Mahabharata 4.47.33 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 47, Shloka 33
कालविभाग-निरूपणं तथा युद्धव्यवस्था
Time-Reckoning and Mobilization Counsel
पण्डितान् पृष्ठतः कृत्वा परेषां गुणवादिन: । विधीयतां तथा नीतिर्यथा वध्यो भवेत् पर:,'शत्रुओंके गुणोंका बखान करनेवाले पण्डितोंको पीछे करके ऐसी नीति काममें लें, जिससे शत्रुका वध हो सके
paṇḍitān pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā pareṣāṃ guṇavādinaḥ | vidhīyatāṃ tathā nītir yathā vadhyo bhavet paraḥ ||
जे पंडित शत्रूचे गुणगान करीत असतात, त्यांना मागे ठेवावे; आणि अशी नीती अवलंबावी की शत्रू वधास योग्य ठरेल।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In matters of conflict, policy should be guided by effective statecraft rather than by counselors who sentimentalize the opponent by praising his virtues; leadership must prioritize outcomes that protect one’s side, even when that requires hard, decisive measures.
Vaiśampāyana reports a counsel being given: disregard advisers who keep extolling the enemy’s qualities and instead adopt a strategy designed to render the opponent vulnerable—so that the enemy can be decisively defeated (even slain) when necessary.
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