Shloka 2
Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)
भवितव्यं तथा तद्धि मम दुःखाय कौरव । भद्रे काम॑ करिष्यामि समयं तु निबोध मे
bhavitavyaṃ tathā taddhi mama duḥkhāya kaurava | bhadre kāmaṃ kariṣyāmi samayaṃ tu nibodha me ||
“Demikianlah harus terjadi—memang takdir telah menetapkannya, menjadi dukaku, wahai Kaurava. Namun, wahai yang mulia, aku akan melakukan seperti yang kau kehendaki; tetapi terlebih dahulu, ketahuilah syarat yang kutetapkan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between destiny and personal duty: even when an outcome feels fated and painful, a righteous elder may still act in accordance with a request—yet insists on clarity about the terms (samaya), emphasizing ethical responsibility and principled consent.
Bhīṣma responds to a Kaurava’s request. He acknowledges that what is being asked aligns with an inevitable course of events that will cause him sorrow, but he agrees to comply—while first stating that the other party must understand the condition or stipulation he is about to set.