Shloka 283
Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies
Gaṇa-nīti
आशभ्यन्तरं भयं राजन् सद्यो मूलानि कृन्तति । भीतरी भय दूर करके संघकी रक्षा करनी चाहिये। यदि संघमें एकता बनी रहे तो बाहरका भय उसके लिये नि:सार है (वह उसका कुछ भी बिगाड़ नहीं सकता)। राजन! भीतरका भय तत्काल ही संघराज्यकी जड़ काट डालता है
āśābhyantaraṁ bhayaṁ rājan sadyo mūlāni kṛntati |
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ, ଭିତରୁ ଉଦ୍ଭବ ଭୟ—ଅବିଶ୍ୱାସ, ଦଳବିଭେଦ ଓ ଅନ୍ତଃକଳହ—ତତ୍କ୍ଷଣାତ୍ ରାଜ୍ୟର ମୂଳକୁ କାଟିଦିଏ। ତେଣୁ ଅନ୍ତର୍ଭୟ ଦୂର କରି ସଂଘର ରକ୍ଷା କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ସଂଘରେ ଏକତା ରହିଲେ ବାହ୍ୟ ଭୟ ନିଷ୍ଫଳ ହୁଏ; ସେ କିଛି ହାନି କରିପାରେ ନାହିଁ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Internal fear—manifesting as mistrust, division, and insecurity—destroys a community’s foundations faster than any external enemy. The ruler should therefore secure unity and remove causes of inner panic; with cohesion intact, outside threats lose their power.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma counsels King Yudhishthira on governance. Here he emphasizes that the gravest danger to a realm or confederation is internal fracture; preserving solidarity is presented as the primary defense.