Shloka 20
शूरलक्षणवर्णनम् | Marks and Typologies of Martial Temperament
ये सब-के-सब अन्त्यज (कोल-भील आदि) हैं, जो युद्धसे कभी पीछे नहीं हटते और शरीरका मोह छोड़कर लड़ते हैं। सेनामें ऐसे लोगोंको सदा पुरस्कार देना चाहिये और इन्हें सदा आगे-आगे रखना चाहिये। ये धैर्यपूर्वक शत्रुओंकी मार सहते और उन्हें भी मारते हैं ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | ye sarve sarve antyajāḥ (kola-bhīlādayaḥ) santi, ye yuddhāt kadācit na nivartante śarīra-mohaṃ ca tyaktvā yudhyante | senāyāṃ tādṛśān janān sadā puraskartavyān, sadā ca teṣāṃ agre sthānaṃ dātavyam | te dhairyapūrvakaṃ śatrūṇāṃ prahārān sahante, tān api praharanti || adhārmikā bhinna-vṛttāḥ; sāntvenaiṣāṃ parābhavaḥ | evam eva prakupyanti rājño 'py ete habhīkṣṇaśaḥ; ye adharmī bhavanti dharma-maryādāṃ bhaṅktvā vartante | ataḥ etān madhura-vākyaiḥ sāntvayitvā eva vaśe kartavyān ||
Bhīṣma said: “All these men—though counted among the low-born tribes such as the Kolas and Bhils—never turn back from battle. Casting off attachment to the body, they fight on. In an army, such people should always be rewarded and placed in the foremost ranks, for with steadfast courage they endure the enemy’s blows and strike back in return. Yet those who are unrighteous and of wayward conduct are best subdued by conciliation: they repeatedly flare up even against their own king when they transgress the bounds of dharma. Therefore, they should be brought under control through gentle, appeasing speech.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma advises a king to recognize and reward fearless frontline fighters, while managing unruly and adharmic elements through conciliation—sweet, calming speech—since harshness may provoke repeated rebellion even against royal authority.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and conduct, Bhishma describes certain battle-hardy groups who do not retreat and should be honored in the army, then adds a practical note on governance: those who break dharma’s limits and become repeatedly angry should be controlled primarily by appeasement and persuasion.