यच् चापि कत्थसे राम बहुशः परिषत्सु वै ॥
निर्जिताः क्षत्रिया लोके मयैकेनेति तच् छृणु ॥
न तदा जायते भीष्मो मद्विधः क्षत्रियो ऽपि वा ॥
यस् ते युद्धमयं दर्पं कामं च व्यपनाशयेत् ॥
सो ऽहं जातो महाबाहो भीष्मः परपुरंजयः ॥
व्यपनेष्यामि ते दर्पं युद्धे राम न संशयः ॥
yac cāpi katthase rāma bahuśaḥ pariṣatsu vai ||
nirjitāḥ kṣatriyā loke mayaikeneti tac chṛṇu ||
na tadā jāyate bhīṣmo madvidhaḥ kṣatriyo 'pi vā ||
yas te yuddhamayaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ ca vyapanāśayet ||
so 'haṃ jāto mahābāho bhīṣmaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ ||
vyapaneṣyāmi te darpaṃ yuddhe rāma na saṃśayaḥ ||
"And as for that, O Rama, which you have so often boasted in assemblies, saying, 'The kshatriyas of this world were conquered by me alone' — hear this out. In that time, Bhishma had not yet been born, nor did there exist any kshatriya like me who could destroy your warlike pride and desire. Now I have been born, O mighty-armed one: Bhishma, conqueror of enemy cities. O Rama, in battle I shall destroy your pride — of this there is no doubt."
b81250f0c0f5 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:36:31 AM UTC
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Here the confrontation between Rama Jamadagnya and Bhishma turns from negotiation to an inevitable duel. Rama demands that Bhishma undo the consequences of Amba's forcible abduction, but Bhishma answers with his own kshatriya dharma: he cannot hand over a woman whose heart has already been given to another. The dispute becomes a clash of two vows. Rama stands for shelter and the defense of the wronged; Bhishma stands for his own understanding of royal duty and the purity of lineage. Both speak the language of dharma, yet their obligations collide directly, and no single speech can resolve it any longer.