Shloka 16
उक्तवांश्वापि यत् पार्थे भीष्म प्रति नरर्षभम्
uktavānśvāpi yat pārthe bhīṣma prati nararṣabham
Sañjaya berkata: Bahkan apa yang telah ia ucapkan kepada Pārtha—sang banteng di antara manusia—sesungguhnya tertuju kepada Bhīṣma. Dalam hiruk-pikuk perang, kata-kata kerap tidak hanya diarahkan kepada satu pendengar, melainkan untuk membentuk tekad dan sikap dharma para tetua dan pemimpin utama yang memikul bobot etika di medan laga.
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.