Shloka 29
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
कालाकालौ सम्प्रधार्य बलाबलमथात्मन: । परस्य च बल ज्ञात्वा तत्रात्मानं नियोजयेत्
kālā-kālau sampradhārya balābalam athātmanaḥ | parasya ca balaṃ jñātvā tatrātmānaṃ niyojayet ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Hãy cân nhắc kỹ thời thế thuận hay nghịch cho mình, phe mình mạnh hay yếu; lại phải hiểu rõ sức mạnh của đối phương. Rồi khi ấy mới dốc thân theo đường lối thích đáng—dù là chiến hay hòa.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sound policy begins with sober assessment: judge the timing (favorable/unfavorable), measure one’s own strength and weakness, and also understand the opponent’s power; only then should one choose and commit to war or to peace.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship and conduct, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on practical statecraft: decisions like making war or concluding peace must be based on careful evaluation of circumstances and relative power.