Shloka 10

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

Devanagari script

अभिनीतानि शस्त्राणि योधाश्व कृतनिश्चया: । चैत्र्यां वा मार्गशीर्ष्या वा सेनायोग: प्रशस्यते

Transliteration

abhinītāni śastrāṇi yodhāś ca kṛtaniścayāḥ | caitryāṃ vā mārgaśīrṣyāṃ vā senāyogaḥ praśasyate ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Lorsque les armes ont été dûment préparées et que les guerriers ont déjà pris la ferme résolution d’affronter l’ennemi, il est tenu pour de bon augure et digne d’éloge qu’une armée parte en guerre le jour de pleine lune de Caitra ou de Mārgaśīrṣa.»

Word by Word

• अभिनीतानि: brought forth/produced (made ready)
• अभिनीतानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-नी (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• शस्त्राणि: weapons
• शस्त्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• योधाः: warriors
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कृतनिश्चयाः: having made a firm resolve
• कृतनिश्चयाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चैत्र्याम्: in (the full-moon day) of Chaitra
• चैत्र्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्री
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• मार्गशीर्ष्याम्: in (the full-moon day) of Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्ष्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्षी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• सेनायोगः: the setting-out/engagement of the army
• सेनायोगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना-योग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रशस्यते: is praised/commended
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस्
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• weapons (śastra)
• warriors (yodha)
• army (senā)
• Caitra (month)
• Mārgaśīrṣa (month)
• full-moon day (implied by caitryām/mārgaśīrṣyām usage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma links ethical statecraft with practical readiness: war should not be undertaken impulsively; only when arms are prepared and soldiers are resolute, and even then one should observe traditionally auspicious timing for mobilization.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance and conduct, Bhīṣma gives Yudhiṣṭhira pragmatic counsel about military organization, recommending specific full-moon times (Caitra or Mārgaśīrṣa) for an army’s departure once preparations and resolve are complete.