Shloka 13
Kṛṣṇa’s Dhyāna and the Prompt to Question Bhīṣma (कृष्णध्यानं भीष्मप्रश्नप्रेरणा च)
येनाभिजित्य तरसा समस्तं राजमण्डलम् । ऊढास्तिस्रस्तु ता: कन्यास्तमस्मि मनसा गत:,जिन्होंने काशीपुरीमें समस्त राजाओंके समुदायको वेगपूर्वक परास्त करके काशिराजकी तीनों कन््याओंका अपहरण किया था, उन्हीं भीष्मके पास मेरा मन चला गया है
yenaabhijitya tarasā samastaṁ rājamāṇḍalam | ūḍhās tisras tu tāḥ kanyās tam asmi manasā gataḥ ||
વાસુદેવે કહ્યું—જેણે ત્વરાથી સમસ્ત રાજમંડળને જીત્યું અને કાશીરાજની ત્રણેય કન્યાઓનું અપહરણ કર્યું, તે જ ભીષ્મ તરફ મારું મન ગયું છે।
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Bhīṣma’s extraordinary prowess and the weight of kṣatriya norms in royal marriage politics: decisive force and public contest among kings could determine alliances, yet such acts also carry ethical consequences that echo through later events.
Vāsudeva recalls Bhīṣma’s famous deed at Kāśī: he defeated the assembled kings and took the three Kāśī princesses. By saying his mind has gone to Bhīṣma, Vāsudeva signals attention to Bhīṣma’s role, stature, and the implications of that past act in the present discussion.