Shloka 16
उक्तवांश्वापि यत् पार्थे भीष्म प्रति नरर्षभम्
uktavānśvāpi yat pārthe bhīṣma prati nararṣabham
Sañjaya dit : «Même ce qu’il avait dit à Pārtha —en s’adressant au taureau parmi les hommes— visait aussi Bhīṣma. Car, au cœur de la guerre, les paroles ne s’adressent pas seulement à un auditeur : elles cherchent à façonner la résolution et la tenue morale des anciens et des chefs éminents, porteurs du poids éthique du champ de bataille.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that speech in a dharmic crisis is strategic and ethically charged: words addressed to one hero (Arjuna) can simultaneously be meant to influence an elder authority (Bhīṣma), reminding leaders that their moral posture shapes the course of war.
Sañjaya reports that statements made in relation to Pārtha (Arjuna), praising him as the foremost of men, were also aimed toward Bhīṣma—indicating a layered address where the message is intended for multiple key figures on the battlefield.