Shloka 26
Devanagari script
अभया गजपृष्ठस्था रथचर्याविशारदा: । इष्वस्त्रकुशला यस्य तस्येयं नृपतेर्मही
Transliteration
abhayā gajapṛṣṭhasthā rathacaryāviśāradāḥ | iṣvastrakuśalā yasya tasyeyaṁ nṛpater mahī ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“麾下武士无所畏惧，能乘象而战，精通战车驰骋之术，并善用弓矢与诸般兵器者—此王方能真正拥有这片大地。”
Word by Word
अभयाःfearless
अभयाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअभय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गजपृष्ठस्थाःseated/standing on an elephant’s back
गजपृष्ठस्थाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootगजपृष्ठस्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
रथचर्याविशारदाःexpert in chariot-driving/warfare on chariots
रथचर्याविशारदाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootरथचर्याविशारद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
इष्वस्त्रकुशलाःskilled in arrows and weapons
इष्वस्त्रकुशलाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootइष्वस्त्रकुशल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
यस्यof whom/whose
यस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
तस्यof him/of that (king)
तस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
इयम्this
इयम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
नृपतेःof the king
नृपतेः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootनृपति
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
महीearth/land/kingdom
मही:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमही
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaN
nṛpati (king)M
mahī (earth/realm)G
gaja (elephant)R
ratha (chariot)I
iṣu (arrow/bow)A
astra (weapon)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A king’s sovereignty is upheld by a disciplined, fearless, and well-trained military; martial competence is presented as an ethical instrument for protecting the realm and sustaining order (rajadharma).
In Bhishma’s instruction on kingship in the Shanti Parva, he describes the kind of warriors whose presence enables a ruler to hold and govern the earth—those skilled in weapons, elephant-mounted combat, and chariot tactics.