Shloka 29
सैन्यसंनिवेशः (Sainyasaṃniveśaḥ) — Deployment, Omens, and Yuddha-Dharma Conventions
रथी च रथिना योध्यो गजेन गजधूर्गत: । अश्वेनाश्वी पदातिश्न पादातेनैव भारत
rathī ca rathinā yodhyo gajena gajadhūr-gataḥ | aśvenāśvī padātiś ca padātenaiva bhārata ||
वैशम्पायन बोले—“हे भारत! रथी का युद्ध रथी से ही हो; गज पर आरूढ़ का गज-आरूढ़ से; अश्वारोही का अश्वारोही से; और पदाति का पदाति से ही।”
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches dharmic restraint in warfare: combat should be conducted fairly by matching equivalent combatants (chariot with chariot, elephant with elephant, cavalry with cavalry, infantry with infantry), avoiding opportunistic attacks on those at a disadvantage.
In the opening of Bhīṣma Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana recounts the norms proclaimed for the Kurukṣetra war—laying down battlefield conduct and emphasizing orderly, rule-bound engagement among the different military divisions.