Shloka 4
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
तेषां प्रतिविघातार्थ प्रवक्ष्याम्यथ नैगमम् । कार्याणां सर्वसिद्धयर्थ तानुपायान् निबोध मे,युधिष्ठिर! अब मैं अर्थसिद्धिके साधनभूत धर्मोंका वर्णन करूँगा। यदि डाकू और लुटेरे अर्थ और धर्मकी मर्यादा तोड़ने लगें, तब उनके विनाशके लिये वेदोंमें जो साधन बताया गया है, उसका वर्णन आरम्भ करता हूँ। तुम समस्त कार्योकी सिद्धिके लिये उन उपायोंको मुझसे सुनो
teṣāṃ prativighātārthaṃ pravakṣyāmy atha naigamam | kāryāṇāṃ sarvasiddhyarthaṃ tān upāyān nibodha me, yudhiṣṭhira |
Bhīṣma disse: “Agora exporei os meios védicos (autoritativos) destinados a contrariar e conter tais ofensores. Para a plena realização de todos os fins justos, ouve de mim, ó Yudhiṣṭhira, essas medidas práticas.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma frames governance and moral order as requiring legitimate, Veda-grounded measures (upāyas) to restrain those who violate dharma; effective action must be guided by authoritative principles, not mere impulse.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Bhīṣma continues instructing King Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma. Here he announces that he will explain the scripturally sanctioned methods for countering wrongdoers and ensuring the successful execution of rightful duties.