Shloka 16
Adhyāya 55 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Hesitation and Bhīṣma’s Authorization of Inquiry
Rājadharma Prelude
तव प्रसादाद् गोविन्द भूतात्मा हासि शाश्वतः । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्! श्रीकृष्णकी बात सुनकर कुरुकुलका आनन्द बढ़ानेवाले महातेजस्वी भीष्मजीने कहा--“गोविन्द! आप सम्पूर्ण भूतोंके सनातन आत्मा हैं। आपके प्रसादसे मेरी वाक्शक्ति सुदृढ़ है और मन भी स्थिर हो गया है; अतः मैं समस्त धर्मोका प्रवचन करूँगा
tava prasādād govinda bhūtātmā hāsi śāśvataḥ | samatyāgino lubdhān gurūn api ca keśava | nihanti samare pāpān kṣatriyo yaḥ sa dharmavit ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang marinig ang mga salita ni Kṛṣṇa, si Bhīṣma—maningning at kagalakan ng angkan ng Kuru—ay nagsalita: “O Govinda, ikaw ang walang hanggang Sarili ng lahat ng nilalang. Sa iyong biyaya, tumibay ang aking pananalita at naging matatag ang aking isip; kaya’t ipahahayag ko ang kabuuan ng dharma. O Keśava, ang kṣatriya na sa labanan ay pumapatay maging sa mga guro kapag sila’y nalugmok sa kasalanan—tinalikuran ang wastong asal at inalipin ng kasakiman—siya ang tunay na nakaaalam ng dharma.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not mere deference to status; a kṣatriya’s duty includes protecting moral order even when wrongdoing is committed by revered elders or teachers. When ‘gurus’ abandon dharma out of greed and become harmful, opposing them in battle can be framed as righteous—provided it is done as duty, not personal hatred.
Vaiśampāyana narrates Bhīṣma’s response after hearing Kṛṣṇa. Bhīṣma praises Kṛṣṇa as the eternal Self of all beings and credits him with stabilizing his speech and mind. He then begins a dharma-discourse, introducing a hard case in war-ethics: the legitimacy of fighting (even killing) sinful, dharma-abandoning elders/teachers when required by kṣatriya duty.