भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय 54: फल्गुन-प्रतिरोधः, सौबली-व्यूह-विध्वंसः, दुर्योधन-भीष्म-संवादः
ये चान्ये पृथिवीपाला: प्रधाना: पुरुषर्षभ । 'पुरुषसिंह! तुम पराक्रम करके कौरवोंका नाश करो। मारिष! नरश्रेष्ठ! मैं
ye cānye pṛthivīpālāḥ pradhānāḥ puruṣarṣabha | “puruṣasiṃha! tvaṃ parākramaṃ kṛtvā kauravān nāśaya | māriṣa! narāśreṣṭha! ahaṃ bhīmasenaḥ śrīkṛṣṇaḥ mādrīkumarau nakula-sahadevau draupadyāḥ pañca putrāś ca anye ca pradhāna-pradhānā bhūpālāḥ kavacaṃ dhārayitvā tava pṛṣṭhataḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ cariṣyāmaḥ”
Sañjaya dit : «Et d’autres rois éminents encore, ô taureau parmi les hommes, déclarent : “Ô lion parmi les hommes, déploie ta vaillance et accomplis la ruine des Kaurava. Ô noble, ô le meilleur des hommes — moi, Bhîmasena, Śrî Kṛṣṇa, les fils de Mâdrî, Nakula et Sahadeva, les cinq fils de Draupadî, ainsi que d’autres souverains de premier rang, revêtus de nos armures, marcherons tout près derrière toi, sur tes traces.”»
संजय उवाच
The passage underscores kṣatriya-dharma: a leader is urged to act with courage and decisive effort, while allies commit to disciplined support—armored, organized, and following behind—showing that righteous warfare (as framed in the epic) depends on both personal valor and collective responsibility.
In Sañjaya’s report, prominent allied kings and heroes encourage a chief warrior to strike down the Kauravas. They pledge that Bhīma, Kṛṣṇa, Nakula and Sahadeva, Draupadī’s five sons, and other leading rulers will don armor and advance closely behind him, reinforcing his charge in battle.