Shloka 16
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
परेषामुपसर्पाणं प्रतिषेधस्तथा भवेत् । आकाशात् तु वनाभ्याशं मन्यन्ते गुणवत्तरम्
bhīṣma uvāca | pareṣām upasarpāṇaṁ pratiṣedhas tathā bhavet | ākāśāt tu vanābhyāśaṁ manyante guṇavattaram |
Di tempat itu harus pula tersedia cara untuk mencegah musuh mendekat. Dibanding hamparan terbuka, posisi dekat hutan dinilai lebih unggul karena banyak kelebihan strategis; maka perkemahan bala tentara hendaknya didirikan di tepi rimba.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should choose positions that enable effective defense: the camp must be placed where the enemy’s approach can be checked, and forest-adjacent terrain is often superior to open ground because it provides multiple tactical advantages.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and governance, Bhishma advises on practical military arrangements, explaining why experienced warriors prefer camping near a forest rather than in an exposed open area.