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 ||
毗湿摩说道：“诸王啊，人中雄牛！你们都当竭尽全力去救回她们。因为就在你们眼前，我正以武力带走这些公主。”他将诸位少女扶上自己的战车后，便在聚集的诸侯面前一再高声宣告——公然邀他们来争夺这次掳夺，使此事由战场上的勇力裁决，而非凭借暗中偷袭的诡计。
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.