Shloka 40
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
न सामदण्डोपनिषत् प्रशस्यते । नमार्दवं शत्रुषु यात्रिकं सदा | न सस्यघातो न च संकरक्रिया न चापि भूय: प्रकृते्विचारणा
na sāma-daṇḍopaniṣat praśasyate | na mārḍavaṁ śatruṣu yātrikaṁ sadā | na sasyaghāto na ca saṅkarakriyā na cāpi bhūyaḥ prakṛti-vicāraṇā |
Bhishma said: “A policy that mixes conciliation with open punishment is not praised. Nor is softness toward enemies always a sound course. Yet constant assault is not invariably right either. Ruining an enemy’s crops and resorting to treacherous acts such as poisoning their water are also not commendable. And repeatedly deliberating over the constituent elements of the state is of little use in such a situation; rather, discreet and well-aimed punitive measures are held to be superior against an enemy.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma advises that neither perpetual softness nor perpetual aggression is universally right in dealing with enemies. He rejects openly mixing conciliation with punishment as a praised policy, condemns unethical tactics like destroying crops and poisoning resources, and recommends discreet, targeted punitive action rather than endless theoretical deliberation.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira principles of governance and enemy-policy. This verse focuses on practical and ethical limits in statecraft: what kinds of measures are not commendable and what kind of restrained, concealed coercion may be preferable in confronting hostile powers.