Shloka 9
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
अमित्रमुपसेवेत विश्वस्तवदविश्वसन् । प्रियमेव वदेन्नित्यं नाप्रियं किंचिदाचरेत्
amitrām upaseveta viśvastavad aviśvasan | priyam eva vaden nityaṁ nāpriyaṁ kiñcid ācaret ||
قال بهيشما: «وإن كان المرء في باطنه لا يثق، فليلازم العدوّ ويخدمه كأنه موضع ثقة. وليقل له دائماً ما يسرّه، ولا يأتينّ فعلاً يكرهه.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Maintain strategic caution with adversaries: keep inner distrust, but display outward reliability through pleasing speech and non-offensive conduct, using courtesy as a tool of protection and policy.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on practical conduct toward enemies—how a ruler (or agent) should behave when compelled to deal with hostile parties.