Shloka 31
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
दशाधिपतय: कार्या: शताधिपतयस्तथा । ततः सहस्राधिपतिं कुर्याच्छूरमतन्द्रितम्
daśādhipatayaḥ kāryāḥ śatādhipatayas tathā | tataḥ sahasrādhipatiṁ kuryāc chūram atandritam ||
ভীষ্ম বললেন—সেনায় কিছুজনকে দশজনের নায়ক, আর কিছুজনকে শতজনের নায়ক নিযুক্ত করো। তারপর কোনো বীর, সতর্ক ও অলসতাহীন যোদ্ধাকে সহস্র যোদ্ধার অধিপতি করো।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should establish clear, tiered command—leaders over tens, hundreds, and thousands—choosing brave and vigilant officers, so that protection of the realm is carried out with discipline and accountability as a duty of dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising the king on practical statecraft: how to structure the army by appointing commanders at different levels, culminating in a thousand-commander who is courageous and free from negligence.