काश्यश्च परमेष्वासः शिखण्डी च महारथः ।धृष्टद्युम्नो विराटश्च सात्यकिश्चापराजितः ॥
kāśyaś ca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaś ca sātyakiś cāparājitaḥ ||
- काश्यः · kāśyaḥ
- the king of Kashi
- च · ca
- and
- परमेष्वासः · parameṣvāsaḥ
- the supreme archer
- शिखण्डी · śikhaṇḍī
- Shikhandi
- महारथः · mahārathaḥ
- the great chariot-warrior
- धृष्टद्युम्नः · dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ
- Dhrishtadyumna
- विराटः · virāṭaḥ
- Virata
- सात्यकिः · sātyakiḥ
- Satyaki (Yuyudhana)
- अपराजितः · aparājitaḥ
- the unconquered, invincible
“The king of Kashi, supreme archer, and Shikhandi the great chariot-warrior; Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and the invincible Satyaki.”
— Original plain-language translation
The allies echo the roll-call of 1.4–1.6, conch for conch. Shikhandi's presence is a loaded detail for those who know the epic: Bhishma will not strike him, and everyone on the field knows it.
— Reader's notes (original)