iti karṇaḥ śalo bhūrir
yajñaketuḥ suyodhanaḥ
sāmbam ārebhire yoddhuḿ
kuru-vṛddhānumoditāḥ
iti -- saying this; karnah salah bhurih -- Karna, Sala and Bhuri (Saumadatti); yajnaketuh suyodhanah -- Yajnaketu (Bhurisrava) and Duryodhana; sambam -- against Samba; arebhire -- they set out; yoddhum -- to fight; kuru-vriddha -- by the elder of the Kurus (Bhishma); anumoditah -- sanctioned.
After saying this and having their plan sanctioned by the senior member of the Kuru dynasty, Karna, Sala, Bhuri, Yajnaketu and Suyodhana set out to attack Samba.
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that the elder of the Kurus mentioned here is Bhishma, who gave permission to the younger men as follows: "Since this maiden has now been touched by Samba, 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 acarya also adds that Bhishma accompanied the five warriors mentioned in this verse.
