Shloka 3
भीष्म–रामसंयुगनिवृत्तिः
Bhishma and Rama: Restraint and Withdrawal in the Engagement
वधार्थ तस्य दीक्षा मे न लोकार्थ तपोधना: । निहत्य भीष्म गच्छेयं शान्तिमित्येव निश्चय:,“तपोधनो! मेरी यह तपकी दीक्षा पुण्यलोकोंकी प्राप्तिके लिये नहीं, भीष्मका वध करनेके लिये है। मेरा यह निश्चय है कि भीष्मको मार देनेपर मेरे हृदयको शान्ति मिल जायगी
vadhārtha tasya dīkṣā me na lokārtha tapodhanaḥ | nihatya bhīṣma gaccheyaṃ śāntim ity eva niścayaḥ ||
“ತಪೋಧನರೇ! ನನ್ನ ಈ ತಪೋದೀಕ್ಷೆ ಪುಣ್ಯಲೋಕಪ್ರಾಪ್ತಿಗಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲ; ಅವನ ವಧಾರ್ಥವೇ. ನನ್ನ ನಿಶ್ಚಯ ದೃಢ—ಭೀಷ್ಮನನ್ನು ಸಂಹರಿಸಿದ ನಂತರವೇ ನನಗೆ ಶಾಂತಿ ದೊರೆಯುವುದು।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a stark ethical tension: a vow (dīkṣā) can be driven not by spiritual merit or heavenly reward (lokārtha) but by a single-minded pursuit of vengeance or perceived justice. It shows how inner peace (śānti) is sometimes wrongly sought through violence, raising questions about whether peace gained by killing can be truly dharmic.
The speaker addresses an ascetic (“tapodhana”) and declares that his present disciplined undertaking is aimed specifically at Bhishma’s death, not at earning religious merit. He states a firm resolve that only after Bhishma is slain will he attain peace of mind.