Shloka 18

भीष्मकृतः पाण्डवपक्ष-महारथ-प्रशंसा

Bhishma’s appraisal of Pandava-aligned chariot-warriors

Devanagari script

यथेच्छकं स्वयं ब्रूया रथानतिरथांस्तथा । कामद्वेषसमायुक्तो मोहात्‌ प्रकुरुते भवान्‌

Transliteration

yathecchakaṁ svayaṁ brūyā rathān atirathāṁs tathā | kāmadveṣasamāyukto mohāt prakurute bhavān ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“你随心所欲地妄言，连车夫与摩诃罗陀（大车战士）之事也不例外。然而你如今所为，出自迷妄——被贪欲与憎恶所驱使。”

Word by Word

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा
• Form: Avyaya (comparative/relative adverb)

• इच्छकम्: as one wishes; at will
• इच्छकम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छक (इच्छा + क)
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular (used adverbially)

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्
• Form: Avyaya

• ब्रूयात्: should speak
• ब्रूयात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (ब्रवीति)
• Form: Optative (vidhi-lin), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural

• अतिरथान्: great chariot-warriors
• अतिरथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरथ
• Form: Masculine, accusative, plural

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya

• कामद्वेषसमायुक्तः: endowed with desire and hatred
• कामद्वेषसमायुक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-द्वेष-समायुक्त
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• मोहात्: from delusion; due to delusion
• मोहात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह
• Form: Masculine, ablative, singular

• प्रकुरुते: acts; behaves
• प्रकुरुते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ
• Form: Present tense (lat), 3rd person, singular, atmanepada

• भवान्: you (sir)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular (honorific 2nd person reference)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• ratha
• atiratha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma warns that speech and judgment become unreliable when driven by kāma (desire) and dveṣa (aversion). Ethical action requires clarity free from moha (delusion), not impulsive preference.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war counsel, Bhīṣma rebukes the addressee for speaking arbitrarily and acting under the sway of desire and hatred, urging a more dharmic, clear-sighted stance as conflict approaches.