Shloka 34
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
न संनिपाते प्रदरं वर्ध॑ वा कुर्युरीदृशा: । आत्मानं च स्वपक्षं च पालयन् हन्ति संयुगे
na sannipāte pradaraṁ vardha vā kuryur īdṛśāḥ | ātmānaṁ ca svapakṣaṁ ca pālayan hanti saṁyuge ||
毗湿摩说道：“此等之人，在战阵拥挤之际，既不能冲破并驱散敌军行列，也不能真正斩杀敌众。唯有勇武之士，护持自身与己方军伍，方能在交锋中歼灭仇敌。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that battlefield success and righteous effectiveness require courage and steadiness: a timid person cannot create a decisive breach in the enemy or finish the fight, whereas a true hero protects himself and his own forces while striking down the enemy.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and conduct. Here he comments on warfare and leadership, contrasting cowardice with the warrior’s responsibility to protect his own side and act decisively in combat.