Shanti Parva Adhyaya 104 Shloka 13 - Mahabharata | Chinese | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 13

मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्

Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition

Devanagari script

न संनिपात: कर्तव्य: सामान्ये विजये सति । विश्वास्यैवोपसन्नार्थों वशे कृत्वा रिपु: प्रभो

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | na sannipātaḥ kartavyaḥ sāmānye vijaye sati | viśvāsyaivopasannārtho vaśe kṛtvā ripuḥ prabho ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“当战场上的胜利乃是寻常而又无常之物——可能落在任何人手中——便不应为此仓促求取正面冲突。相反，主上啊，应先赢得敌人的信任，使其受制；待时机成熟，再一举摧毁他的一切谋划。”

Word by Word

नnot

संनिपातःbattle/armed encounter; coming together (of armies)

कर्तव्यःto be done; should be undertaken

सामान्येin (something) common/ordinary

विजयेin victory

सतिwhen (it) exists; being (present)

विश्वास्यto be made trusting; to be won over (by trust)

एवindeed; only

उपसन्नार्थःone whose aim is to approach/seek (an opportunity); having approached with a purpose

वशेin control; under power

कृत्वाhaving made; having brought (into)

रिपुःenemy

प्रभोO lord

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

enemy (ripu)

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

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma advises that since battlefield victory is not guaranteed and can go to anyone, a ruler should avoid needless direct confrontation and instead use statecraft—winning the opponent’s trust, gaining leverage, and then neutralizing the opponent’s plans at an opportune time.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs the king on governance and political conduct. Here he presents a counsel of rāja-nīti: do not seek a head-on battle when outcomes are uncertain; prefer controlled, calculated measures to subdue an enemy and thwart his intentions.