Shloka 16
Bhīmasena’s Discourse on Kāla, Resolve, and the Feasibility of Ajñātavāsa (भीमसेनस्य कालोपदेशः)
अवश्यं राजपिण्डस्तैन्विंश्य इति मे मति: । तस्मात् त्यक्ष्यन्ति संग्रामे प्राणानपि सुदुस्त्यजान्,महाबाहो! यद्यपि पितामह भीष्म, आचार्य द्रोण तथा महामना कृपाचार्यका आन्तरिक स्नेह धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्रों तथा हमलोगोंपर एक-सा ही है, तथापि वे राजा दुर्योधनका दिया हुआ अन्न खाते हैं, अतः उसका ऋण अवश्य चुकायेंगे, ऐसा मुझे प्रतीत होता है। युद्ध छिड़नेपर वे भी दुर्योधनके पक्षसे ही लड़कर अपने दुस्त्यज प्राणोंका भी परित्याग कर देंगे
avaśyaṃ rājapiṇḍas tain viṃśya iti me matiḥ | tasmāt tyakṣyanti saṅgrāme prāṇān api sudustyajān, mahābāho! yady api pitāmaha bhīṣma, ācārya droṇa tathā mahāmanā kṛpācārya kā āntarika sneha dhṛtarāṣṭrake putroṃ tathā hamlogoṃpar eka-sā hī hai, tathāpi ve rājā duryodhanakā diyā huā anna khāte haiṃ, ataḥ uskā ṛṇa avaśya cukāyenge, aisā mujhe pratīta hotā hai. yuddha chiṛnepar ve bhī duryodhanake pakṣase hī laṛkar apne dustyaj prāṇoṃkā bhī parityāg kar denge
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “It seems certain to me that those who live on the king’s bounty must repay it. Therefore, when battle breaks out, they will cast away even their hard-to-surrender lives, O mighty-armed one. For although grandsire Bhīṣma, teacher Droṇa, and the noble Kṛpa bear the same inner affection toward Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons as toward us, still they eat the food given by King Duryodhana; hence they will surely feel bound to discharge that debt. When war begins, they too will fight on Duryodhana’s side and, if need be, give up their very lives.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira highlights an ethical tension: personal affection and impartial goodwill may exist, yet institutional dependence—living on a ruler’s patronage—creates a felt obligation (ṛṇa) that can compel one to take that ruler’s side even in an unrighteous conflict.
Yudhiṣṭhira anticipates the future war and reasons that elders like Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Kṛpa, despite equal affection for both Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas, will fight for Duryodhana because they are sustained by his royal support and will seek to repay that debt, even at the cost of their lives.