O Vishnu, having promised to slay Bhishma in battle, how can you desist from slaying him without transgressing the duties of a Kshatriya?
प्रतिज्ञाय वधं जिष्णो पुरा भीष्मस्य संयुगे। क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितः पार्थ कथं नैनं हनिष्यसि॥