Shloka 19
भीष्म–रामसंयुगनिवृत्तिः
Bhishma and Rama: Restraint and Withdrawal in the Engagement
उक्त्वा भीष्मवधायेति प्रविवेश हुताशनम् । ज्येष्ठा काशिसुता राजन् यमुनामभितो नदीम्
uktvā bhīṣmavadhāyeti praviveśa hutāśanam | jyeṣṭhā kāśisutā rājan yamunām abhito nadīm ||
Nachdem sie erklärt hatte: „Dies ist zur Tötung Bhīṣmas“, trat die älteste Prinzessin von Kāśī, o König, am Ufer der Yamunā in das Opferfeuer ein.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the perilous power of a fixed vow: when duty is interpreted through the lens of revenge, it can eclipse compassion and self-preservation. It invites reflection on whether an end (retribution) can justify self-destructive means, and how personal agency operates within social codes and perceived destiny.
Bhīṣma recounts that the eldest princess of Kāśī, proclaiming her intent connected to Bhīṣma’s death, entered the fire by the Yamunā. This points to her intense resolve and sets the background for later consequences tied to Bhīṣma’s eventual fall.