Shloka 3
भीष्म–रामसंयुगनिवृत्तिः
Bhishma and Rama: Restraint and Withdrawal in the Engagement
वधार्थ तस्य दीक्षा मे न लोकार्थ तपोधना: । निहत्य भीष्म गच्छेयं शान्तिमित्येव निश्चय:
vadhārtha tasya dīkṣā me na lokārtha tapodhanaḥ | nihatya bhīṣma gaccheyaṃ śāntim ity eva niścayaḥ ||
她说道：“噢，苦行功德深厚的诸位，这誓受的苦行并非为求福德之界；乃为杀他而立。我心意已决：唯有诛灭毗湿摩之后，我方得安宁。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a stark ethical tension: a vow (dīkṣā) can be driven not by spiritual merit or heavenly reward (lokārtha) but by a single-minded pursuit of vengeance or perceived justice. It shows how inner peace (śānti) is sometimes wrongly sought through violence, raising questions about whether peace gained by killing can be truly dharmic.
The speaker addresses an ascetic (“tapodhana”) and declares that his present disciplined undertaking is aimed specifically at Bhishma’s death, not at earning religious merit. He states a firm resolve that only after Bhishma is slain will he attain peace of mind.