Shloka 7
स वरैश्छन्दितस्तेन नूपो वचनमत्रवीत् । सहस्रबाहुर्भूयां वै चमूमध्ये गृहेडन्यथा
sa varaiś chanditas tena nūpo vacanam abravīt | sahasrabāhur bhūyāṃ vai camūmadhye gṛhe ’nyathā ||
Disse Bhishma: Instado por aquele sábio a escolher dádivas, o rei respondeu: “Que eu me torne de mil braços na batalha, no meio do exército, mas em casa permaneça de outro modo (com apenas dois). Que todos os soldados no campo de guerra contemplem meus mil braços.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power should be bounded by dharma: extraordinary force may be sought for protecting and winning in righteous battle, but personal life should remain governed by restraint and normal ethical limits.
A sage invites the king to ask for boons. The king requests a miraculous form—thousand arms visible to the army in battle—while remaining ordinary at home, distinguishing public martial duty from private conduct.