Shloka 11
Amba’s Disclosure of Prior Choice (Śālva) and Appeal to Bhīṣma — Chapter 171
नरेश्वर! देवराज इन्द्रके समान तेजस्वी किरीटधारी वीरवर अर्जुनके द्वारा सुरक्षित हुई युधिष्ठिरकी भयंकर सेनाका ये उपर्युक्त वीर समरांगणमें संचालन करेंगे ।।
nareśvara! devarāja indrake samāna tejasvī kirīṭadhārī vīravara arjunena surakṣitā yudhiṣṭhirasya bhayaṅkarā senāyā ete uparyuktā vīrāḥ samarāṅgaṇe sañcālanaṃ kariṣyanti || tair ahaṃ samare vīrā māyāviddhir jayaiṣibhiḥ | yotsyāmi jayam ākāṅkṣann athavā nidhanaṃ raṇe ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „O König, jene oben genannten Helden werden Yudhiṣṭhiras furchtbares Heer auf dem Schlachtfeld ordnen und führen — ein Heer, das von Arjuna beschirmt wird, dem vornehmsten Krieger, dem diademgeschmückten Helden, dessen Glanz dem Indras, des Götterkönigs, gleicht. Und ich meinerseits werde in diesem Krieg gegen jene Pāṇḍava-Streiter kämpfen — kundig in List und begierig nach Sieg — und nach Triumph oder Tod in der Schlacht verlangen.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a Kshatriya ideal of resolve: a warrior-leader commits to battle with full acceptance of outcomes—victory or death—while recognizing the opposing side’s strength and organization. It highlights duty-bound courage, disciplined leadership, and the ethical seriousness of war rather than mere aggression.
Bhishma addresses the king (Duryodhana) and describes how the Pandava side—especially Yudhishthira’s formidable army protected by Arjuna—will be directed by the named heroes. He then declares his own intention to fight those victory-seeking, strategy-skilled Pandava warriors, prepared either to win or to fall in battle.