भीष्म-पर्व अध्याय १०० — त्रिगर्त-आक्रमण, भीष्म-केन्द्रित पुनर्संयोजन, तथा शक्त्यस्त्र-विनिमय
अभिमानी रणे भीष्मो नित्यं चापि रणप्रिय: । स कथं पाण्डवान् युद्धे जेष्यते तात संगतान्
abhimānī raṇe bhīṣmo nityaṃ cāpi raṇapriyaḥ | sa kathaṃ pāṇḍavān yuddhe jeṣyate tāta saṅgatān ||
اے عزیز! بھیشم جنگ میں مغرور بھی ہے اور ہمیشہ جنگ کا شیدائی بھی؛ مگر پانڈوؤں پر رحم رکھنے کے سبب، متحد پانڈوؤں کو وہ میدانِ جنگ میں کیسے شکست دے سکے گا؟
कर्ण उवाच
Even a warrior famed for valor may be restrained by personal affection and compassion; inner loyalties can limit outward power, raising an ethical tension between duty in war and tenderness toward kin.
Karna comments on Bhishma’s nature: though Bhishma is a battle-loving, proud fighter, Karna doubts he can truly defeat the Pandavas because Bhishma is emotionally inclined toward them, especially when they fight together.