Shloka 11
अध्याय १६९ — भीष्मस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रशंसा तथा शिखण्डिविषये नियमः
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Forces and His Constraint Regarding Śikhaṇḍin
कारणं प्राप्य तु नरा: सर्व एव महाभुजा: । शूरा वा कातरा वापि भवन्ति कुरुपुड्व,कुरुश्रेष्ठ॒ कोई कारण पाकर प्रायः सभी महाबाहु मानव शूर अथवा कायर हो जाते हैं
kāraṇaṁ prāpya tu narāḥ sarva eva mahābhujāḥ | śūrā vā kātarā vāpi bhavanti kuru-puṅgava ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô taureau parmi les Kuru, lorsqu’une cause décisive se présente, les hommes—tous, même ceux aux bras puissants—se révèlent courageux ou craintifs. Ce sont les circonstances et le mobile qui font surgir la bravoure ou la lâcheté, dévoilant la résolution intime à l’heure de l’épreuve.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Courage and cowardice are often not fixed labels; they manifest depending on the cause or circumstance that confronts a person. The verse highlights how motive, pressure, and context can draw out either heroism or fear even in those considered strong.
Bhīṣma is addressing a leading Kuru (kuru-puṅgava) and offering a reflective observation about warriors and human behavior, framing how people’s conduct in crisis—especially in the lead-up to conflict—depends on the immediate reasons and conditions they face.