Shloka 13

Devanagari script

तत्रादानेन भिद्यन्ते गणा: संघातवृत्तय: । भिन्ना विमनस: सर्वे गच्छन्त्यरिवशं भयात्‌,संघबद्ध होकर जीवन-निर्वाह करनेवाले गणराज्यके सैनिकोंको भी यदि समयपर भोजन और वेतन न मिले तो भी वे फूट जाते हैं। फ़ूट जानेपर सबके मन एक-दूसरेके विपरीत हो जाते हैं और वे सबके सब भयके कारण शत्रुओंके अधीन हो जाते हैं

Transliteration

tatrādānena bhidyante gaṇāḥ saṅghātavṛttayaḥ | bhinnā vimanasaḥ sarve gacchanty arivaśaṃ bhayāt ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dijo: «Incluso esos cuerpos corporativos (gaṇas) que se sostienen actuando en estrecha unión se quiebran cuando no se les provee a tiempo lo debido. Una vez divididos, todos se desalientan y se oponen entre sí, y por miedo caen bajo el dominio de los enemigos.»

Word by Word

तत्रthere/therein

अदानेनby non-giving (by withholding)

भिद्यन्तेare split / break apart

गणाःgroups / troops / corporations

संघातवृत्तयःthose whose mode of life is in a compact body (living by union)

भिन्नाःsplit, divided

विमनसःdejected / ill-disposed

सर्वेall

गच्छन्तिgo / fall into

अरिवशम्enemy’s control/subjection

भयात्from fear / out of fear

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

gaṇa (corporate/republican body)

ari (enemy)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must ensure timely and fair provision (pay, food, support) to those who serve collectively; neglect (adāna) fractures unity, destroys morale, and makes the community vulnerable to enemy domination.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on rāja-dharma in the Śānti Parva, he explains a practical cause of political collapse: when a united corporate body or soldiery is not properly maintained, it splits into factions and, weakened by fear and discord, becomes subject to enemies.