Shloka 14
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
न हारण्येन शक््येत गन्तुं मृगगणैरिव । तस्मात् सेनासु तानेव योजयन्ति जयार्थिन:
na hāraṇyena śakyeta gantuṁ mṛgagaṇair iva | tasmāt senāsu tān eva yojayanti jayārthinaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “Men cannot move through the wilderness with ease like herds of wild animals. Therefore, kings who seek victory appoint those very spies within their armies to serve as guides and pathfinders.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective leadership recognizes human limitations and compensates through trained specialists; victory-oriented rulers integrate intelligence personnel as practical guides, especially in difficult terrain.
In Bhishma’s instruction on kingship and governance, he explains why rulers employ spies within the army: unlike wild animals, humans cannot easily navigate forests, so knowledgeable agents are assigned to guide movements for success in campaigns.