Shloka 11
Kośārtha-Rājadharma: Ethical Revenue Collection and Social Regulation (कोशार्थ-राजधर्मः)
ततस्तान् भेदयित्वा तु परस्परविवक्षितान् | भुज्जीत सान्त्वयंश्वैव यथासुखमयत्नत:
tatas tān bhedayitvā tu paraspara-vivakṣitān | bhuñjīta sāntvayaṁś caiva yathā-sukham ayatnataḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Kemudian, setelah menabur perpecahan dalam kalangan mereka yang saling berunding dan merangka rancangan, raja hendaklah mengukuhkan serta mentadbir hasil yang diperoleh—sambil tetap memberikan jaminan yang menenangkan—agar tanpa usaha yang berat, baginda dapat memelihara kesenangan dan keuntungan dirinya.”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma outlines a pragmatic political tactic: weaken potentially coordinated opposition by creating internal divisions (bheda), while simultaneously keeping people calm through reassurance and conciliatory speech (sāntvana), thereby allowing the ruler to secure outcomes with minimal exertion.
In Bhishma’s instruction on kingship and governance in the Shanti Parva, he advises the king on how to handle groups who are consulting together: first disrupt their unity, then pacify them with gentle assurances, and thus maintain control and benefit comfortably.