Shloka 103

Nīti-upadeśa to a Rājaputra: Self-restraint, Alliances, and Rival-Management (नीतिउपदेशः)

Devanagari script

आन्तरैभेंदयित्वारीन्‌ बिल्व॑ बिल्वेन भेदय | राजा जनक बड़े धीर और श्रीसम्पन्न हैं। जब वे तुम्हारा सत्कार करेंगे

Transliteration

āntaraiḥ bhedayitvā arīn bilvaṁ bilvena bhedaya | rājā janakaḥ baḍe dhīraḥ śrī-sampannaś ca | yadā te satkāraṁ kariṣyati tadā sarva-lokānāṁ viśvāsa-pātraḥ bhūtvā tvam atyantaṁ gauravānvitō bhaviṣyasi | tām avasthāṁ prāpya mitrāṇāṁ senām ekatrīkṛtya śubhaiḥ mantribhiḥ saha mantraṇāṁ kṛtvā antar-aṅga-janair śatru-dale bhedaṁ kārayitvā bilvaṁ bilvenaiva bhedaya (śatroḥ sahāyenaiva śatroḥ vidhvaṁsaṁ kuryāḥ) |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଅନ୍ତରଙ୍ଗ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଭେଦ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରି, ବିଲ୍ୱକୁ ବିଲ୍ୱଦ୍ୱାରା ଭାଙ୍ଗିବା ପରି ଶତ୍ରୁକୁ ଶତ୍ରୁର ନିଜ ଆଧାରରେ ଧ୍ୱଂସ କର। ଜନକ ରାଜା ଧୀର ଓ ଶ୍ରୀସମ୍ପନ୍ନ; ସେ ତୁମକୁ ସତ୍କାର କଲେ ତୁମେ ସର୍ବଲୋକ-ବିଶ୍ୱାସ୍ୟ ହୋଇ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଗୌରବ ପାଇବ। ତାପରେ ମିତ୍ରସେନା ସଂଗ୍ରହ କରି, କୁଶଳ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ପରାମର୍ଶ କରି, ଗୁପ୍ତଚର ଦ୍ୱାରା ଶତ୍ରୁଦଳରେ ଭେଦ ଜନ୍ମାଅ।

Word by Word

• अन्तरैः: by inner agents/confidants
• अन्तरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• भेदयित्वा: having caused to split / having sown dissension
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• अरीन्: enemies
• अरीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बिल्वम्: a bilva (wood/club; bilva fruit/tree as metaphor)
• बिल्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बिल्वेन: with a bilva (club/wood); with the bilva itself
• बिल्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भेदय: split! break! cause dissension!
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Janaka
• bilva (wood-apple fruit)
• allies (mitra)
• ministers/counselors (mantrin)
• enemy camp (śatru-dala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler (or political actor) should act through rājadharma: secure legitimacy and trust, consult competent ministers, build alliances, and use intelligence to create divisions within hostile forces—defeating the enemy with minimal direct confrontation, symbolized by splitting a bilva with another bilva.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing on practical governance and war-policy: he points to King Janaka’s honorable support as a source of public trust, then outlines a plan—gather allied troops, deliberate with ministers, and employ confidential agents to foment dissension in the enemy camp so the enemy collapses from within.