Shloka 16
भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा
Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength
नैष जातु महेष्वास: पार्थमक्लिष्टकारिणम् | हन्यादाचार्यकं दीप्तं संस्मृत्य गुणनिर्जितम्
naiṣa jātu maheṣvāsaḥ pārtham akliṣṭakāriṇam | hanyād ācāryakaṃ dīptaṃ saṃsmṛtya guṇanirjitam ||
Bhīṣma said: “That great archer will never strike down Pārtha, the tireless doer of mighty deeds. Remembering the radiant bond of teacher and pupil—Drona, the illustrious master who has been won over by Arjuna’s virtues—he will not bring himself to kill Kuntī’s son.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid war, ethical memory matters: the obligations and reverence embedded in the guru–śiṣya bond can restrain violence. Virtue (guṇa) is portrayed as a moral force that ‘conquers’ hearts, making certain acts—like killing a revered teacher or beloved disciple—psychologically and ethically difficult.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Bhīṣma assesses likely conduct in the coming conflict. He states that the great archer in question will not kill Arjuna, because recalling the luminous teacherly bond—centered on Droṇa and Arjuna and shaped by Arjuna’s virtues—prevents such an act.