Shloka 22
भीष्मसेनापत्याभिषेकः
Bhīṣma’s Appointment as Commander-in-Chief
कथं ह्ावध्यै: संग्राम: कार्य: सह भविष्यति । कथं हत्वा गुरून् वृद्धान् विजयो नो भविष्यति
kathaṁ hy avadhyaiḥ saṅgrāmaḥ kāryaḥ saha bhaviṣyati | kathaṁ hatvā gurūn vṛddhān vijayo no bhaviṣyati ||
“¿Cómo podría ser justo que hagamos la guerra contra quienes no deberían ser muertos? Y después de matar a nuestros ancianos mayores y a nuestros venerados maestros, ¿cómo podría la victoria ser verdaderamente nuestra?”
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when war seems politically necessary, dharma demands moral scrutiny: fighting those deemed ‘avadhya’ (not fit to be slain), especially revered elders and teachers, undermines the legitimacy of victory and stains it with ethical fault.
In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to the Kurukṣetra war, the speaker voices a grave hesitation: the opposing side includes elders and gurus, and the prospect of killing them raises the question of whether such a war can be righteous and whether any resulting ‘victory’ can be meaningful.