Shloka 17
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
भेदेनोपप्रदानेन संसृजेदौषधैस्तथा | न त्वेवं खलु संसर्ग रोचयेदरिभि: सह
bhedenopapradānena saṁsṛjed auṣadhaistathā | na tv evaṁ khalu saṁsargaṁ rocayed aribhiḥ saha ||
भीष्म म्हणाले—राजाने दूर राहून भेद निर्माण करणे, गुप्त दान-लाच देणे आणि आवश्यक असल्यास औषधप्रयोग इत्यादी उपायांनी शत्रुपक्षात फूट पाडावी; परंतु शत्रूंशी उघडपणे, प्रत्यक्ष सख्य करण्याची इच्छा धरू नये—राजनीतीत असा संसर्ग योग्य नाही।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a ruler may use indirect means—creating internal divisions, inducements, and other covert measures—to weaken an enemy, but should avoid overt, public intimacy or direct association with foes, since it risks security and undermines prudent kingship.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on practical governance and wartime policy: how to destabilize hostile forces through covert tactics while maintaining strategic distance and avoiding openly visible ties with enemies.