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 ||
భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఇవీ, ఇంకా అనేకమంది, వివిధ జనపదాల అధిపతులైన రాజులు పాండవుని కార్యార్థం సమవేతులయ్యారు; వారందరికీ ముందుగా వాసుదేవుడు ఉన్నాడు.
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).