Shloka 8
उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः
Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment
Devanagari script
सितपीतानि शस्त्राणि संनाहा: पीतलोहिता: । नानारञज्जनरक्ता: स्यु: पताका: केतवश्व ह
Transliteration
sitapītāni śastrāṇi sannāhāḥ pītalohitāḥ | nānārañjanaraktāḥ syuḥ patākāḥ ketavaś ca ha, kuntīnandana |
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“当使兵刃光耀——白与黄——又使甲胄染成黄与赤。噢，昆蒂之子啊，当令旗帜与旌旄以诸般染色，绚丽多彩。君王应将此等军备大量备办，常置身旁，使军士与坐骑得以护持，邦国亦得安固。”
Word by Word
सितपीतानिwhite and yellow
सितपीतानि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसित-पीत
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
शस्त्राणिweapons
शस्त्राणि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशस्त्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
संनाहाःarmours, harnesses
संनाहाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसंनाह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पीतलोहिताःyellow and red
पीतलोहिताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपीत-लोहित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
नानाvariously, of many kinds
नाना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाना
रञ्जनwith dye/coloring (agent)
रञ्जन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरञ्जन
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
रक्ताःdyed, colored
रक्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootरक्त
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
स्युःshould be
स्युः:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormOptative, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada
पताकाःflags, banners
पताकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपताका
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
केतवःstandards, ensigns
केतवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकेतु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
हindeed (emphatic particle)
ह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootह
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaK
Kuntīnandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)W
weapons (śastra)A
armour (sannāha)B
banners (patākā)S
standards (ketu)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A ruler must practice prudent preparedness: maintaining well-equipped defenses and organized military resources is presented as part of rājadharma—protecting subjects and preserving order.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and lists the kinds of military equipment—arms, armour, banners, and standards—that should be kept ready in abundance.