Shloka 31
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
दशाधिपतय: कार्या: शताधिपतयस्तथा । ततः सहस्राधिपतिं कुर्याच्छूरमतन्द्रितम्
daśādhipatayaḥ kāryāḥ śatādhipatayas tathā | tataḥ sahasrādhipatiṁ kuryāc chūram atandritam ||
Bhishma berkata: Tetapkan pemimpin atas kelompok sepuluh orang, dan demikian pula pemimpin atas kelompok seratus orang. Setelah itu, angkat seorang pahlawan yang gagah, waspada, dan tak mengenal lalai sebagai komandan atas seribu prajurit.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should establish clear, tiered command—leaders over tens, hundreds, and thousands—choosing brave and vigilant officers, so that protection of the realm is carried out with discipline and accountability as a duty of dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising the king on practical statecraft: how to structure the army by appointing commanders at different levels, culminating in a thousand-commander who is courageous and free from negligence.