दूष्ययुक्तदुष्टपार्ष्णिग्राहयोर्दूष्ययुक्तमाप्तपुरुषाधिष्ठितमसंहतं युध्येत न दुष्टपार्ष्णिग्राहं पृष्ठाभिघातत्रस्तम् ॥ कZ_०८.५.१६ ॥
dūṣyayuktaduṣṭapārṣṇigrāhayor dūṣyayuktam āptapuruṣādhiṣṭhitam asaṃhataṃ yudhyeta na duṣṭapārṣṇigrāhaṃ pṛṣṭhābhighātatrastam
Between a force tainted by unreliable elements and a treacherous rear-grabber, one should fight the tainted force—if it is supervised by trusted men and not tightly consolidated; one should not fight when there is a treacherous rear-threat that makes one fearful of a blow from behind.
By placing the formation under āpta-puruṣas (trusted supervisors) and avoiding tight consolidation where sabotage or panic can cascade.