Shloka 87

Devanagari script

बलिनौ मतिमन्तौ च सुवृत्तौ चाप्युपासितौ | अशक्तौ तु नयात्‌ तस्मात्‌ सम्प्रधर्षयेतुं बलातू,यद्यपि वे बड़े बलवान, बुद्धिमान, सुन्दर बर्ताव करनेवाले, कार्यकुशल तथा निकटवर्ती थे तो भी उस संधिकी नीतिसे काम लेनेके कारण उन चूहे और बिलावपर वे बलपूर्वक आक्रमण करनेमें समर्थ न हो सके

Transliteration

balinau matimantau ca suvṛttau cāpyupāsitau | aśaktau tu nayāt tasmāt sampradharṣayetuṃ balāt ||

Translation

వారు బలవంతులు, బుద్ధిమంతులు, సద్గుణసంపన్నులు, అనుచరులతో కూడినవారైనా; నయనీతి కారణంగా వారిని బలప్రయోగంతో దాడి చేయలేకపోయారు।

Word by Word

बलिनौtwo strong (ones)

मतिमन्तौtwo intelligent (ones)

चand

सुवृत्तौtwo well-conducted / of good behavior

चand

अपिalso / even

उपासितौtwo who were attended/served

अशक्तौtwo incapable / unable

तुbut

नयात्because of policy/strategy

तस्मात्therefore / from that

सम्प्रधर्षयेतुम्to attack/assail

बलात्by force / forcibly

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?

Mere strength is not decisive; wise policy (naya)—such as alliances, diplomacy, and strategic restraint—can prevent a stronger party from successfully attacking, and can protect the vulnerable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is explaining a principle of nīti: even those who are strong, intelligent, and well-supported may become unable to act by force when confronted with effective strategy and political prudence.