Shloka 16
भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा
Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength
नैष जातु महेष्वास: पार्थमक्लिष्टकारिणम् | हन्यादाचार्यकं दीप्तं संस्मृत्य गुणनिर्जितम्
naiṣa jātu maheṣvāsaḥ pārtham akliṣṭakāriṇam | hanyād ācāryakaṃ dīptaṃ saṃsmṛtya guṇanirjitam ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Pemanah agung itu takkan pernah membunuh Pārtha, pelaku karya besar yang tak mengenal lelah. Mengingat ikatan guru–murid yang cemerlang—Droṇa, sang mahaguru termasyhur yang hatinya telah ditaklukkan oleh kebajikan Arjuna—ia takkan sanggup membunuh putra Kuntī.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid war, ethical memory matters: the obligations and reverence embedded in the guru–śiṣya bond can restrain violence. Virtue (guṇa) is portrayed as a moral force that ‘conquers’ hearts, making certain acts—like killing a revered teacher or beloved disciple—psychologically and ethically difficult.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Bhīṣma assesses likely conduct in the coming conflict. He states that the great archer in question will not kill Arjuna, because recalling the luminous teacherly bond—centered on Droṇa and Arjuna and shaped by Arjuna’s virtues—prevents such an act.