Shloka 8
Amba’s Disclosure of Prior Choice (Śālva) and Appeal to Bhīṣma — Chapter 171
एते चान्ये च बहवो नानाजनपदेश्वरा: । समेता: पाण्डवस्यार्थे वासुदेवपुरोगमा:
ete cānye ca bahavo nānājanapadeśvarāḥ | sametāḥ pāṇḍavasyārthe vāsudevapurogamāḥ ||
ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਇਹ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਬਹੁਤੇ, ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਜਨਪਦਾਂ ਦੇ ਅਧੀਸ਼ਵਰ ਰਾਜੇ ਪਾਂਡਵ ਦੇ ਕਾਰਜ ਲਈ ਇਕੱਠੇ ਹੋਏ ਹਨ; ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਅਗੇ ਵਾਸੁਦੇਵ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate causes in dharma are strengthened not merely by numbers but by principled leadership: the verse highlights collective support for the Pāṇḍavas’ cause, with Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) as the guiding forefront, implying moral and strategic authority.
Bhīṣma is describing the political-military alignment before the great war: many kings from different regions have gathered to back the Pāṇḍavas, and their coalition is portrayed as being led and coordinated by Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa).