Shloka 7
कृप-अर्जुन रथयुद्धम्
Kṛpa–Arjuna Chariot Engagement
अलुब्धाश्चैव कौन्तेया: कृतवन्तश्न दुष्करम् | न चापि केवल राज्यमिच्छेयुस्तेडनुपायत:
alubdhāś caiva kaunteyāḥ kṛtavantaś ca duṣkaram | na cāpi kevala-rājyam iccheyus te 'nupāyataḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Putera-putera Kuntī itu bebas daripada ketamakan, dan mereka telah menunaikan hal yang sukar ditunaikan. Mereka juga tidak akan menginginkan kerajaan semata-mata kerana kerajaan—lebih-lebih lagi bukan melalui jalan yang tidak wajar.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights that true righteousness is not only about achieving power but about the motive and the method: the Pāṇḍavas are portrayed as non-greedy, capable of hard deeds, and unwilling to pursue kingship through improper means.
Bhīṣma is speaking in praise of the Pāṇḍavas’ character, emphasizing their restraint and principled conduct—especially that they do not treat sovereignty as a mere prize to be seized by any expedient.