Shloka 19
Adhyāya 69: Strategic duels under Bhīṣma’s command
Virāṭa–Bhīṣma; Arjuna–Aśvatthāmā; Bhīma–Duryodhana; Abhimanyu–Lakṣmaṇa
“इसलिये “ये मनुष्य हैं,, ऐसा समझकर इन्द्र आदि सम्पूर्ण देवताओं तथा संसारके मनुष्योंको अमित पराक्रमी भगवान् वासुदेवकी अवहेलना नहीं करनी चाहिये ।।
tasmād ye manuṣyā iti matvā indra-prabhṛtayaḥ sarve devāḥ saṃsārasya ca manuṣyā amita-parākramam bhagavantaṃ vāsudevaṃ nāvamantavyam | yaḥ mānuṣa-mātro ’yam iti brūyāt sa manda-dhīḥ | hṛṣīkeśam avajñānāt tam āhuḥ puruṣādhamam ||
Oleh itu, dengan menyangka “Dia hanya manusia”, janganlah Indra dan para dewa, mahupun manusia di dunia, memperlekeh Tuhan Vāsudeva yang berkeperkasaan tiada terukur. Sesiapa berkata, “Dia sekadar manusia,” dialah yang tumpul budi; kerana menghina Hṛṣīkeśa—Penguasa segala indera—dia digelar serendah-rendah manusia. Pengajarannya nyata: penghinaan yang lahir daripada penilaian dangkal menjadi kecacatan moral apabila ditujukan kepada Yang benar-benar ilahi dan paling layak dimuliakan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not reduce Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) to ‘only a man.’ Disrespect toward the divine—especially when rooted in shallow perception—signals moral and intellectual failure; reverence and right recognition are presented as dharmic duties for gods and humans alike.
Bhīṣma is instructing his audience about Kṛṣṇa’s true status and warning against contempt. He frames Kṛṣṇa as Hṛṣīkeśa, the Lord of the senses, whose power is immeasurable, and declares that those who dismiss him as merely human are condemned as puruṣādhamas.