Shloka 50
अध्याय १ — न्यग्रोधवनोपवेशनम् तथा द्रौणिनिश्चयः
Night at the Banyan and Drauṇi’s Resolve
तं जना बहु मन्यन्ते ये च शास्त्रविशारदा: । “यदि छलसे काम लूँ तो अवश्य मेरे अभीष्ट मनोरथकी सिद्धि हो सकती है। शत्रुओंका महान् संहार भी तभी सम्भव होगा। जहाँ सिद्धि मिलनेमें संदेह हो
taṁ janā bahu manyante ye ca śāstraviśāradāḥ | yadi chalase kāma lūṁ to avaśya mama abhīṣṭa-manorathasya siddhiḥ śakyā | śatrūṇāṁ mahān saṁhāro 'pi tadaiva sambhavaḥ | yatra siddhi-lābhe saṁśayaḥ syāt, tasyāpekṣayā tad-upāyasyāvalambanaṁ śreyaḥ yatra saṁśayāya sthānaṁ na syāt | sādhāraṇā janāḥ śāstrajñāś ca tam eva adhikaṁ ādaraṁ kurvanti || yac cāpy atra bhaved vācyaṁ garhitaṁ lokaninditam
三阇耶说道：“许多人——包括精通诸论典（śāstra）者——都持此见：‘若我为成就所愿而诉诸诡计，则我所希求之事必能实现。唯有如此，方能造成对敌军的巨大屠戮。若对成功尚存疑虑，不如采取那种不给疑惧留下余地的手段。无论凡俗之人，还是通晓经典的权威，都更敬重这样的道路。’然而，在此事上，凡可被言说为可责、为世人所讥斥者……”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension between pragmatic success and moral legitimacy: many—both common people and learned authorities—may endorse a sure means to victory (even deception), yet such speech or conduct can still be blameworthy and socially condemned. It frames the ethical problem of choosing effective strategy versus righteous conduct.
Sañjaya reports a line of reasoning that justifies adopting deception as a reliable strategy to achieve one’s objective and destroy enemies, emphasizing certainty of success. The verse then pivots toward the counterpoint—acknowledging that what is said or done here may be censured and condemned—setting up the moral scrutiny surrounding the actions in the Sauptika episode.