Shloka 15
Bhīmasena’s Discourse on Kāla, Resolve, and the Feasibility of Ajñātavāsa (भीमसेनस्य कालोपदेशः)
समा यद्यपि भीष्मस्य वृत्तिरस्मासु तेषु च द्रोणस्प च महाबाहो कृपस्य च महात्मन:,महाबाहो! यद्यपि पितामह भीष्म, आचार्य द्रोण तथा महामना कृपाचार्यका आन्तरिक स्नेह धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्रों तथा हमलोगोंपर एक-सा ही है, तथापि वे राजा दुर्योधनका दिया हुआ अन्न खाते हैं, अतः उसका ऋण अवश्य चुकायेंगे, ऐसा मुझे प्रतीत होता है। युद्ध छिड़नेपर वे भी दुर्योधनके पक्षसे ही लड़कर अपने दुस्त्यज प्राणोंका भी परित्याग कर देंगे
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | samā yady api bhīṣmasya vṛttir asmāsu teṣu ca droṇasya ca mahābāho kṛpasya ca mahātmanaḥ | mahābāho! yady api pitāmaha bhīṣma, ācārya droṇa tathā mahāmanā kṛpācāryasya āntarika-snehaḥ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putreṣu tathā asmāsu eka-samo 'sti, tathāpi te rājā duryodhanasya dattaṃ annaṃ khādanti; ataḥ tasya ṛṇaṃ avaśyaṃ cukāyiṣyanti iti me pratibhāti | yuddhe pravṛtte te duryodhanasya pakṣata eva yudhyamānāḥ svaṃ dustyajaṃ prāṇaṃ api parityakṣyanti |
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Though Bhīṣma’s conduct is impartial toward both us and them—and likewise that of Droṇa, O mighty-armed one, and the great-souled Kṛpa—still they live on the food given by King Duryodhana. Therefore, it seems to me that they will surely repay that debt. When war breaks out, they will fight from Duryodhana’s side and, clinging to that obligation, will even abandon their hard-to-give-up lives.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when elders and teachers feel equal affection for both sides, material dependence and patronage can create a binding obligation (ṛṇa) that pulls them into a morally tragic allegiance—showing how dharma is complicated by social debts.
Yudhiṣṭhira reflects that Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Kṛpa are inwardly impartial toward Pandavas and Kauravas, yet because they are sustained by Duryodhana’s support, they will feel compelled to repay that debt by fighting for him when war begins, even at the cost of their lives.