Shloka 9
तेनैव त्वं धृतिमता श्रीमता चाभिसत्कृत:
tenaiva tvaṁ dhṛtimatā śrīmatā cābhisatkṛtaḥ | āntaraiḥ bhedayitvārīn bilvaṁ bilvena bhedaya ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Sa gayong paraan, pararangalan ka ng matatag at masaganang Haring Janaka. Kapag tinanggap ka niya nang may nararapat na paggalang, magiging pinagkakatiwalaan ka ng mga tao at lubhang mapapapurihan. Pagkatapos, tipunin mo ang lakas ng iyong mga kakampi at sumangguni sa mahuhusay na ministro; maghasik ka ng pagkakawatak-watak sa hanay ng kaaway sa pamamagitan ng kanilang sariling mga malalapit—hatiin ang bilva sa bilva: ibagsak ang kaaway sa paggamit ng sarili niyang mga sandigan laban sa kanya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches pragmatic rāja-nīti: after securing honorable patronage and public trust, a ruler should act with deliberation—consult ministers, consolidate allies, and weaken hostile forces by inducing internal division through the enemy’s own insiders, i.e., neutralize opposition using its own dependencies rather than relying only on open force.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction within the Śānti Parva, he points the listener toward King Janaka’s support and hospitality. Once the listener gains standing and credibility, Bhīṣma advises assembling friendly forces and, through careful counsel, orchestrating a split in the enemy camp via their confidants—summed up by the proverb ‘split the bilva with a bilva.’