Even in the list of allies, there are people who cannot be simply categorized as good or evil.

Duryodhana began to specifically mention the key warriors of his own army. First, he said "yourself," referring to Dhrona, as a way of showing respect to his teacher and encouraging him to fight with all his might.

The following characters, Bheeshma, Karna, Kripa, Ashwatthama, Vikarna, and Duryodhana, are all renowned warriors. However, when we examine their backgrounds, it becomes clear that the distinction between good and evil cannot be simply drawn between enemies and allies.

Karna, while having a blood relationship with the Pandavas, chose friendship with Duryodhana. Vikarna, despite being on the Kaurava side, spoke out for justice when Draupadi was humiliated.

In section 8, the names are a list of combat power, but at the same time, they are also a list of people who have been chosen by each individual based on their sense of duty, oath, friendship, and conscience.

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Japanese Translation from the Geeta Press Edition - Chapter 1, Section 8: "Famous Warriors on Our Side"

Chapter 1, Section 8

You are Bhishma, and you are Karna, and you are Kripa, and you are the victors in assembly. Ashwathama, Vikarna, and Saumadri are also included. || 8 ||

Vocabulary

bhavān You yourself.

bhīṣmaḥ Bheeshma.

karṇaḥ Karna.

kṛpaḥ Kripa.

samitiñjayaḥ A person who always wins in battle.

aśvatthāmā Ashwathama.

vikarṇaḥ Vikarna.

saumadattiḥ The son of Saumadata, Burishrava.

tathā eva ca Also, in the same way.

Translation

You yourself, And Bhishma, Karna, The always victorious Kritavarma, Furthermore, Ashwatthama, Vikarna, And the son of Soma Dutta, Buriśravā.

Annotative Translation

Professor Drona was the son of Maharishi Bharadwaja.

He obtained knowledge of all weapons and projectiles, and their secret techniques, from Maharshi Agni Vayu and Parashurama.

He was proficient in the Vedas and Vedangas, and he was also a great ascetic.

He possessed deep knowledge and experience in archery and handling various weapons, and he was an Atirat who had unparalleled skill in battle.

He was very knowledgeable about how to use weapons such as the Brahmastra, the Agneya Astra, and other remarkable combat-related tools.

When he joined the battle with all his might, he was unable to defeat him.

He married Kripa, the daughter of Maharshi Sharladvan, and during that time, Ashwatthaman was born.

When he was young, he was a friend of King Dolpada.

At one time, he went to the court of King Dolpada. He addressed the king as a close friend. However, King Dolpada, intoxicated by power, said rudely in front of him, "There is no way that a mighty king like me would be friends with a poor beggar like you."

This criticism from King Dolpada deeply wounded Dorna's heart.

After that, he went to Hastinapur, and began living under the protection of his foster brother, Kripacharya.

There, he met Bhishma, and Bhishma appointed him as a teacher to the princes of the Kauravas and Pandavas.

Once the princes' training was over, Drona asked his disciples to capture Dolpada as a prisoner in battle, as a reward for their teacher.

My favorite disciple, Arjuna, defeated Drupada in battle, and brought him back as a prisoner along with his ministers, thus fulfilling my command.

Drona released Dolpada without inflicting any physical injuries on him, but seized the territory north of the Baghirathi River, and made it his own.

In the Mahabharata War, Drona served as the overall commander of the Kaurava army for five days, and engaged in a formidable battle.

However, in the end, he heard false news that his son had died, and he dropped his weapons, sat in a yoga posture, and entered deep meditation on God.

When his life force left his body, his bright soul illuminated the entire sky.

At that moment, Drishtadyumna cut him with a sharp sword, and severed his head from his body.

In the previous section, Duryodhana began with the words "you yourself," and he was the first to mention Draupadi's name among his own heroes.

That was, in order to greatly satisfy Dorona, and so that he would enter the battlefield with all of his power and enthusiasm.

Also, Drona was his teacher, and he was a person worthy of respect from Duryodhana.

From this point, it was reasonable to consider him as one of the most important warriors in their own ranks.

Bishma was the eldest son of King Shantanu.

He is Bagheera, that is to say, he was born from a spirit of the Ganges River.

He was the ninth Vas, an incarnation of Du, a being from the celestial realm.

His original name is Devavrata.

In his youth, in order to make the marriage between him and Satyavati possible, he agreed to the request of Satyavati's foster father, and vowed lifelong celibacy and renunciation of the right to inherit the throne.

This oath was of such a formidable nature, that he became famous on earth as Bishma, that is to say, "the most excellent one."

For his father's happiness, he completely abandoned the happiness of having a wife and the happiness of having a kingdom, without any hesitation.

They are things that become a great temptation for many people in this world.

The father, Shantanu, was very pleased with this extraordinary sacrifice, and he bestowed the blessing that he could not kill him, even with death, unless he himself agreed.

