Shloka 9
भवद्धिः सदृशा: सर्वे कपा: किमिह वर्तते । सर्वे वेदविद: प्राज्ञा: सर्वे च क्रतुयाजिन:
bhavadbhiḥ sadṛśāḥ sarve kapāḥ kim iha vartate | sarve vedavidaḥ prājñāḥ sarve ca kratuyājinaḥ ||
അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“ബ്രാഹ്മണരേ! ഈ കപന്മാർ എല്ലാവരും നിങ്ങളോടു സമാനരാണ്; പിന്നെ അവരുടെ വിരുദ്ധമായി ഇവിടെ എന്താണ് നടക്കുന്നത്? അവർ എല്ലാവരും വേദജ്ഞർ, പ്രാജ്ഞർ, എല്ലാവരും യാഗാനുഷ്ഠാനകർ.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames an ethical challenge: if a group is truly virtuous—Veda-knowing, wise, and committed to sacrificial duty—then hostility toward them demands strong justification. The verse highlights that dharma is assessed by conduct and learning, not merely by labels or group identity.
Bhishma addresses his listener and questions why opposition is being directed at the Kapas. He argues that they possess the marks of righteous life—Vedic knowledge, wisdom, and performance of sacrifices—thereby casting doubt on the legitimacy of the conflict against them.