Shloka 23
Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)
सेनापतिस्त्वहं राजन् समये नापरेण ते । भविष्यामि यथाकामं तन्मे श्रोतुमिहाहसि,राजन! मैं अपनी इच्छाके अनुसार एक शर्तपर तुम्हारा सेनापति होऊँगा। उसके बदले दूसरी शर्त नहीं मानूँगा। उस शर्तको तुम मुझसे यहाँ सुन लो
senāpatis tv ahaṃ rājan samaye nāpareṇa te | bhaviṣyāmi yathākāmaṃ tan me śrotum ihārhasi ||
Bhīṣma said: “O King, I will serve as your commander-in-chief at the appointed time, and not under any other condition. I shall do so according to my own choice; therefore you ought to hear from me, here and now, what that condition is.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, authority and service are bounded by ethical self-restraint: Bhīṣma accepts command only with a clearly stated condition, showing that duty (seva) must align with one’s vowed principles and conscience.
Bhīṣma addresses the king and agrees to become commander-in-chief at the proper time, but insists that he will do so only on his own stipulated condition and asks the king to hear that condition immediately.