He was a lifelong bachelor, like a burning flame itself, and Bisham, who excelled in the study of scriptures and warfare, possessed infinite knowledge, the highest degree of heroism, and an unwavering determination. He was a great soul.

Bravery, Abandonment, Patience, Forgiveness, Compassion, Quietness, Self-control, Truthfulness, Nonviolence, Contentment, Equanimity, Strength, Justice, Dignity, Humility, Generosity of spirit, Popularity, Frank speech, Courage, Moderation, Detachment from worldly attachments, Knowledge, Wisdom, Devotion to parents, Knowledge of scriptures, Devotion to teachers, etc.

All the great virtues were fully developed within him.

Among other things, His life was filled with a spirit of devotion to God.

He completely knew the divinity of Krishna, and was a faithful devotee who loved only the Lord.

In the Mahabharata War, there was no one who could match him on the battlefield.

He promised Duryodhana that, while he would refrain from killing the five Pandavas, he would kill ten thousand warriors every day with his own hands during the battle.

As the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army, he fought a fierce battle for ten days.

After that, While lying on the floor of arrows, He taught people about an inexhaustible treasure trove of knowledge and enlightened them. When the time came for the sun to move north, He left his physical body according to his own will.

Karna was the son of Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, and he was a child born to her when she was a young maiden, conceived by Surya, the sun god.

Kunti put him in a box and sent him down the river.

However, fortunately, he did not die, and the box was carried away by the river's current and eventually arrived at Hastinapur.

There, she was picked up by Adirata, who was her caretaker, and taken to his home. She was raised by Adirata's wife, Radar.

And he, Became known as someone who had two children.

He was born wearing golden armor and earrings, so he was given the name Vaschenko.

Karna received weapon training from both Drona Sensei and Parashurama, and became a skilled master proficient in scriptures and the art of weaponry.

In terms of knowledge of weapons, and as a warrior, he was comparable to Arjuna.

Duryodhana crowned him as the king of the Anga kingdom.

Anga is a region that corresponds to the current Bhagalpur district in Bihar state.

He, who was a close friend of Duryodhana, dedicated himself to always thinking about Duryodhana's happiness in body and mind.

His dedication to Dhul Yodana was very deep and great.

Therefore, Even though he was approached by his mother Kunti and Krishna himself, he refused to abandon Duryodhana's cause and join the Pandava side during the Battle of Kurukshetra.

His generosity was unparalleled.

He, who regularly worshipped the sun god, was willing to give anything and fulfill any request made of him during worship.

One day, King Indra of the heavens, in the form of a Brahmin, approached Arjuna and requested to receive, as gifts, the congenital armor and earrings that were attached to Karna's body.

Karna was greatly pleased, and on that spot, he tore off his armor and earrings from his body, and gave them.

Instead, Indra gave him a throwing weapon that would definitely be effective when thrown at warriors.

Karna used that weapon to kill Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima, during the war.

After Professor Drona's death, he served as the overall commander of the Kaurava army for two days, and finally died in battle against Arjuna.

Kripar, who is from the lineage of Gautama, is the son of Maharshi Sharadvān.

He was a skilled master of archery.

He had a younger sister named Creepee.

Because King Shantanū raised them out of pity, he was given the name Kripa, and his sister was given the name Kripī.

He was a scholar well-versed in the Vedas, and he possessed a virtuous soul with many good qualities and righteous actions.

Before Professor Dhrona appeared, he was teaching archery to the warriors of the Kauravas, the Pandavas, and the Yadavas.

He survived even after all the Kauravas died, and he taught King Parikshit about weapons.

He was a great hero, and he was very skilled at defeating enemies.

Therefore, in this section, his name is given the descriptor samitiñjayaḥ, which means "one who always wins in battle."

It is said that he is still alive.

Ashwatthama is the son of teacher Drona.

He is considered one of the great masters of military science, a great warrior, and a hero, and therefore he is counted among the Maharat.

He, too, received weapons training under his father, Professor Dorona.

He is still believed to be alive.

Vikarna was one of the hundred sons of Dritharashtra.

He was a soul of great virtue, a great hero, and a Maharatri.

When Draupadi was harassed in the court of Duryodhana, she asked those gathered there whether she had truly been lost by the Pandavas as a stake in a game of dice.

Those who spoke out against that persecution, except for Vidura, were none.

At that critical moment, only Vikarna stood up in the public court, and from the standpoint of upholding justice and law, he declared sternly that not answering Draupadi's questions was a great injustice.

Furthermore, he stated that, in his opinion, Draupadi was not won by the Kauravas through gambling.

The son of Soma, named Bhurisrava, was the grandson of Bharvika, who was the brother of King Shantanu.

He was also a virtuous soul, a great hero skilled in the art of war, and a Maharat.

He performed many rituals, and bestowed immense wealth as a reward for those rituals.

He died at the hands of Satyaki in the Mahabharata war.

At the end of this section, the two invariable particles tathā and eva, like Kripariya, indicate that Ashwatthaman, Vikarna, and Bhurisrava were also "those who always win in battle."