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 |
ユディシュティラは言った。「ビ―シュマの振る舞いは、我らにも彼らにも等しく公平である――大臂よ、ドローナも、また大魂のクリパも同様だ。だが彼らはドゥルヨーダナ王の与える糧によって生きている。ゆえに、彼らはその恩の負い目を必ず返そうとするであろう。戦が起これば、彼らもドゥルヨーダナの側に立って戦い、その義務に縛られて、捨て難い命さえ投げ出すに違いない。」
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.