FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.68.5

ఇతి కర్ణ: శలో భూరిర్యజ్ఞకేతు: సుయోధన: । సామ్బమారేభిరే యోద్ధుం కురువృద్ధానుమోదితా: ॥ ౫ ॥
iti karṇaḥ śalo bhūrir
[iti karnah shalo bhoorir]
yajñaketuḥ suyodhanaḥ
[yajnaketuh suyodhanah]
sāmbam ārebhire yoddhuṁ
[saambam aarebhire yoddhum]
kuru-vṛddhānumoditāḥ
[kuru-vriddhaanumoditaah]
iti — saying this karṇaḥ śalaḥ bhūriḥ — Karṇa, Śala and Bhūri (Saumadatti) yajñaketuḥ suyodhanaḥ — Yajñaketu (Bhūriśravā) and Duryodhana sāmbam — against Sāmba ārebhire — they set out yoddhum — to fight kuru - vṛddha — by the elder of the Kurus (Bhīṣma) anumoditāḥ — sanctioned .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
iti karṇaḥ śalo bhūrir
iti
saying this
karṇaḥ śalaḥ bhūriḥ
Karṇa, Śala and Bhūri (Saumadatti)
yajñaketuḥ suyodhanaḥ
yajñaketuḥ suyodhanaḥ
Yajñaketu (Bhūriśravā) and Duryodhana
sāmbam ārebhire yoddhuṁ
sāmbam
against Sāmba
ārebhire
they set out
yoddhum
to fight
kuru-vṛddhānumoditāḥ
kuru - vṛddha
by the elder of the Kurus (Bhīṣma)
anumoditāḥ
sanctioned .
  • karṇaḥ śalaḥ bhūriḥ — Karṇa, Śala and Bhūri
    Three of the six Kuru champions. Karṇa, son of Kuntī, fights on the Kuru side throughout the Mahābhārata; his presence here marks how early his loyalty was bound to Duryodhana.
  • yajñaketuḥ suyodhanaḥ — Yajñaketu (Bhūriśravā) and Duryodhana
    Suyodhana is Duryodhana's formal name. The principal antagonist of the Pāṇḍavas leads this expedition in person — he will also be the most stripped of pride by Balarāma.
  • kuru - vṛddha — the elder of the Kurus
    Bhīṣma. His anumodana — formal sanction — is what makes the expedition official. A vṛddha's approval cannot redeem an adharmika cause.
  • anumoditāḥ — sanctioned, approved
    From anu + mud, 'to consent along with.' In dharma-śāstra the one who consents shares the karma of the doer; even Bhīṣma is not untouched.
After saying this and having their plan sanctioned by the senior member of the Kuru dynasty, Karṇa, Śala, Bhūri, Yajñaketu and Suyodhana set out to attack Sāmba.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that the elder of the Kurus mentioned here is Bhīṣma, who gave permission to the younger men as follows: “Since this maiden has now been touched by Sāmba, she cannot take any other husband. He must become her husband. Nonetheless, you should arrest him and tie him up to make a statement about his impropriety and our own prowess. But in no case should he be killed.” The ācārya also adds that Bhīṣma accompanied the five warriors mentioned in this verse.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After saying this and having their plan sanctioned by the senior member of the Kuru dynasty, Karṇa, Śala, Bhūri, Yajṣaketu and Suyodhana set out to attack Sāmba.
Commentary

Somadatta had three sons, Sala, bhuri and Bhurisvara, also called Yajnaketu. These three went with Karna and Duryodhana. Bhisma (krurk vrddha) gave them permission. "Since he has touched her already, he must be the husband, since it would be improper to marry her to anyone else. To show our bravery and his impropriety however, we should capture him but not kill him." Together these six bound up Samba.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Śala, Bhūir and Yaṣaketu (Bhuriśravā) were sons of Somadatta. The elders approved to give them enthusiasm but actually they approved of the act in order to reveal the false pride of their juniors.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Śala, Bhūir and Yaṣaketu (Bhuriśravā) were sons of Somadatta. It was approved by the elders, because there was shame to the best of the family, by the shame to their relatives. The enthusiasm to fight is indicated. The real meaning is this. Proud Duryodhana and others boasted. Desiring to show them the greatness of the Yadus, after hearing the boasting, Bhīsma, the best of devotees, and knower of the truth, took this opportunity.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Apaishunam (Non-slander)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)
Related verses

Six bowmen striding out to capture a lion-cub, having first asked the family elder's blessing — as if elder approval could sanctify what dharma cannot.

Bhīṣma's Tragic Sanction

Even Bhīṣma, devotee of Kṛṣṇa, sanctioned this expedition against Sāmba. The same Bhīṣma who at the close of his life would worship Kṛṣṇa as the supreme refuge (SB 1.9) is here pulled into a Kuru cause by family obligation.

This is the great tragedy of Bhīṣma's vow: bound to serve the Kuru throne, he sometimes assents to actions his own heart cannot endorse. The Mahābhārata-pattern is already visible — Bhīṣma fighting on the side opposite to the Pāṇḍavas though Kṛṣṇa is on theirs.

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