Shloka 16
मृदु-तीक्ष्ण-नीति तथा दुष्टलक्षण-विज्ञानम्
Measured Policy and the Recognition of Malicious Disposition
शत्रुके द्वारा उपेक्षा अथवा अवहेलना की जानेपर भी राजा अपने मनमें हिम्मत न हारे। वह मन्त्रियोंसहित मन्त्रवेत्ता महापुरुषोंके साथ कर्त्तव्यका निश्चय करके समय आनेपर जब शत्रुकी स्थिति कुछ डाँवाडोल हो जाय, तब उसपर प्रहार करे और विश्वासपात्र पुरुषोंको भेजकर उनके द्वारा शत्रुकी सेनामें फूट डलवा दे ।।
śatruṇā kṛtām upekṣām avajñāṁ vā prāpya api rājā manasā dhṛtiṁ na hārayet | sa mantribhiḥ saha mantravidbhir mahāpuruṣaiḥ saha kartavyasya niścayaṁ kṛtvā kāle prāpte yadā śatroḥ sthitiḥ kiñcid vyākulā bhavati tadā tasmin prahāraṁ kuryāt | viśvāsapātrān puruṣān preṣya teṣāṁ dvārā śatroḥ senāyāṁ bhedaṁ janayet || ādi-madhyāvasāna-jñaḥ pracchannaṁ ca vidhārayet | balāni dūṣayed asya jānann eva pramāṇataḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：“纵使敌人轻慢或蔑视，国王也不可丧志。应与诸臣及精于谋略的智者共议，裁定当行之道。待时机成熟——当敌势稍显动摇——便当出击。又当遣可信之人潜入其军，播下离间之种。既知敌国疆域自始至中至终，便当秘而议之；并在准确察明敌之兵力之后，以分裂之策削弱其势。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must maintain inner firmness despite provocation, decide duty through expert counsel, act only at the right moment, and use informed, covert measures—including creating divisions in the enemy’s forces—to protect the kingdom.
In Bhishma’s instruction on rajadharma in the Shanti Parva, he advises the king on how to respond to an enemy’s contempt: deliberate secretly with ministers, assess the enemy’s strength and boundaries, wait for instability, then strike and employ trusted agents to fracture the enemy’s army.