Shloka 16
Nīti-upadeśa to a Rājaputra: Self-restraint, Alliances, and Rival-Management (नीतिउपदेशः)
तुम बुद्धिमानोंके विश्वासभाजन बनकर अपने महाशत्रुके राज्यमें सानन्द विचरण करो और कुत्ते, हिरन, तथा कौओंकी तरह” चौकन्ने रहकर निरर्थक बर्तावोंद्वारा विदेहराजके प्रति मित्रधर्मका पालन करो ।।
Bhīṣma uvāca: tvaṁ buddhimānāṁ viśvāsabhājanaṁ bhūtvā svamahāśatro rājyamadhye sānandaṁ vicarasva; śva-mṛga-kāka-vat ca sāvadhāno bhūtvā nirarthaka-ceṣṭābhiḥ Videharājaṁ prati mitradharmaṁ pālaya. ārambhāṁś ca asya mahato duścarāṁś ca prayojaya; nadīvat ca virodhāṁś ca balavadbhir virudhyatām.
Bhīṣma dit : «Deviens un homme en qui les sages placent leur confiance, et circule avec allégresse dans le royaume de ton grand ennemi. Mais demeure aux aguets comme un chien, un cerf ou un corbeau; et, par des actes qui paraissent vains et inoffensifs, maintiens extérieurement les devoirs de l’amitié envers le roi de Videha. En même temps, pousse‑le à entreprendre de vastes desseins extrêmement difficiles à mener à terme, et fais en sorte qu’il se heurte à des rois puissants—des conflits aussi malaisés à franchir qu’un grand fleuve.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma outlines a hard-edged principle of rajaniti: maintain the outward form of friendship and trustworthiness while remaining constantly vigilant, and weaken an enemy indirectly by steering him into overambitious projects and entangling conflicts with stronger powers—thus exhausting his resources without open breach at first.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance, Bhishma advises a policy of covert maneuvering: the agent (or ruler) should circulate within the enemy’s realm as a trusted friend of the Videha king, masking intent through innocuous behavior, while quietly engineering situations that overextend the enemy and provoke formidable rivalries.