Shloka 12

जनकस्य युद्धोपदेशः — Janaka’s Instruction on Steadfast Battle-Conduct

Devanagari script

हर्षयेयुविंषण्णांश्व व्यवस्थाप्य परस्परम्‌ । जितां च भूमिं रक्षेत भग्नान्‌ नात्यनुसारयेत्‌,यदि अपने सैनिक विषादग्रस्त या शिथिल हो रहे हों तो उनका पूर्ववत्‌ व्यूह बनाकर उन्हें परस्पर स्थापित करे और उन समस्त योद्धाओंका हर्ष एवं उत्साह बढ़ावे। जो भूमि जीत ली गयी हो, उसकी रक्षा करे; परंतु शत्रुओंके जो सैनिक पराजित होकर भाग रहे हों, उनका बहुत दूरतक पीछा नहीं करना चाहिये

Transliteration

harṣayeya viṣaṇṇānś ca vyavasthāpya parasparam | jitāṃ ca bhūmiṃ rakṣeta bhagnān nātyanusarayet ||

Translation

हर्षयेयुविषण्णांश्च व्यवस्थाप्य परस्परम् । जितां च भूमिं रक्षेत भग्नान् नात्यनुसारयेत् ॥

Word by Word

हर्षयेत्should gladden / encourage

युविषण्णान्despondent (ones)

व्यवस्थाप्यhaving arranged / having set in order

परस्परम्mutually / among one another

जिताम्conquered

चand

भूमिम्land / territory

रक्षेत्should protect

भग्नान्broken / defeated (ones)

नnot

अतिexcessively / too much

अनुसारयेत्should pursue / follow

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous commander balances courage with restraint: restore morale and formation, consolidate gains by securing conquered ground, and avoid overextension by chasing a defeated enemy too far.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma and conduct in war, he outlines practical battlefield counsel: re-form dispirited troops, encourage them, hold captured positions, and refrain from excessive pursuit of fleeing opponents.