Shloka 69
Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)
यदि भीष्म: स्त्रियं हन्यात् सन्त: कुर्युविगर्हणम् । नैनं तस्माद्धनिष्यामि दृष्टवापि समरे स्थितम्,यदि भीष्म स्त्रीका वध करे तो साधु पुरुष इसकी निन्दा करेंगे, अत: शिखण्डीको समरभूमिमें खड़ा देखकर भी मैं इसे नहीं मारूँगा
yadi bhīṣmaḥ striyaṃ hanyāt santaḥ kuryur vigarhaṇam | nainaṃ tasmād haniṣyāmi dṛṣṭvāpi samare sthitam ||
ภีษมะกล่าวว่า “หากเรา ภีษมะ ฆ่าหญิงหนึ่งลง เหล่าผู้ทรงธรรมย่อมติเตียน ดังนั้นแม้เห็นเขายืนอยู่ในสนามรบ เราก็จะไม่ฆ่าศิขัณฑิน”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames battlefield conduct within dharma: even in war, an act that would be condemned by the virtuous—here, killing one regarded as a woman—must be avoided, because moral legitimacy and honor constrain violence.
Bhishma declares that he will not strike Shikhandi in battle, because Shikhandi is treated as a woman (or formerly a woman), and killing such a person would bring reproach from the righteous; this sets up Shikhandi’s role as a shield against Bhishma.