Shloka 13
Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’
Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda
भीष्म उवाच देवानां तु मतं ज्ञात्वा वसुना पक्षसंश्रयात्
bhīṣma uvāca devānāṁ tu mataṁ jñātvā vasunā pakṣasaṁśrayāt
قال بهيشما: لما أدرك مقصود الآلهة، ولاذ بجانب فاسو (وانحاز إلى حزبه)، عمل وفق ذلك العزم الإلهي—مبيّناً كيف أن اختيار الولاء، إذا هُدي بمشورة عليا، يرسم مسار الواجب والدارما.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that discerning higher counsel (the gods’ intention) and then choosing one’s alignment accordingly can be a decisive ethical act; ‘taking a side’ is not merely political but can be framed as a dharmic commitment shaped by insight into a larger moral order.
Bhishma, continuing his instruction in the Shanti Parva, refers to someone who first understands the resolve of the gods and then aligns with Vasu’s side—indicating a deliberate choice of faction based on perceived divine intention.