Shloka 17
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
बहुभिग्गुणजातैश्व ये युद्धकुशला जना: । उपन्यासो भवेत् तत्र बलानां नातिदूरत:,उस स्थानपर शत्रुओंके आक्रमणको रोकनेके लिये सुविधा होनी चाहिये। युद्धकुशल पुरुष सेनाकी छावनी डालनेके लिये खुले मैदानकी अपेक्षा अनेक गुणोंके कारण जंगलके निकटवर्ती स्थानको अधिक लाभदायक मानते हैं। उस वनके समीप ही सेनाका पड़ाव डालना चाहिये
bahubhir guṇajātaiś ca ye yuddhakuśalā janāḥ | upanyāso bhavet tatra balānāṃ nātidūrataḥ ||
Disse Bhishma: Os homens versados na guerra, que compreendem as muitas vantagens práticas do terreno, sustentam que, em vez de uma planície aberta, é mais proveitoso estabelecer o acampamento numa posição próxima à floresta. Portanto, o acantonamento do exército deve ser fixado não muito longe daquele bosque, para que haja prontidão e facilidade em conter o assalto do inimigo.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that military decisions should be guided by practical advantages (guṇa) of terrain: an encampment should be placed close to supportive natural features (like a forest) to improve defense, mobility, and readiness against sudden attack.
In Bhishma’s instruction on governance and warfare in the Shanti Parva, he gives tactical counsel on where an army should establish its camp, recommending a site near a forest rather than an exposed open field, so the force can better resist enemy assaults.