Shloka 6

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

Devanagari script

अमित्रा एव राजानं भेदेनोपचरन्त्युत । तां राजा निकृतिं जानन्‌ यथामित्रान्‌ प्रबाधते

Transliteration

amitrā eva rājānaṃ bhedenopacaranti ca | tāṃ rājā nikṛtiṃ jñātvā yathāmitrān prabādhate ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: Those who are not truly friends—indeed, secret enemies—approach a king with outward service while working to create divisions among his inner circle. Recognizing this deceit, the king should restrain and suppress them just as he would open foes, for such hidden hostility is especially dangerous to righteous rule.

Word by Word

• अमित्राः: non-friends, enemies (in the guise of friends)
• अमित्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भेदेन: by division, by sowing dissension
• भेदेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• उपचरन्ति: they attend on, they serve (with ulterior motive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-चर्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• उत: and, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

• ताम्: that (deceit/stratagem)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निकृतिम्: deceit, treachery
• निकृतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकृति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• जानन्: knowing, understanding
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अमित्रान्: enemies, non-friends
• अमित्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रबाधते: he oppresses, subdues, destroys
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- बाध्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rājā (the king)
• amitra (covert enemies posing as friends)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must not be misled by outward displays of loyalty. Those who create internal divisions while pretending to serve are effectively enemies; recognizing such deceit, the king should check and suppress them to protect the integrity of governance and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma, he warns about courtly intrigue: false friends infiltrate the king’s inner circle and foment factionalism. Bhīṣma advises the king to identify this treachery and treat such persons as hostile threats.