Shloka 14
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
न हारण्येन शक््येत गन्तुं मृगगणैरिव । तस्मात् सेनासु तानेव योजयन्ति जयार्थिन:
na hāraṇyena śakyeta gantuṁ mṛgagaṇair iva | tasmāt senāsu tān eva yojayanti jayārthinaḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Les hommes ne peuvent se mouvoir dans la sauvagerie des bois avec l’aisance des hardes d’animaux. C’est pourquoi les rois qui aspirent à la victoire placent ces mêmes espions dans leurs armées, afin qu’ils servent de guides et d’éclaireurs des chemins.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective leadership recognizes human limitations and compensates through trained specialists; victory-oriented rulers integrate intelligence personnel as practical guides, especially in difficult terrain.
In Bhishma’s instruction on kingship and governance, he explains why rulers employ spies within the army: unlike wild animals, humans cannot easily navigate forests, so knowledgeable agents are assigned to guide movements for success in campaigns.