Shloka 18
भीष्म–रामयुद्धवर्णनम्
Bhīṣma’s Account of the Strategic Engagement with Rāma Jāmadagnya
न च रामेण मर्तव्यं कदाचिदपि पार्थिव । ततः समुत्पन्नमिदं प्रस्वापं युज्यतामिति
na ca rāmeṇa martavyaṃ kadācid api pārthiva | tataḥ samutpannam idaṃ prasvāpaṃ yujyatām iti
ভীষ্ম বললেন—হে রাজন! রামকে কখনওই বধ করা উচিত নয়। অতএব এই বিবেচনা থেকেই যে ‘প্রস্বাপ’ (নিদ্রা-উপায়) উদ্ভূত হয়েছে, তা প্রয়োগ করা হোক।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma frames a moral and strategic restraint: certain figures (here, Rāma) are not to be killed, so one should adopt a non-lethal means—such as rendering someone unconscious/asleep—when force is necessary but killing is prohibited.
Bhīṣma is advising a king in a tense political-military context. He rejects the option of killing Rāma and instead recommends implementing a plan that neutralizes the threat through induced sleep, aligning action with ethical limits.