Shloka 17
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
भेदेनोपप्रदानेन संसृजेदौषधैस्तथा | न त्वेवं खलु संसर्ग रोचयेदरिभि: सह
bhedenopapradānena saṁsṛjed auṣadhaistathā | na tv evaṁ khalu saṁsargaṁ rocayed aribhiḥ saha ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Dapat manatiling may agwat ang hari at magpasiklab ng pagkakahati sa hanay ng kaaway—sa pamamagitan ng paglalagay ng hidwaan, ng palihim na mga handog at pang-akit, at maging ng madiskarteng paggamit ng mga gamot o sangkap. Ngunit hindi niya dapat naisin ang lantad, harapang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga kaaway; sapagkat ang hayagang paglalapit sa kaaway ay hindi sinasang-ayunan sa sining ng pamamahala.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a ruler may use indirect means—creating internal divisions, inducements, and other covert measures—to weaken an enemy, but should avoid overt, public intimacy or direct association with foes, since it risks security and undermines prudent kingship.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on practical governance and wartime policy: how to destabilize hostile forces through covert tactics while maintaining strategic distance and avoiding openly visible ties with enemies.