Shloka 23
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
बहुदुर्गा महाकक्षा वेणुवेत्रसमाकुला । पदातीनां क्षमा भूमि: पर्वतोपवनानि च
bahudurgā mahākakṣā veṇuvetrasamākulā | padātīnāṃ kṣamā bhūmiḥ parvatopavanāni ca ||
Bhishma said: Land that is extremely hard to traverse—fortified by many natural obstacles, covered with dense thickets, and choked with bamboo and cane, and further supported by mountains and groves—is suited to infantry. Such terrain favors foot-soldiers by giving them cover, slowing cavalry and chariots, and turning endurance and discipline into decisive advantages.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a ruler must match troop deployment to terrain: dense, obstructed, mountainous or wooded ground benefits infantry by providing cover and restricting faster units like chariots and cavalry.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance and warfare, Bhishma explains to the inquirer how different landscapes determine which military arm is most effective; here he identifies the kind of difficult, overgrown terrain best suited for foot-soldiers.