Shloka 356
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय 54: फल्गुन-प्रतिरोधः, सौबली-व्यूह-विध्वंसः, दुर्योधन-भीष्म-संवादः
ये चान्ये पृथिवीपाला: प्रधाना: पुरुषर्षभ । 'पुरुषसिंह! तुम पराक्रम करके कौरवोंका नाश करो। मारिष! नरश्रेष्ठ! मैं, भीमसेन, श्रीकृष्ण, माद्रीकुमार नकुल-सहदेव, द्रौपदीके पाँचों पुत्र तथा अन्य प्रधान-प्रधान भूपाल कवच धारण करके तुम्हारे पीछे-पीछे चलेंगे”
ye cānye pṛthivīpālāḥ pradhānāḥ puruṣarṣabha | “puruṣasiṃha! tvaṃ parākramaṃ kṛtvā kauravān nāśaya | māriṣa! narāśreṣṭha! ahaṃ bhīmasenaḥ śrīkṛṣṇaḥ mādrīkumarau nakula-sahadevau draupadyāḥ pañca putrāś ca anye ca pradhāna-pradhānā bhūpālāḥ kavacaṃ dhārayitvā tava pṛṣṭhataḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ cariṣyāmaḥ”
Sañjaya berkata: “Dan raja-raja terkemuka yang lain juga, wahai insan unggul, menyatakan: ‘Wahai singa di antara manusia, tunjukkan keberanianmu dan binasakan kaum Kaurava. Wahai yang mulia, wahai insan terbaik—aku, Bhīmasena, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, putera-putera Mādrī, Nakula dan Sahadeva, lima putera Draupadī, serta para penguasa utama yang lain, setelah mengenakan zirah, akan mara rapat di belakangmu, mengikuti jejakmu.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores kṣatriya-dharma: a leader is urged to act with courage and decisive effort, while allies commit to disciplined support—armored, organized, and following behind—showing that righteous warfare (as framed in the epic) depends on both personal valor and collective responsibility.
In Sañjaya’s report, prominent allied kings and heroes encourage a chief warrior to strike down the Kauravas. They pledge that Bhīma, Kṛṣṇa, Nakula and Sahadeva, Draupadī’s five sons, and other leading rulers will don armor and advance closely behind him, reinforcing his charge in battle.