राजधर्मानुशासन पर्व — राजा रणभूमि में अपनी सेनाओं का संचालन कैसे करें

Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, how kings seeking victory should, O foremost of Bharata's race, lead their troops to battle even by acting slightly against the rules of righteousness.

Bhishma said Some say that Righteousness is made permanent by Truth; some, by Reasoning; some, by good conduct; and some, by the application of means and contrivances.

I shall presently describe to you the means and contrivances, which yield immediate fruit. Robbers, transgressing all wholesome limits, very often become destroyers of property and religious merit.

For opposing and restraining them, I shall tell you the means indicated in the scriptures. Hear as I describe those means for the success of all deeds.

Both kinds of wisdom, plain and wily, should be within the king's reach. Though acquainted with it, he should not, however, apply the wily wisdom. He may use it for withstanding the dangers that may befall him.

Enemies frequently injure a king by creating disunion. The king, conversant with deceit, may, by the help of deceit, counteract those enemies.

Leathern armour for protecting the bodies of elephants, as also those for bulls, bones, thorns, and keen-pointed iron weapons, coats of mail, yak-tails, sharp and well-tempered weapons, all kinds of armour yellow and red, banners and standards of various colours, swords, lances, sharp scimitars, battle axes, spears and shields should be manufactured and kept profusely in store.

The weapons should all be properly whetted. The soldiers should be filled with courage and resolution. It is proper to march the troops in the month of Chaitra Agrahayana.

The crops ripen about that time and water also is not scarce. That time of the year, O Bharata, is neither very cold nor very hot.

Troops should, therefore, be marched at that time. If the enemy, however, be reduced to a miserable plight, troops should immediately be despatched. These (two) are the best occasions for the movement of troops for defeating the enemies.

That road which has profuse water and grass along it, which is level and easy of march, should be taken. The regions lying near the road should previously be reconnoitred through skilful spies having an intimate knowledge of the woods.

The troops must not, like animals, be marched through forests. Kings desirous of victory should, therefore, follow good roads for marching their army.

In the van should be placed a detachment of brave, strong and high born men. As regards forts, one which has walls and a trench full of water on every side and only one entrance, is the best.

While attacking enemies resistance may be offered from within it. In pitching the camp, a region lying near the forest is regarded as much better than one under the open sky by men who are masters of military science and warfare. The camp should be pitched for the troops not far from such a forest.

Pitching the camp at such a place, placing the infantry in a safe place, and meeting the foe as soon as he comes, are the means for preventing danger and distress.

Keeping the constellation called Ursa Major behind them, the troops should fight, standing firmly like hills. By this means, one may defeat even irresistible foes.

The soldiers should be placed in such a position that the wind, the sun, and the planet Shukra should blow and shine from behind them. For acquiring victory, the wind is superior to the Sun, and the sun is superior to Shukra, O Yudhishthira.

Men who know the art of warfare approve of a region which is freed from mire, and which is to watery, not uneven, and not abounding with bricks and stone, as well fitted for the operations of cavalry.

A field which is free from mire and holes is best suited for car-warriors. A region which abounds with bushes and large trees and which is under water is suited for elephant warriors.

A region which has many inaccessible spots, which abounds with huge trees and cane bushes, as also a hilly or woody region, is well suiles for the work of infantry.

An army, O Bharata, which has a large infantry, is considered very strong. An army which has a greater number of cars and horsemen is considered to be very powerful in a clear day.

An army, again, which consists of a greater number of infantry and elephants becomes effective in the rains. Having carefully observed these points, the king should devote his attention to the characteristics of place and time.

That king, who, having attended to all these points, marches, under a proper constellation and an auspicious luminary, always succeeds in acquiring victory by properly leading his troops.

No one should kill the sleepy, or the thirsty, or the fatigued, or one whose armours have fallen away, or one who has set his heart on final liberation, or one who is flying away, or one who is walking along a road, or one engaged in drinking or eating, or one who is mad, or one who is insane, or one who has been wounded morally, or one who has been greatly weakened by his wounds, or one who is residing confidentally, or one who has begun any task without having been able to finish it, or one who is a master of some particular art, or one who is in grief, or one who goes out of the camp for procuring forage or fodder, or men who pitch camps or are camp-followers, or those who wait at the gates of the king or of his ministers, or his menials, or the head of such servants.

Those of your warriors who break the ranks of enemies, or rally your retreating soldiers, should have their pay doubled and should be honoured by you with food, drink, and seats equal to your own.

The heads of ten soldiers amongst them should be made heads of a hundred. And the careful hero who is the head of a hundred soldiers, should be made the head of a thousand.

Gathering together the leading warriors, they should be addressed, saying,-Let us swear to conquer, and never to leave one another!

Let those, who are afraid of their life, remain where they are. Let those also stay behind who would cause their chiefs to be killed by themselves neglecting to act heroically in the thick of the fray!

Let such men only come as would never retreat from battle or cause their own comrades to be killed! Protecting their own selves as also their comrades, they are sure to kill the enemy in fight.

The result of retreating from battle is loss of wealth, death, infamy, and reproach. Unpleasant, sharp and cutting remarks await the fate of him who retreats from battle, who lose his lips and teeth, who casts off all his weapons, or who allows himself to be taken as a captive by the enemy. Let such evil results always befall the warriors of our enemies.

Those who retreat from battle are wretches among men. They simply increase the number of men. They will neither pass in this world nor in the next for true manhood.

Victorious enemies, O Sire, proceed gladly in pursuit of the flying combatants, their praises all the while recited by bards.

When enemies, coming to battle spoil the fame of a person, the misery the latter feels is more piercing, I think, than that of death itself.

Know that victory is the source of religious merit and of every sort of happiness. The heroes bear cheerfully what is regarded as the highest misery by cowards.

Determined upon acquiring heaven we should fight not caring for life itself, and prepared to conquer or die, and we would attain then a blessed end in heaven!

Having taken such an oath, and prepared to cast away his itself, heroes should bravely rush against the enemy's ranks.

In the van should be posted a detachment of men armed with swords and shields. In the rear should be planted the car-division. In the interstice should be placed other classes of warriors.

This should be the arrangement for attacking the enemy. The veterans of the army should fight in the van. They would protect their comrades in the rear.

Those who are the foremost of strength and courage, should be placed in the van. The others should stand behind them.

The fear-stricken should, with care, be comforted and encouraged. These weaker combatants should be placed on the field only to show the number of the army to the foe.

If the troops are few, they should be arranged closely for the fight. When necessary, if their leader wishes, the close arrangement may be extended wide. When a small number of soldiers is to fight with a great many, they should be arranged like a needle-point.

When a small army is engaged with a larger one, the leader of the former may shake hands with his men and cry aloud, saying,-The enemy is routed! The enemy is routed!

The strong amongst them should resist the enemy, loudly saying to their comrades, Fresh friends have arrived! Fearlessly strike at your enemies!

Those who have gone in advance should utter loud shouts and make various kinds of noises and should blow and beas Krakachas, cow-horns, drums, cymbals, and kettle-drums.'