Shloka 13
Bala and Dharma in Kṣatriya Governance (बल-धर्म सम्बन्धः)
सर्वलोकागमं कृत्वा मृदुत्वं गन्तुमेव च । विश्वासाद् विनयं कुर्याद् विश्वसेच्चाप्युपायत:
sarvalokāgamaṃ kṛtvā mṛdutvaṃ gantum eva ca | viśvāsād vinayaṃ kuryād viśvasec cāpy upāyataḥ ||
ພີດສະມາກ່າວວ່າ: ເມື່ອໄດ້ຊະນະນໍ້າໃຈດີຂອງຜູ້ຄົນທົ່ວໄປແລ້ວ ຄວນວາງທ່າທີອ່ອນໂຍນ. ດ້ວຍຄວາມໄວ້ວາງໃຈ ຄວນປະພຶດດ້ວຍຄວາມຖ່ອມຕົນ ແລະການປະນີປະນອມ; ແລະຄວນໄວ້ວາງໃຈຢ່າງມີອຸບາຍ ແລະລະມັດລະວັງ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ຄວາມປະທະສົງບົບ ແລະຫຼີກເວັ້ນສົງຄາມ.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler—especially when weak—should seek peace through soft power: win public and opposing-side goodwill, practice humility and respectful entreaty, and build trust, while remaining prudent and strategic in how that trust is placed.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and conduct, Bhishma advises on practical statecraft: when direct confrontation is disadvantageous, a king should reduce enmity by conciliation, confidence-building, and carefully managed trust to stop or prevent war.