Shloka 18
Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)
अपामिव महावेगस्त्रस्ता इव महामृगा: । दुर्निवार्यतमा चैव प्रभग्ना महती चमू:,यदि विशाल सेनामें भगदड़ मच जाती है तो उसे जलके महान् वेगके समान तथा भयभीत हुए महामृगोंके समान रोकना अत्यन्त कठिन हो जाता है
apām iva mahāvegas trastā iva mahāmṛgāḥ | durnivāryatamā caiva prabhagnā mahatī camūḥ ||
Bhishma disse: “Quando um vasto exército se rompe e se volta em pânico, torna-se quase impossível contê-lo—como águas que irrompem com grande ímpeto, como feras poderosas aterradas em debandada.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Once collective fear spreads and an army’s formation and morale collapse, control becomes extremely hard; therefore a leader must prevent panic early through discipline, clear command, and steadiness.
In Bhishma’s instruction, he uses vivid similes—floodwaters and terrified large animals—to explain how a routed, stampeding host becomes nearly unmanageable, emphasizing the practical realities of war and governance.