuṇa-related
• वारुणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एव: also/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• गदाः: maces/clubs
• गदाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• उग्रप्रदर्शनाः: having a terrible appearance
• उग्रप्रदर्शनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्रप्रदर्शन
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra (Mahendra)
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Kubera
• Yama
• Varuna
• Chariot (ratha)
• Divine weapons (astras)
• Maces (gadā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the concentration of immense destructive capability and implicitly points to the moral gravity of deploying such power. In the Udyoga context—where peace is strained and war looms—it serves as a reminder that martial strength, though part of kshatriya duty, carries heavy ethical consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a chariot outfitted with numerous divine astras associated with major deities (Indra, Rudra, Kubera, Yama, Varuna) and fearsome maces—an inventory-like depiction emphasizing readiness for a decisive conflict.