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Shloka 6

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

अमित्रा एव राजानं भेदेनोपचरन्त्युत । तां राजा निकृतिं जानन्‌ यथामित्रान्‌ प्रबाधते

amitrā eva rājānaṃ bhedenopacaranti ca | tāṃ rājā nikṛtiṃ jñātvā yathāmitrān prabādhate ||

ভীষ্ম বললেন—যারা প্রকৃত বন্ধু নয়, তারাই বিভেদ সৃষ্টি করে রাজাকে কাছে ঘেঁষে সেবা-সুশ্রূষার ভান করে। রাজা তাদের এই প্রতারণা চিনে নিয়ে, প্রকাশ্য শত্রুর মতোই তাদের দমন ও দণ্ডিত করবে।

अमित्राःnon-friends, enemies (in the guise of friends)
अमित्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअमित्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
एवindeed, only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
राजानम्the king
राजानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
भेदेनby division, by sowing dissension
भेदेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootभेद
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
उपचरन्तिthey attend on, they serve (with ulterior motive)
उपचरन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-चर्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
उतand, also
उत:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउत
ताम्that (deceit/stratagem)
ताम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
राजाthe king
राजा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
निकृतिम्deceit, treachery
निकृतिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनिकृति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
जानन्knowing, understanding
जानन्:
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
यथाas, like
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
अमित्रान्enemies, non-friends
अमित्रान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअमित्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
प्रबाधतेhe oppresses, subdues, destroys
प्रबाधते:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र- बाध्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
R
rājā (the king)
A
amitra (covert enemies posing as friends)

Educational Q&A

A ruler must not be misled by outward displays of loyalty. Those who create internal divisions while pretending to serve are effectively enemies; recognizing such deceit, the king should check and suppress them to protect the integrity of governance and dharma.

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma, he warns about courtly intrigue: false friends infiltrate the king’s inner circle and foment factionalism. Bhīṣma advises the king to identify this treachery and treat such persons as hostile threats.