Shloka 14
Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa
The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa
न जह्ाच्च तनुत्राणं रक्षेदात्मानमात्मना | चारभूमिष्वभिगतान् पाशांश्व परिवर्जयेत्
na jahyāc ca tanutrāṇaṁ rakṣed ātmānam ātmanā | cārabhūmiṣv abhigatān pāśāṁś ca parivarjayet |
Bhīṣma dit : «Qu’il ne se défasse jamais de son armure protectrice ; par sa propre vigilance, qu’il se garde lui-même. Et dans les lieux de passage et de mouvement — routes, gués, terrains de ronde — qu’il repère et évite les lacets et les pièges tendus par l’ennemi.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Maintain constant preparedness and personal vigilance: do not discard one’s means of protection, and actively avoid enemy snares encountered in public routes and roaming grounds.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma and practical conduct, Bhīṣma advises the listener on personal security—stressing readiness (keeping armour) and caution against traps laid by adversaries in places one must travel.