Shloka 19
Amba’s Disclosure of Prior Choice (Śālva) and Appeal to Bhīṣma — Chapter 171
देवव्रतत्वं विज्ञाप्य पृथिवीं सर्वराजसु । नैव हन्यां स्त्रियं जातु न स्त्रीपूर्व कदाचन
devavratatvaṁ vijñāpya pṛthivīṁ sarvarājasu | naiva hanyāṁ striyaṁ jātu na strīpūrvaṁ kadācana ||
ପୃଥିବୀର ସମସ୍ତ ରାଜାଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମୋର ଦେବବ୍ରତତ୍ୱ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିଦେଇ, ମୁଁ କେବେ ମଧ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ସ୍ତ୍ରୀଙ୍କୁ ହତ୍ୟା କରିପାରିବି ନାହିଁ; ଏବଂ ଯେ ପୂର୍ବେ ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଥିଲେ, ସେହି ପୁରୁଷଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ପରିସ୍ଥିତିରେ ହତ୍ୟା କରିପାରିବି ନାହିଁ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A warrior’s power is morally bounded: Bhīṣma presents his publicly known vow-identity (Devavrata) as an ethical constraint, refusing to kill women and also refusing to kill someone identified as having been formerly a woman, even if war pressures might suggest otherwise.
Bhīṣma is explaining the limits of what he will do in the coming conflict. He invokes his established reputation among all kings to emphasize that his conduct must remain consistent with his vow and with dharma, not merely with battlefield expediency.