भवान्भीष्मश्च कर्णश्च कृपश्च समितिञ्जयः ।अश्वत्थामा विकर्णश्च सौमदत्तिस्तथैव च ॥
bhavān bhīṣmaś ca karṇaś ca kṛpaś ca samitiñjayaḥ |aśvatthāmā vikarṇaś ca saumadattis tathaiva ca ||
- भवान् · bhavān
- yourself, your honour
- भीष्मः · bhīṣmaḥ
- Bhishma (the grandsire)
- कर्णः · karṇaḥ
- Karna
- कृपः · kṛpaḥ
- Kripa (the preceptor)
- समितिञ्जयः · samitiñjayaḥ
- victorious in battle
- अश्वत्थामा · aśvatthāmā
- Ashvatthama (Drona's son)
- विकर्णः · vikarṇaḥ
- Vikarna (a Kaurava prince)
- सौमदत्तिः · saumadattiḥ
- the son of Somadatta (Bhurishravas)
- तथा · tathā
- likewise, so
- एव · eva
- indeed
- च · ca
- and
“Yourself, Bhishma, Karna, and Kripa the victorious in battle; Ashvatthama, Vikarna, and likewise the son of Somadatta.”
— Original plain-language translation
The Kaurava high command: Bhishma the grandsire bound by loyalty, Karna the fated rival of Arjuna, the preceptors Kripa and Drona, Drona's son Ashvatthama. Tradition notes Duryodhana pointedly omits naming himself — the commander who must prove himself.
— Reader's notes (original)