Shloka 31
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
दशाधिपतय: कार्या: शताधिपतयस्तथा । ततः सहस्राधिपतिं कुर्याच्छूरमतन्द्रितम्
daśādhipatayaḥ kāryāḥ śatādhipatayas tathā | tataḥ sahasrādhipatiṁ kuryāc chūram atandritam ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Magtalaga ng mga pinunò sa tig-sasampu, at gayundin ng mga pinunò sa tig-iisandaan. Pagkaraan, magluklok ng isang bayani na matapang at mapagbantay, hindi tamad, bilang kumandante sa isang libo.” Sa payong ito tungkol sa pamamahala at pag-iingat, ang disiplinadong pag-oorganisa ng hukbo ay inilalarawan bilang dharmic na tungkulin ng pinuno—upang matiyak ang kaayusan, pananagutan, at kahandaan, sa halip na kaguluhan o kapabayaan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should establish clear, tiered command—leaders over tens, hundreds, and thousands—choosing brave and vigilant officers, so that protection of the realm is carried out with discipline and accountability as a duty of dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising the king on practical statecraft: how to structure the army by appointing commanders at different levels, culminating in a thousand-commander who is courageous and free from negligence.