Shloka 30
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
प्रणिपातेन दानेन वाचा मधुरया ब्रुवन् अमित्रमपि सेवेत न च जातु विशड्कयेत्
praṇipātena dānena vācā madhurayā bruvan | amitram api seveta na ca jātu viśaṅkayet ||
Bhīṣma teaches that a king should win over even an enemy through humble obeisance, timely gifts, and sweet, conciliatory speech—treating the foe as though a friend. He should not allow suspicion to arise in the other’s mind.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should neutralize hostility through humility, generosity, and gentle speech, cultivating even an enemy as if a friend, and must avoid creating suspicion—because trust and reassurance can prevent conflict and secure political stability.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on practical governance: how a king should deal with adversaries using conciliatory conduct and careful management of perceptions, rather than provoking fear or doubt.