Shloka 16
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
परेषामुपसर्पाणं प्रतिषेधस्तथा भवेत् । आकाशात् तु वनाभ्याशं मन्यन्ते गुणवत्तरम्
bhīṣma uvāca | pareṣām upasarpāṇaṁ pratiṣedhas tathā bhavet | ākāśāt tu vanābhyāśaṁ manyante guṇavattaram |
Bhīṣma said: One should likewise have the means to prevent the enemy’s approach. Compared with an open expanse, a position near a forest is judged more advantageous, for it offers many strategic benefits—especially the ability to check hostile assaults. Therefore, the army’s camp should be pitched close to the woodland.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should choose positions that enable effective defense: the camp must be placed where the enemy’s approach can be checked, and forest-adjacent terrain is often superior to open ground because it provides multiple tactical advantages.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and governance, Bhishma advises on practical military arrangements, explaining why experienced warriors prefer camping near a forest rather than in an exposed open area.