Shloka 51
दुर्गके चारों ओर खाईं खुदवाना, सेनाका युद्धके लिये सुसज्जित होना तथा रणपयात्रा करना, चोरों और भयानक जंगली लुटेरोंद्वारा शत्रुके राष्ट्रको पीड़ा देना, आग लगानेवाले, जहर देनेवाले, छद्मवेशधारी लोगोंद्वारा भी शत्रुको हानि पहुँचाना तथा एक-एक शत्रुदलके प्रधान-प्रधान लोगोंमें भेद उत्पन्न करना, फसल और पौधोंको काट लेना, हाथियोंको भड़काना, लोगोंमें आतड़क उत्पन्न करना, शत्रुओंमें अनुरक्त पुरुषको अनुनय आदिके द्वारा फोड़ लेना और शत्रुपक्षके लोगोंमें अपने प्रति विश्वास उत्पन्न कराना आदि उपायोंसे शत्रुके राष्ट्रको पीड़ा देनेकी कलाका भी ब्रह्माजीके उक्त ग्रन्थमें वर्णन किया गया है || ४८-- ५० || सप्ताड्ुस्य च राज्यस्य हासवृद्धिसमञ्जसम् | दूतसामर्थ्यसंयोगात् सराष्ट्रस्य विवर्धनम्,सात अड़ोंसे युक्त राज्यके हास, वृद्धि और समान भावसे स्थिति, दूतके सामर्थ्यसे होनेवाली अपनी और अपने राष्ट्रकी वृद्धि, शत्रु, मित्र और मध्यस्थोंका विस्तारपूर्वक सम्यक् विवेचन, बलवान शत्रुओंको कुचल डालने तथा उनसे टक्कर लेनेकी विधि आदिका उक्त ग्रन्थमें वर्णन किया गया है
bhīṣma uvāca | durge cāroṃ ora khāīṃ khudvānā, senā kā yuddha ke liye susajjita honā tathā raṇapayātrā karnā, coroṃ aura bhayānaka jaṅgalī luṭeroṃ dvārā śatru ke rāṣṭra ko pīḍā denā, āga lagāne vāle, jahar dene vāle, chadmaveṣadhārī logoṃ dvārā bhī śatru ko hāni pahuṃcānā tathā eka-eka śatrudala ke pradhāna-pradhāna logoṃ meṃ bhed utpanna karnā, phasal aura paudhoṃ ko kāṭ lenā, hāthiyoṃ ko bhaṛkānā, logoṃ meṃ ātaṅka utpanna karnā, śatruoṃ meṃ anurakta puruṣa ko anunaya ādike dvārā phoṛ lenā aura śatrupakṣa ke logoṃ meṃ apne prati viśvāsa utpanna karānā—ādi upāyoṃ se śatru ke rāṣṭra ko pīḍā dene kī kalā kā bhī brahmājī ke ukta grantha meṃ varṇana kiyā gayā hai || 48–50 || saptāṅgasya ca rājyasya hāsa-vṛddhi-samañjasam | dūtasāmarthya-saṃyogāt sa-rāṣṭrasya vivardhanam | śatru-mitra-madhyasthānāṃ vistareṇa samyak vivecanam, balavān śatruoṃ ko kucal ḍālne tathā unse ṭakkar lene kī vidhi—ādikā ukta grantha meṃ varṇana kiyā gayā hai ||
Bhishma said: “In the treatise attributed to Brahmā it is also described as a statecraft: to fortify a stronghold by digging moats all around it; to keep the army equipped for battle and to set out on campaigns; to harass an enemy kingdom through thieves and fearsome forest-raiders; to injure the enemy even by arsonists, poisoners, and men in disguise; to sow dissension among the leading chiefs of each enemy contingent; to cut down crops and plants; to provoke elephants; to spread terror among the populace; to win over those within the enemy camp who are attached to one’s side by persuasion and inducements; and to create trust toward oneself among the people of the opposing party. That same work also explains the rise, decline, and balanced maintenance of a kingdom constituted of the seven limbs; the enlargement of one’s own realm and resources through the competence of envoys; a detailed and correct assessment of enemies, allies, and neutrals; and the methods of crushing powerful foes or meeting them in direct confrontation.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma summarizes a classical manual of polity: a king must understand both defensive preparedness (forts, moats, army readiness) and the full spectrum of political instruments—diplomacy, intelligence, and even disruptive measures—while also maintaining the state’s seven limbs in balanced condition and judging correctly among enemies, allies, and neutrals.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira. Here he cites an authoritative ‘Brahma’ treatise to list practical techniques for weakening an enemy realm and to outline broader topics of governance: the seven-limbed state, the role of envoys, and strategic evaluation of rival powers.