Shloka 17
भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal
युद्धकाले त्वयास्माकं साहां देयमिति प्रभो । बाढमित्येवमुक्त्वा तु युद्धकाल इहागत:
yuddhakāle tvayāsmākaṃ sāhāṃ deyam iti prabho | bāḍham ity evam uktvā tu yuddhakāla iha āgataḥ ||
সঞ্জয় বললেন— “প্রভু, যুদ্ধকালে তোমাকে আমাদের সহায়তা দিতে হবে।” সে ‘তথাস্তु’ বলে বিদায় নিয়েছিল; আর এখন যুদ্ধের সময় উপস্থিত হলে প্রতিশ্রুত সহায়তা করতে এখানে এসে পৌঁছেছে।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as reliability in word and deed: assistance promised for a righteous obligation must be delivered when the decisive moment arrives, especially in the moral pressure of war.
Sañjaya reports that Irāvān had earlier been asked to support their side during the battle; he agreed (“bāḍham”) and now has arrived at the battlefield at the appointed time to provide that aid.