Shloka 11
अध्याय १६९ — भीष्मस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रशंसा तथा शिखण्डिविषये नियमः
Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Forces and His Constraint Regarding Śikhaṇḍin
कारणं प्राप्य तु नरा: सर्व एव महाभुजा: । शूरा वा कातरा वापि भवन्ति कुरुपुड्व,कुरुश्रेष्ठ॒ कोई कारण पाकर प्रायः सभी महाबाहु मानव शूर अथवा कायर हो जाते हैं
kāraṇaṁ prāpya tu narāḥ sarva eva mahābhujāḥ | śūrā vā kātarā vāpi bhavanti kuru-puṅgava ||
毗湿摩说道：“库鲁族中的雄牛啊，当决定性的缘由出现时，人们——确乎所有人，纵是臂力雄强者——也会显出或勇或惧。正是境遇与动机，使勇气或怯懦迸发，在考验之刻显露其内心的决断。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Courage and cowardice are often not fixed labels; they manifest depending on the cause or circumstance that confronts a person. The verse highlights how motive, pressure, and context can draw out either heroism or fear even in those considered strong.
Bhīṣma is addressing a leading Kuru (kuru-puṅgava) and offering a reflective observation about warriors and human behavior, framing how people’s conduct in crisis—especially in the lead-up to conflict—depends on the immediate reasons and conditions they face.