Shloka 16
Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)
भीष्म उवाच एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत | यथैव हि भवन्तो मे तथैव मम पाण्डवा:,भीष्मने कहा--भारत! तुम जैसा कहते हो वह ठीक है, पर मेरे लिये जैसे तुम हो, वैसे ही पाण्डव हैं
bhīṣma uvāca evam etan mahābāho yathā vadasi bhārata | yathaiva hi bhavanto me tathaiva mama pāṇḍavāḥ ||
భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—మహాబాహో భారతా, నీవు చెప్పినట్లే అది నిజం. నాకు మీరు ఎంత స్వజనులైతే, పాండవులు కూడా అంతే స్వజనులు.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma affirms an ethical stance of equal regard: despite political alignment, he recognizes both sides of the Kuru family as his own, highlighting dharma grounded in kinship, fairness, and responsibility.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and counsel, Bhishma responds to a Kuru prince (addressed as “Bharata”), agreeing with his words and declaring that, for him, the Pandavas are as dear and ‘his own’ as the Kauravas—signaling his inner conflict and impartial affection before the war.