Shloka 19
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ७२: सैन्यगुणवर्णनम्, व्यूहरक्षा, दैव-पुरुषकारचिन्ता
वयं हि त्वां समाश्रित्य भीष्म॑ं चैव पितामहम् । देवानपि रणे जेतु प्रार्थयामो न संशय:
vayaṁ hi tvāṁ samāśritya bhīṣmaṁ caiva pitāmaham | devān api raṇe jetuṁ prārthayāmo na saṁśayaḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: „Auf dich und auf Bhīṣma, den Ahnvater, gestützt, begehren wir voller Zuversicht, selbst die Götter in der Schlacht zu besiegen—daran ist kein Zweifel. Wie sollte es da eine große Tat sein, die Pāṇḍavas zu schlagen, die an Kraft und Tapferkeit geringer sind? Wohlergehen dir; bemühe dich so, dass die Pāṇḍavas erschlagen werden.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the psychology of war: confidence built on dependence upon powerful leaders can slide into arrogance and moral blindness, culminating in the wish for total annihilation of kin. It implicitly contrasts martial ambition with the ethical weight of desiring the death of one’s relatives.
Sañjaya reports a Kaurava-side sentiment: trusting in their great warriors—especially Bhīṣma and the addressed commander—they believe they could defeat even divine opponents, and therefore expect an easy victory over the Pāṇḍavas, urging decisive effort to kill them.