Shloka 36
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
न बहूनभियुञ्जीत यौगपद्येन शात्रवान् । साम्ना दानेन भेदेन दण्डेन च पुरंदर
na bahūn abhiyuñjīta yaugapadyena śātravān | sāmnā dānena bhedena daṇḍena ca puraṃdara ||
Wahai Puraṃdara, jangan menyerang banyak musuh sekaligus. Dengan sarana kebijakan—perdamaian, pemberian, pemecahan, dan hukuman—tundukkan mereka setahap demi setahap.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should avoid overextension: do not confront multiple enemies simultaneously; instead apply the four upāyas—conciliation, gifts, division, and punishment—strategically to neutralize foes one by one.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises the ruler (addressed as Puraṃdara) on practical policy: how to manage hostile powers through calibrated diplomacy and force rather than reckless, simultaneous warfare.