महारथा महात्मानः सर्वे पाञ्चालसत्तमाः ॥
योत्स्यन्ते समरे तात संरब्धा इव कुञ्जराः ॥
अजो भोजश् च विक्रान्तौ पाण्डवेषु महारथौ ॥
पाण्डवानां सहायार्थे परं शक्त्या यतिष्यतः ॥
शीघ्रास्त्रौ चित्रयोद्धारौ कृतिनौ दृढविक्रमौ ॥
केकयाः पञ्च राजेन्द्र भ्रातरो युद्धदुर्मदाः ॥
सर्व एते रथोदाराः सर्वे लोहितकध्वजाः ॥
काशिकः सुकुमारश् च नीलो यश् चापरो नृपः ॥
सूर्यदत्तश् च शङ्खश् च मदिराश्वश् च नामतः ॥
सर्व एते रथोदाराः सर्वे चाहवलक्षणाः ॥
सर्वास्त्रविदुषः सर्वे महात्मानो मता मम ॥
mahārathā mahātmānaḥ sarve pāñcālasattamāḥ ||
yotsyante samare tāta saṃrabdhā iva kuñjarāḥ ||
ajo bhojaś ca vikrāntau pāṇḍaveṣu mahārathau ||
pāṇḍavānāṃ sahāyārthe paraṃ śaktyā yatiṣyataḥ ||
śīghrāstrau citrayoddhārau kṛtinau dṛḍhavikramau ||
kekayāḥ pañca rājendra bhrātaro yuddhadurmadāḥ ||
sarva ete rathodārāḥ sarve lohitakadhvajāḥ ||
kāśikaḥ sukumāraś ca nīlo yaś cāparo nṛpaḥ ||
sūryadattaś ca śaṅkhaś ca madirāśvaś ca nāmataḥ ||
sarva ete rathodārāḥ sarve cāhavalakṣaṇāḥ ||
sarvāstraviduṣaḥ sarve mahātmāno matā mama ||
All these great souls, the best of the Panchalas, are maharathas; they will fight in the battle, dear one, like elephants maddened with rage. Aja and Bhoja, valiant maharathas among the Pandavas, will strive with their utmost strength to aid the Pandavas -- swift with their weapons, skilled in varied combat, adept and firm in valor. The five brothers of Kekaya, O lord of kings, unrestrained in battle, are all noble ratha warriors, all bearing red banners. Kashika, Sukumara, Nila, and another king -- Suryadatta, Shankha, and Madirashva by name -- all of them are noble ratha warriors, all marked by battle; all know every weapon, all are great souls, in my judgment.
0a23a29613d6 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:32:37 AM UTC
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Bhishma continues to unfold the full breadth of the Pandavas' strength: behind the principal heroes stands a dense circle of Panchalas, Chedis, Kekayas, Kashis, and other allies. What matters here is not numbers alone but the quality of the bond -- some fight from kinship, others from devotion to Arjuna, still others for the glory of the Pandavas. The battlefield thus emerges as a web of loyalty and personal commitment, where each ally becomes part of one shared strength.