Shloka 23
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
विहाय काम॑ क्रोध॑ च तथाहंकारमेव च । युक्तो विवरमन्विच्छेदहितानां पुनः पुन:,काम, क्रोध तथा अहंकारको त्यागकर सावधानीके साथ बारंबार शत्रुओंके छिठद्रोंको देखता रहे
vihāya kāmaṁ krodhaṁ ca tathāhaṅkāram eva ca | yukto vivaram anvicched ahitānāṁ punaḥ punaḥ ||
Bhishma dit : «Rejetant le désir, la colère et aussi l’orgueil, qu’on demeure discipliné et en éveil, recherchant sans cesse les failles et les ouvertures des forces hostiles.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined leadership: renounce inner enemies—desire, anger, and ego—and maintain steady, repeated vigilance to identify the weak points of hostile forces. Ethical restraint is presented as the foundation for effective and responsible strategy.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is advising on conduct and governance. Here he emphasizes that a leader or warrior should first master personal impulses and then, with composure, continually assess an adversary’s vulnerabilities rather than acting from passion or pride.