Shloka 7
स वरैश्छन्दितस्तेन नूपो वचनमत्रवीत् । सहस्रबाहुर्भूयां वै चमूमध्ये गृहेडन्यथा
sa varaiś chanditas tena nūpo vacanam abravīt | sahasrabāhur bhūyāṃ vai camūmadhye gṛhe ’nyathā ||
Bhishma dit : Pressé par ce sage de choisir des grâces, le roi répondit : « Qu’au combat, au milieu de l’armée, je devienne mille-bras ; mais qu’à la maison je demeure autrement (avec deux bras seulement). Que tous les soldats sur le champ de bataille voient mes mille bras. »
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power should be bounded by dharma: extraordinary force may be sought for protecting and winning in righteous battle, but personal life should remain governed by restraint and normal ethical limits.
A sage invites the king to ask for boons. The king requests a miraculous form—thousand arms visible to the army in battle—while remaining ordinary at home, distinguishing public martial duty from private conduct.