Shloka 16

Devanagari script

रामेण सह मा योत्सीर्गुरुणेति पुनः पुनः । न हि रामो रणे जेतु त्वया न्याय्य: कुरूद्गह

Transliteration

rāmeṇa saha mā yotsīr guruṇeti punaḥ punaḥ | na hi rāmo raṇe jetu tvayā nyāyyaḥ kurūdgvaha ||

Translation

Bhīṣma berkata: “Berkali-kali aku telah menasihatimu, ‘Janganlah bertempur dengan Rāma, kerana baginda gurumu.’ Sesungguhnya tidaklah wajar, wahai pembawa panji kaum Kuru, bahawa Rāma ditewaskan olehmu di medan perang.”

Word by Word

रामेणby/with Rama

सहtogether with

माdo not (prohibitive)

योत्सीःyou should fight

गुरुणाwith the teacher/elder

इतिthus

पुनःagain

नnot

हिindeed/for

रामःRama

रणेin battle

जेतुम्to conquer

त्वयाby you

न्याय्यःproper/possible/fit

कुरूद्गहO foremost of the Kurus

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Rāma (Paraśurāma)

Kuru (dynasty)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, dharma sets limits: it is not fitting to seek victory over one’s own guru. Reverence for the teacher and moral propriety can override the impulse to prove strength in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recalls repeatedly warning (the addressed Kuru hero, i.e., Bhīṣma himself in context) not to engage in combat with Rāma (Paraśurāma), because Rāma is the guru; therefore, it would be improper for the disciple to defeat him in battle.