Shloka 36
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
यदि युद्धका ही निश्चय हो तो पशुशालाओंको वनमेंसे उठाकर सड़कोंपर ले आवे, छोटे-छोटे गाँवोंको उठा दे और उन सबको शाखानगरों (कस्बों) में मिला दे ।।
yadi yuddhakā hi niścayo bhavet, paśuśālāḥ vanāt samuddhṛtya rathyeṣu ānayet; kṣudrāṇi grāmāṇi samuddharet, tāni sarvāṇi śākhānagareṣu (nigameṣu) saṃyojayet. ye guptāś caiva durgāś ca deśāḥ, teṣu praveśayet; dhaninaḥ balamukhyāṃś ca sāntvayitvā punaḥ punaḥ, rājye ye pradhānāḥ senānāyakāḥ pramukhā vā senāḥ, tān sarvān atyanta-gupta-durgameṣu sthāpayet.
毗湿摩说道：“若已确然决意用兵，统治者当将牛棚畜舍自林中迁出，移至大道之旁；又当迁徙小村，使之并入边镇支城。并应将民众与资财转入既隐蔽又难以攻入的地域。凡富户与军中要员——乃至诸主力部队——都当一再加以安抚鼓舞，然后安置于极其隐秘、凭借地势天然可守之处。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
When war becomes unavoidable, a ruler’s dharma shifts to protective governance: consolidate vulnerable settlements, secure resources, place key personnel and forces in concealed and defensible locations, and sustain public and military morale through repeated reassurance.
Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on rājadharma in the Shanti Parva, outlining practical steps a king should take once the decision for war is made—relocating villages and assets, and deploying leaders and troops to secure, hard-to-attack areas.