Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तथैव भेददण्डाभ्यां सर्वोपायै: प्रशातयेत्‌ । “परंतु जब अपने अनुकूल समय आ जाय, तब उसे उसी प्रकार नष्ट कर दे, जैसे घड़ेको पत्थरपर पटककर फोड़ डालते हैं। शत्रु बहुत दीनतापूर्ण वचन बोले, तो भी उसे जीवित नहीं छोड़ना चाहिये। उसपर दया नहीं करनी चाहिये। अपकारी शत्रुको मार ही डालना चाहिये। साम अथवा दान तथा भेद एवं दण्ड सभी उपायोंद्वारा शत्रुकी मार डाले-- उसे मिटा दे” || २२-२३ ह ।। धृतराष्टर उवाच कथं सानन्‍्त्वेन दानेन भेदैर्दण्डेन वा पुन:

Transliteration

tathaiva bhedadaṇḍābhyāṃ sarvopāyaiḥ praśātayet | dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca kathaṃ sānntvena dānena bhedair daṇḍena vā punaḥ |

Translation

“In the same way, one should subdue (the enemy) by every available stratagem—by sowing dissension and by punishment. Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: ‘But how, again, is it to be done—by conciliation, by gifts, by creating divisions, or by force?’”

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

एवindeed, just

भेद-दण्डाभ्याम्by (the means of) dissension and punishment

सर्व-उपायैःby all means/strategies

प्रशातयेत्should destroy/annihilate

Speaker

धृतराष्टर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse invokes classical political strategy: an adversary may be brought under control through any of the recognized expedients—conciliation (sāma), gifts (dāna), division (bheda), and force (daṇḍa). It reflects a pragmatic nīti perspective rather than a purely idealistic moral exhortation.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing a forceful counsel about dealing with enemies through multiple tactics, Dhṛtarāṣṭra interjects with a practical question: by what method—conciliation, gifts, sowing dissension, or punishment—should this be carried out? The dialogue shifts from principle to implementation.