Shloka 29
सैन्यसंनिवेशः (Sainyasaṃniveśaḥ) — Deployment, Omens, and Yuddha-Dharma Conventions
रथी च रथिना योध्यो गजेन गजधूर्गत: । अश्वेनाश्वी पदातिश्न पादातेनैव भारत
rathī ca rathinā yodhyo gajena gajadhūr-gataḥ | aśvenāśvī padātiś ca padātenaiva bhārata ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: «يا بهاراتا، ليكن القتال على قدرٍ واحد: فارس العربة يقاتل فارس العربة؛ وراكب الفيل يلاقي راكب الفيل؛ والفارس يبارز الفارس؛ والراجل يقاتل الراجل.» هكذا تُدار المعركة بنظامٍ وعدل، لا بضرب من هو في موضع ضعفٍ أو عجز.
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches dharmic restraint in warfare: combat should be conducted fairly by matching equivalent combatants (chariot with chariot, elephant with elephant, cavalry with cavalry, infantry with infantry), avoiding opportunistic attacks on those at a disadvantage.
In the opening of Bhīṣma Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana recounts the norms proclaimed for the Kurukṣetra war—laying down battlefield conduct and emphasizing orderly, rule-bound engagement among the different military divisions.