Shloka 35
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
यथा वप्रे वेगवति सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके । नित्यं विवरणाद् बाधस्तथा राज्यं प्रमाद्यतः
yathā vapre vegavati sarvataḥ samplutodake | nityaṁ vivaraṇād bādhas tathā rājyaṁ pramādyataḥ ||
قال بهيشما: كما أنّ السيل إذا اندفع بقوةٍ عظيمة وانتشر الماء في كل ناحية، كان الخوف دائمًا من أن ينشقّ ضفّة النهر فتنهار؛ كذلك تكون المملكة على الدوام مهدَّدة بالخراب إذا كان حاكمها غافلًا مهمِلًا.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must remain continually alert; negligence (pramāda) creates small breaches that quickly become irreversible collapse, just as a flood breaks a weakened embankment.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma advises the king through a vivid simile: the state is like a riverbank under flood—only constant watchfulness and maintenance prevent ruin.