को जातु परभावां हि नारीं व्यालीम् इव स्थिताम् ॥
वासयेत गृहे जानन् स्त्रीणां दोषान् महात्ययान् ॥
न भयाद् वासवस्यापि धर्मं जह्यां महाद्युते ॥
प्रसीद मा वा यद् वा ते कार्यं तत् कुरु माचिरम् ॥
अयं चापि विशुद्धात्मन् पुराणे श्रूयते विभो ॥
मरुत्तेन महाबुद्धे गीतः श्लोको महात्मना ॥
गुरोर् अप्य् अवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यम् अजानतः ॥
उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य कार्यं भवति शासनम् ॥
स त्वं गुरुर् इति प्रेम्णा मया संमानितो भृशम् ॥
गुरुवृत्तं न जानीषे तस्माद् योत्स्याम्य् अहं त्वया ॥
ko jātu parabhāvāṃ hi nārīṃ vyālīm iva sthitām ||
vāsayeta gṛhe jānan strīṇāṃ doṣān mahātyayān ||
na bhayād vāsavasyāpi dharmaṃ jahyāṃ mahādyute ||
prasīda mā vā yad vā te kāryaṃ tat kuru māciram ||
ayaṃ cāpi viśuddhātman purāṇe śrūyate vibho ||
maruttena mahābuddhe gītaḥ śloko mahātmanā ||
guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ ||
utpathapratipannasya kāryaṃ bhavati śāsanam ||
sa tvaṃ gurur iti premṇā mayā saṃmānito bhṛśam ||
guruvṛttaṃ na jānīṣe tasmād yotsyāmy ahaṃ tvayā ||
'Who would ever house in his home a woman belonging to another, standing there like a venomous serpent, knowing the great calamities that are the faults of women? O greatly radiant one, not even out of fear of Vasava would I abandon dharma. Be gracious or not; whatever it is you must do, do it without delay. O pure soul, O lord, this too is heard in ancient legend: a verse sung by the magnanimous Marutta, O wisest one: "Even a teacher, if he is arrogant, does not know what should and should not be done, and has set out on an evil path, must be chastised." You were greatly honored by me out of love, as a guru, but you do not know the conduct of a guru; therefore I will fight you.'
44fb98669c31 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:36:31 AM UTC
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Here the clash between Rama Jamadagnya and Bhishma turns from negotiation to an inescapable duel. Rama demands that Bhishma undo the consequences of Amba's forced abduction, but Bhishma answers with his own kshatriya dharma: he cannot hand over a woman whose heart already belongs to another. The dispute becomes a dispute between two vows. Rama stands for refuge and the defense of the wronged; Bhishma stands for his own understanding of royal duty and the purity of his line. Both therefore speak the language of dharma, yet their obligations collide head-on in a conflict that no single speech can now resolve.