Shloka 4
अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः
Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal
तदेतन्नरशार्दूल हृदि त्वं कर्तुमहसि । संधेयानभिसंधत्स्व विरोध्यांश्व विरोधय
tad etan naraśārdūla hṛdi tvaṁ kartum arhasi | sandheyān abhisandhatsva virodhyāṁś ca virodhaya ||
ภีษมะกล่าวว่า— “โอ้พยัคฆ์ในหมู่มนุษย์ จงจารึกถ้อยคำนี้ไว้ในดวงใจ: จงทำสันธิสัญญากับผู้ที่ควรประนีประนอม และจงต่อต้านอย่างเด็ดเดี่ยวต่อผู้ที่สมควรถูกต่อต้าน”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should practice discernment: pursue peace and alliance with those open to settlement, but confront and restrain those whose stance or actions warrant opposition. Both conciliation and resistance are ethical tools when applied to the right targets.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on rajadharma (the duties of kings). Here he gives a concise rule of governance: choose diplomacy with the reconcilable and firm resistance against the irreconcilable.