Shloka 53
Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa
The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa
धनैर्विशिष्टान् मतिशीलपूजितान् गुणोपपन्नान् युधि दृष्टविक्रमान् । गुणेषु दृष्टवा न चिरादिवात्मवान् यतो$5भिसंधाय निहन्ति शात्रवान्
bhīṣma uvāca |
dhanair viśiṣṭān matiśīlapūjitān guṇopapannān yudhi dṛṣṭavikramān |
guṇeṣu dṛṣṭvā na cirād ivātmavān yato 'bhisaṃdhāya nihanti śātravān ||
毗湿摩说道：能自持的君王，若在治国权谋上恒常警醒——如结盟与在必要时毁盟——便能以深思熟虑的计略，不久便歼灭那些敌方英雄：他们富有，因智慧与操守而受敬重，德行具足，且其勇武已在战阵中得到证明。此教诲在于：王者之职要求不息的警觉与审慎的筹算；当以道德之力与政治之术来消弭威胁，即使对手外表显赫亦然。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even formidable enemies—rich, respected, virtuous, and battle-proven—can be overcome if a king remains self-controlled and continuously alert in applying political instruments like alliance (sandhi) and hostility/war (vigraha), using deliberate and well-planned stratagems.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on royal duty, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on practical governance: the ruler must assess an opponent’s strengths and still, through careful planning and timely policy decisions, neutralize hostile forces.