Shloka 65

Devanagari script

यत्र शान्तनवं हत्वा राज्यमिच्छन्ति पाण्डवा: । ऋषियोंने क्षत्रियोंका यह धर्म अत्यन्त कठोर निश्चित किया है, जिसमें रहते हुए पाण्डव शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मको मारकर राज्य लेना चाहते हैं ।। ६४ हे ।। वयं वा राज्यमिच्छामो घातयित्वा महाव्रतम्‌

Transliteration

yatra śāntanavaṁ hatvā rājyam icchanti pāṇḍavāḥ | vayaṁ vā rājyam icchāmo ghātayitvā mahāvratam ||

Translation

持国王说道：“在这场战争中，般度诸子欲以诛杀善檀奴裔（毗湿摩）而夺取王国；而我们也同样渴求王国，甚至要促成那位守持大誓的长老之死。此乃诸仙所立、严酷而不容退让的刹帝利法度——为求王权，纵使杀害最受敬仰者亦在所不惜。”

Word by Word

यत्रwhere

शान्तनवम्the son of Śāntanu (Bhīṣma)

हत्वाhaving slain

राज्यम्kingdom

इच्छन्तिdesire

पाण्डवाःthe Pāṇḍavas

वयम्we

वाor / indeed (alternative)

राज्यम्kingdom

इच्छामःwe desire

घातयित्वाhaving caused to be slain / having slain (causative nuance)

महाव्रतम्the great vow (one of great vows)

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍavas

Bhīṣma (Śāntanava, Mahāvrata)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the severe tension within kṣatriya-dharma: political legitimacy and the pursuit of sovereignty can demand extreme acts, even the killing of a revered elder like Bhīṣma. It frames war as an arena where duty and ambition collide, and where ‘dharma’ can appear harsh when interpreted as royal obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra reflects on the grim reality of the Kurukṣetra war: the Pāṇḍavas aim to win the kingdom by defeating and killing Bhīṣma, and the Kaurava side likewise seeks rule even if it means orchestrating the death of the great vow-bound Bhīṣma. His words convey anxiety and moral unease about the cost of kingship.