Shloka 18
Kṣātra-dharma in Campaign and Battle: Protection, Purification, and the Ideal Warrior’s End (क्षात्रधर्मः—अभियानयुद्धे रक्षणदानशुद्धिः)
पुरुषाणां समानानां दृश्यते महदन्तरम् | संग्रामेडनीकवेलायामुत्क्रुष्टेडशभिपतन्त्युत
bhīṣma uvāca | puruṣāṇāṁ samānānāṁ dṛśyate mahad antaram | saṅgrāme ’nīkavelāyām utkr̥ṣṭe daśabhiḥ patanty uta |
ພີດສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ແມ່ນແທ້ ຜູ້ຄົນເບິ່ງພາຍນອກຄ້າຍກັນ; ແຕ່ຄວາມແຕກຕ່າງອັນໃຫຍ່ຫຼວງຈະປາກົດ. ໃນສະໜາມຮົບ ເມື່ອເຖິງວັນເວລາທີ່ແຖວທັບທັງສອງຈະປະທະກັນ ແລະສຽງໂຮຮ້ອງຂອງວີລະຊົນດັງຂຶ້ນທຸກທິດ ຄວາມແທ້ຂອງແຕ່ລະຄົນຈຶ່ງປະຈັກ: ບາງຄົນບໍ່ຢ້ານກົວ ພຸ້ນເຂົ້າໃສ່ສັດຕູ; ອີກບາງຄົນກັບຫມົດໃຈຢູ່ແຕ່ການຮັກສາຊີວິດຕົນ»។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Outward sameness does not indicate inner strength. Crisis—especially the terror and confusion of battle—reveals a person’s real disposition: steadfast courage versus self-preserving fear. The verse highlights ethical discernment: judging character by conduct under pressure rather than by appearance.
Bhishma is instructing by observation from warfare: when armies close in and the battle-cries rise, the ranks split in spirit—some warriors charge the enemy without fear, while others hesitate and focus on protecting their lives. The battlefield becomes a proving ground where inner qualities become visible.