Shloka 15
Kṣātra-dharma in Campaign and Battle: Protection, Purification, and the Ideal Warrior’s End (क्षात्रधर्मः—अभियानयुद्धे रक्षणदानशुद्धिः)
युद्धमें बाणोंसे पीड़ित हुआ क्षत्रिय जो-जो दुःख सहता है, उस-उस कष्टके द्वारा उसके तपकी ही उत्तरोत्तर वृद्धि होती है; ऐसी धर्मज्ञ पुरुषोंकी मान्यता है ।।
yuddhe bāṇaiḥ pīḍito yaḥ kṣatriyo yaḥ-yaḥ duḥkhaṃ sahate, tasya tasya kaṣṭena tapasas tasya uttarottaraṃ vṛddhir bhavati—iti dharmajñāḥ manyante. pṛṣṭhato bhīravaḥ saṅkhye vartante ’dharma-pūruṣāḥ; śūrāc charaṇam icchantaḥ parjanyād iva jīvanam.
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ବାଣରେ ପୀଡିତ ହୋଇ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଯେଯେ ଦୁଃଖ ସହେ, ସେସେ କଷ୍ଟ ଦ୍ୱାରା ତାହାର ତପର ଉତ୍ତରୋତ୍ତର ବୃଦ୍ଧି ହୁଏ—ଏହା ଧର୍ମଜ୍ଞମାନଙ୍କ ମତ। କିନ୍ତୁ ରଣପଙ୍କ୍ତିରେ ଭୀରୁ, ଅଧର୍ମପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତି ଓ ନୀଚ ଲୋକ ପଛେ ଠିଆ ହୁଅନ୍ତି; ଶୂରଙ୍କ ଶରଣ ଚାହାନ୍ତି—ଯେପରି ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀ ଜୀବନଦାୟକ ଜଳ ପାଇଁ ବର୍ଷାମେଘକୁ ଆଶା କରନ୍ତି।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Enduring pain and hardship in righteous battle is framed as a form of tapas that increases a kshatriya’s merit and moral stature, while cowardice is criticized as dependence on others without sharing the burden of dharma.
Bhishma contrasts two types of men in a battle setting: the true kshatriya who bears arrow-wounds and grows in tapas through endurance, and the fearful, unrighteous men who stay behind the brave and seek their protection like creatures depending on rain for life.