Shloka 54
Sainyasaṅgraha and Bhāga-Vyavasthā (Forces Assembled and Rival Allocations) | सैन्यसंग्रह-भागव्यवस्था
भवता यद् विधातव्य॑ तन्न: श्रेय: परंतप । संग्रामादपयातानां भग्नानां शरणैषिणाम्,“परंतप! तुम जो कुछ करोगे, वही हमारे लिये मंगलकारी होगा। जो वीर पुरुष अपना पौरुष प्रकट करते हुए युद्धभूमिसे पराजित होकर भागे हुए शरणार्थी सैनिकोंके सामने खड़ा होता (और उनके भयका निवारण करता) है, उसे सहस्रोंकी सम्पत्ति देकर भी खरीद ले (अपने पक्षमें कर ले); यही नीतिज्ञ पुरुषोंका मत है
sañjaya uvāca |
bhavatā yad vidhātavyaṃ tan naḥ śreyaḥ parantapa |
saṃgrāmād apayātānāṃ bhagnānāṃ śaraṇaiṣiṇām |
Wika ni Sanjaya: “O Parantapa, anumang ipasiya mong gawin ay magiging ikabubuti namin. At tungkol sa mga tumalikod sa labanan—wasak ang loob at naghahanap ng masisilungan—dapat makuha ang panig ng bayaning tumatayo sa harap nila at nag-aalis ng kanilang takot, kahit pa kapalit nito ang yaman ng libo-libo; ganyan ang hatol ng mga bihasa sa pamamahala.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective and ethical leadership in crisis includes protecting those who are frightened and seeking refuge; a steadfast protector who restores morale is so valuable that wise political thinkers advise securing such support even at great material cost.
Sanjaya addresses ‘Parantapa’ and affirms that the addressee’s decision will be beneficial. He then frames a counsel drawn from statecraft: in the context of war, when troops have retreated and are demoralized, the leader should rely on (and even richly reward) the hero who can stand firm before them and remove their fear.