Shloka 23
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
बहुदुर्गा महाकक्षा वेणुवेत्रसमाकुला । पदातीनां क्षमा भूमि: पर्वतोपवनानि च
bahudurgā mahākakṣā veṇuvetrasamākulā | padātīnāṃ kṣamā bhūmiḥ parvatopavanāni ca ||
毗湿摩说道：那极难通行之地——天然障碍重重，荆棘丛生，竹与藤蔓塞道，又兼有山岭与林苑——最适合步兵作战。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a ruler must match troop deployment to terrain: dense, obstructed, mountainous or wooded ground benefits infantry by providing cover and restricting faster units like chariots and cavalry.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance and warfare, Bhishma explains to the inquirer how different landscapes determine which military arm is most effective; here he identifies the kind of difficult, overgrown terrain best suited for foot-soldiers.