Shloka 40
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
नदीके मार्गोंपर जो पुल पड़ते हों उन सबको तुड़वा दे। शत्रुके मार्गमें जो जलाशय हों, उनका सारा जल इधर-उधर बहा दे। जो जल बहाया न जा सके, उसे दूषित कर दे, जिससे वह पीनेयोग्य न रह जाय ।।
nadīke mārgopari yo pulāḥ patanti tān sarvān tuḍavā de | śatror mārgasthā ye jalāśayāḥ syuḥ teṣāṃ sarvaṃ jalam itas-tataḥ pravāhaya | yad vāri pravāhayituṃ na śakyate tad dūṣaya, yathā tat peyam na bhavet || tadātvenāyatībhiś ca nivased bhūmy-anantaram | pratīghātaṃ parasya yuddhe mitra-kārye ’py upasthite vartamāne ’thavā bhaviṣyati sadā tyaktvā śatroḥ śatrum āśritya tiṣṭhet yaḥ rājya-bhūmi-nikaṭa-nivāsī yuddhe ca parasya pratīghātāya sajjaḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「河川路にかかる橋はすべて破壊せよ。敵の進軍路にある貯水池の水はことごとく流し去れ。流し去れぬ水は汚し、飲用に堪えぬものとせよ。さらに、今のためであれ将来のためであれ、国境の地に近く住め。友の用事が今または後に起ころうとも、それを退けて『敵の敵』に身を寄せよ—王国の境に住み、戦場で敵を打つ備えのある者に。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma outlines hard-edged measures of rajadharma in wartime: deny the enemy mobility and supplies (bridges and water), and secure advantage through pragmatic alliances—taking refuge with the foe’s foe, especially a border-adjacent power ready to strike.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on governance and security. Here he gives tactical counsel for confronting an enemy: sabotage infrastructure and water sources along the enemy’s march, and, even at the cost of sidelining a friend’s request, align with a strategically placed rival of the enemy to enable an effective counterattack.