Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 126
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava-Alliance Warriors (Śikhaṇḍin, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Allied Kings)
बालैरपि भवन्तस्तै: सर्व एव विशेषिता: । कुरुनन्दन! इनके आयुधों
bālair api bhavantas taiḥ sarva eva viśeṣitāḥ | kurunandana! eṣāṃ āyudhānāṃ gadānāṃ ca bāṇānāṃ cāghātaṃ kaścid api na soḍhuṃ śaknoti | ataḥ paraṃ na kaścid eṣāṃ dhanuṣi pratyāñcāṃ samāropayituṃ śaknoti, na yuddhe eṣāṃ gurvīṃ gadāṃ samuddhartum, na ca eṣāṃ bāṇān prayoktum | te vegena calane, lakṣyabhede, khāne-pāne tathā dhūli-krīḍāsu ca bālye 'pi tvāṃ parājitavantaḥ |
毗湿摩说道：“即便在孩提之时，你们众人也都被他们压过一头，噢，俱卢之欢。无人能承受他们兵器的重击——他们的钉锤与箭矢。况且，无人能为他们的弓上弦，无人能在战场上举起他们沉重的钉锤，也无人能恰当地运用他们的箭。无论是奔行之速、破的之准、饮食之量，甚至孩童在尘土中的嬉戏，他们在你们的童年便已胜过你们。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma underscores that true strength is proven by capability and discipline, not by status or pride; recognizing another’s superior skill is part of wise counsel and a check against reckless decisions in the lead-up to war.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war counsel, Bhishma reminds a Kuru prince that certain warriors are so formidable that others cannot even handle their weapons, and that this superiority was evident since childhood in contests of speed, skill, and games—warning against underestimating them.