Shloka 33

कालविभाग-निरूपणं तथा युद्धव्यवस्था

Time-Reckoning and Mobilization Counsel

Devanagari script

पण्डितान्‌ पृष्ठतः कृत्वा परेषां गुणवादिन: । विधीयतां तथा नीतिर्यथा वध्यो भवेत्‌ पर:,'शत्रुओंके गुणोंका बखान करनेवाले पण्डितोंको पीछे करके ऐसी नीति काममें लें, जिससे शत्रुका वध हो सके

Transliteration

paṇḍitān pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā pareṣāṃ guṇavādinaḥ | vidhīyatāṃ tathā nītir yathā vadhyo bhavet paraḥ ||

Translation

จงให้บัณฑิตผู้เอาแต่สรรเสริญคุณของศัตรูถอยไปอยู่เบื้องหลัง แล้วจงวางอุบายให้เป็นไปดังนี้—ให้ฝ่ายตรงข้ามตกอยู่ในสภาพสมควรถูกสังหารได้

Word by Word

पण्डितान्learned men

पृष्ठतःfrom behind / at the back

कृत्वाhaving placed/made

परेषाम्of others (here: of enemies)

गुणवादिनःpraisers / those who speak of merits

विधीयताम्let it be arranged / let it be done

तथाthus / in such a way

नीतिःpolicy / strategy

यथाso that / as

वध्यःto be slain / slayable

भवेत्may become / should be

परःthe other (here: the enemy)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

paṇḍitāḥ (learned counselors)

paraḥ/pareṣām (the enemy/foe)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In matters of conflict, policy should be guided by effective statecraft rather than by counselors who sentimentalize the opponent by praising his virtues; leadership must prioritize outcomes that protect one’s side, even when that requires hard, decisive measures.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a counsel being given: disregard advisers who keep extolling the enemy’s qualities and instead adopt a strategy designed to render the opponent vulnerable—so that the enemy can be decisively defeated (even slain) when necessary.