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Shloka 103

Nīti-upadeśa to a Rājaputra: Self-restraint, Alliances, and Rival-Management (नीतिउपदेशः)

आन्तरैभेंदयित्वारीन्‌ बिल्व॑ बिल्वेन भेदय | राजा जनक बड़े धीर और श्रीसम्पन्न हैं। जब वे तुम्हारा सत्कार करेंगे

āntaraiḥ bhedayitvā arīn bilvaṁ bilvena bhedaya | rājā janakaḥ baḍe dhīraḥ śrī-sampannaś ca | yadā te satkāraṁ kariṣyati tadā sarva-lokānāṁ viśvāsa-pātraḥ bhūtvā tvam atyantaṁ gauravānvitō bhaviṣyasi | tām avasthāṁ prāpya mitrāṇāṁ senām ekatrīkṛtya śubhaiḥ mantribhiḥ saha mantraṇāṁ kṛtvā antar-aṅga-janair śatru-dale bhedaṁ kārayitvā bilvaṁ bilvenaiva bhedaya (śatroḥ sahāyenaiva śatroḥ vidhvaṁsaṁ kuryāḥ) |

ينصح بهيشما بسياسةٍ من سياسات المُلك: ابدأ بإحداث الشقاق في صفوف العدو من الداخل عبر رجالٍ موثوقين؛ ثم اكسر العدو بما يتكئ عليه العدو نفسه—كما تُشق ثمرة البِلفا (bilva) بثمرة بلفا أخرى. ويضيف أن الملك جانَكا ثابت العزم وواسع الثراء؛ فإذا أكرمك جانَكا غدوتَ موضع ثقة الناس جميعًا وارتفعت منزلتك. ومن ذلك المقام الآمن اجمع جيوش الحلفاء، وتشاور مع الوزراء الأكفاء، وبواسطة العيون والرسل السريّين ازرع الفرقة في معسكر الخصم حتى يهلك العدو بتصدّعاته الداخلية.

अन्तरैःby inner agents/confidants
अन्तरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तर
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
भेदयित्वाhaving caused to split / having sown dissension
भेदयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootभिद्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite
अरीन्enemies
अरीन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअरि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
बिल्वम्a bilva (wood/club; bilva fruit/tree as metaphor)
बिल्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबिल्व
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
बिल्वेनwith a bilva (club/wood); with the bilva itself
बिल्वेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootबिल्व
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
भेदयsplit! break! cause dissension!
भेदय:
TypeVerb
Rootभिद्
Formलोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
J
Janaka
B
bilva (wood-apple fruit)
A
allies (mitra)
M
ministers/counselors (mantrin)
E
enemy camp (śatru-dala)

Educational Q&A

A ruler (or political actor) should act through rājadharma: secure legitimacy and trust, consult competent ministers, build alliances, and use intelligence to create divisions within hostile forces—defeating the enemy with minimal direct confrontation, symbolized by splitting a bilva with another bilva.

Bhishma is instructing on practical governance and war-policy: he points to King Janaka’s honorable support as a source of public trust, then outlines a plan—gather allied troops, deliberate with ministers, and employ confidential agents to foment dissension in the enemy camp so the enemy collapses from within.