Shloka 13

Bala and Dharma in Kṣatriya Governance (बल-धर्म सम्बन्धः)

Devanagari script

सर्वलोकागमं कृत्वा मृदुत्वं गन्तुमेव च । विश्वासाद्‌ विनयं कुर्याद्‌ विश्वसेच्चाप्युपायत:,अथवा दुर्बल राजा शत्रुमें कोमलता लानेके लिये विपक्षके सभी लोगोंको संतुष्ट करके उनके मनमें विश्वास जमाकर उनसे युद्ध बंद करनेके लिये अनुनय-विनय करे और स्वयं भी उपायपूर्वक उनके ऊपर विश्वास करे

Transliteration

sarvalokāgamaṃ kṛtvā mṛdutvaṃ gantum eva ca | viśvāsād vinayaṃ kuryād viśvasec cāpy upāyataḥ ||

Translation

ദുർബലനായ രാജാവ് ശത്രുപക്ഷത്തിലെ എല്ലാവരെയും സന്തോഷിപ്പിച്ച്, അവരുടെ മനസ്സിൽ വിശ്വാസം സ്ഥാപിച്ച്, യുദ്ധം നിർത്താൻ വിനയത്തോടെ അപേക്ഷിക്കണം; താനും ഉപായപൂർവം അവരിൽ വിശ്വാസം വെക്കണം.

Word by Word

सर्वलोकागमम्the coming/approach of all people (i.e., all the people’s approach)

कृत्वाhaving done / having made

मृदुत्वम्gentleness, softness

गन्तुम्to go, to proceed (to adopt)

एवindeed, only

चand

विश्वासात्from trust / out of confidence

विनयम्humility, submission, conciliation

कुर्यात्should do / should practice

विश्वसेत्should trust / should place confidence

चand

अपिalso, even

उपायतःby means/strategy; from (proper) means

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.