Shloka 15
अम्बा-शाल्वसंवादः | Amba’s Appeal to Śālva and His Refusal
ते यतथध्वं परं शक््त्या सर्वे मोक्षाय पार्थिवा: । प्रसह् हि हराम्येष मिषतां वो नरर्षभा:
te yatatadhvaṁ paraṁ śaktyā sarve mokṣāya pārthivāḥ | prasaḥ hi harāmy eṣa miṣatāṁ vo nararṣabhāḥ ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “O mga hari, mga toro sa hanay ng tao! Kayong lahat ay magsikap nang buong lakas upang mailigtas sila. Sapagkat sa harap ng inyong mga mata, dinadala ko ang mga prinsesang ito sa pamamagitan ng puwersa.” Matapos niyang isakay ang mga dalaga sa kanyang karwahe, paulit-ulit niyang ipinahayag ito sa mga pinunong nagkatipon—hayagang inaanyayahan silang hamunin ang pag-agaw, upang ang pasya ay mapagbatayan ng tapang sa labanan at hindi ng lihim na panlilinlang.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a kshatriya ideal of public accountability in acts of power: Bhishma does not conceal the seizure but openly challenges the kings to resist, framing legitimacy through valor and open contest rather than covert wrongdoing—while still raising ethical tension about coercion and consent.
After placing the princesses on his chariot, Bhishma addresses the gathered kings and repeatedly declares that he is taking the maidens by force, urging them to use their full strength to rescue them—thereby inviting battle and making the act a public, contested deed.