Shloka 23
Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)
सेनापतिस्त्वहं राजन् समये नापरेण ते । भविष्यामि यथाकामं तन्मे श्रोतुमिहाहसि
senāpatis tv ahaṃ rājan samaye nāpareṇa te | bhaviṣyāmi yathākāmaṃ tan me śrotum ihārhasi ||
ਹੇ ਰਾਜਨ! ਮੇਰੀ ਇੱਛਾ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਇਕੋ ਸ਼ਰਤ ‘ਤੇ ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰਾ ਸੈਨਾਪਤੀ ਬਣਾਂਗਾ; ਇਸ ਦੇ ਬਦਲੇ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਸ਼ਰਤ ਮੈਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਮੰਨਦਾ। ਉਹ ਸ਼ਰਤ ਤੂੰ ਇੱਥੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮੂੰਹੋਂ ਸੁਣ ਲੈ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, authority and service are bounded by ethical self-restraint: Bhīṣma accepts command only with a clearly stated condition, showing that duty (seva) must align with one’s vowed principles and conscience.
Bhīṣma addresses the king and agrees to become commander-in-chief at the proper time, but insists that he will do so only on his own stipulated condition and asks the king to hear that condition immediately.