Shloka 6
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
अमित्रा एव राजानं भेदेनोपचरन्त्युत । तां राजा निकृतिं जानन् यथामित्रान् प्रबाधते
amitrā eva rājānaṃ bhedenopacaranti ca | tāṃ rājā nikṛtiṃ jñātvā yathāmitrān prabādhate ||
Bhishma berkata: “Mereka yang bukan sahabat sejati—bahkan musuh tersembunyi—mendekati raja dengan layanan lahiriah sambil menabur perpecahan di lingkaran dalamnya. Mengetahui tipu daya itu, sang raja harus mengekang dan menindas mereka sebagaimana ia menghadapi musuh yang tampak.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must not be misled by outward displays of loyalty. Those who create internal divisions while pretending to serve are effectively enemies; recognizing such deceit, the king should check and suppress them to protect the integrity of governance and dharma.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma, he warns about courtly intrigue: false friends infiltrate the king’s inner circle and foment factionalism. Bhīṣma advises the king to identify this treachery and treat such persons as hostile threats.