"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, how kings desirous of victory
should, O bull of Bharata's race, lead their troops to battle even by
offending slightly against the rules of righteousness!'
"Bhishma said: 'Some say that righteousness is made stable by truth;
some, by reasoning: so me, by good behaviour; and some, by the
application of means and contrivances. I shall presently tell thee
what the means and contrivances, productive of immediate fruit, are.
Robbers, transgressing all wholesome bounds, very often become destroyers
of property and religious merit. For resisting and restraining them. I
shall tell thee what the contrivances are, as indicated in the
scriptures. Listen to me as I speak of those means for the success of all
acts. Both kinds of wisdom, straight and crooked, should be within call
of the king. Though acquainted with it, he should not, however, apply
that wisdom which is crooked (for injuring others). He may use it for
resisting the dangers that may overtake him. Enemies frequently injure a
king by producing disunion (among his ministers or troops or allies or
subjects). The king, conversant with deceit, may, by the aid of deceit,
counteract those enemies. Leathern armour for protecting the bodies of
elephants, armour of the same material for bovine bulls, bones, thorns,
and keen-pointed weapons made of iron, coats of mail, yak-tails, sharp
and well-tempered weapons, all kinds of armour, yellow and red, banners
and standards of diverse hues, swords, and lances and scimitars of great
sharpness and battle-axes, and spears and shields, should be manufactured
and stored in abundance. The weapons should all be properly whetted. The
soldiers should be inspired with courage and resolution. It is proper to
set the troops in motion in the month of Chaitra or Agrahayana. The crops
ripen about that time and water also does not become scarce. That time of
the year, O Bharata, is neither very cold nor very hot. Troops should,
therefore, be moved at that time. If the enemy, however, be overtaken by
distress, troops should immediately be set in motion (without waiting for
such a favourable time). These (two) are the best occasions for the
motion of troops with a view to subjugate foes. That road which has
abundance of water and grass along it, which is level and easy of march,
should be adopted (in moving the troops). The regions lying near the road
(on both its sides) should previously be well ascertained through spies
possessed of skill and having an intimate knowledge of the woods. The
troops must not, like animals, be marched through woody regions. Kings
desirous of victory should, therefore, adopt good roads for marching
their troops. In the van should be placed a division of brave men, endued
with strength and high birth. As regards forts, that which has walls and
a trench full of water on every side and only one entrance, is worthy of
praise. In respect of invading foes, resistance may be offered from
within it. In pitching the camp, a region lying near the woods is
regarded as much better than one under the open sky by men conversant
with war and possessed of military accomplishments. The camp should be
pitched for the troops not far from such a wood. Pitching the camp at
such a place, planting the foot-soldiers in a position of safety, and
collision with the foe as soon as he comes, are the means for warding off
danger and distress. Keeping the constellation called Ursa Major
behind them, the troops should fight taking up their stand like hills. By
this means, one may vanquish even foes that are irresistible. The troops
should be placed in such a position that the wind, the sun, and the
planet Sukra should blow and shine from behind them. As means for
ensuing victory the wind is superior to the Sun, and the Sun is superior
to Sukra, O Yudhishthira. Men conversant with war approve of a region
that is not miry, not watery, not uneven, and not abounding with bricks
and stone, as well-fitted for the operations of cavalry. A field that is
free from mire and holes is fitted for car-warriors. A region that is
overgrown with bushes and large trees and that is under water is fitted
for elephant-warriors. A region that has many inaccessible spots, that is
overgrown with large trees and topes of cane bushes, as also a
mountainous or woody tract, is well-fitted for the operations of
infantry. An army, O Bharata, which has a large infantry force, is
regarded very strong. An army in which cars and horsemen predominate is
regarded to be very effective in a clear (unrainy) day. An army, again;
in which footsoldiers and elephants predominate becomes effective in the
rainy season. Having attended to these points (about the characters of
the different kinds of forces and the manner of marching, quartering, and
leading them), the king should turn his attention to the characteristics
of place and time. That king, who having attended to all these
considerations, sets out under a proper constellation and on an
auspicious lunation, always succeeds in obtaining victory by properly
leading his troops. No one should slay those that are asleep or thirsty
or fatigued, or those whose accoutrements have fallen away, or one that
has set his heart on final emancipation, or one that is flying away,
or one that is walking (unprepared) along a road, or one engaged in
drinking or eating, or one that is mad, or one that is insane, or one
that has been wounded mortally, or one that has been exceedingly weakened
by his wounds, or one that is staying trustfully, or one that has begun
any task without having been able to complete it, or one that is
skilled in some especial art (as mining, etc.), or one that is in grief,
or one that goes out of the camp for procuring forage or fodder, or men
who set up camps or are camp-followers, or those that wait at the gates
of the king or of his ministers, or those that do menial services (unto
the chiefs of the army), or those that are chiefs of such servants. Those
amongst thy warriors that break the rank of foes, or rally thy retreating
troops, should have their pay doubled and should be honoured by thee with
food, drink, and seats equal to thy own. Those amongst such that are
chiefs of ten soldiers should be made chiefs of a hundred. That heedful
hero again (amongst them) who is the chief of a hundred soldiers should
be made the chief of a thousand. Collecting together the principal
warriors, they should be addressed, thus: 'Let us swear to conquer, and
never to desert one another. Let those that are inspired with fear stay
here. Let those also stay here that would cause their chiefs to be slain
by themselves neglecting to act heroically in the press of battle. Let
such men come as would never break away from battle or cause their own
comrades to be slain. Protecting their own selves as also their comrades,
they are certain to slay the enemy in fight. The consequence of flying
away from battle are loss of wealth, death, infamy, and reproach.
Disagreeable and cutting speeches have to be heard by that man who flies
away from battle, who loses his lips and teeth, who throws away all
his weapons, or who suffers himself to be taken as a captive by the foe.
Let such evil consequences always overtake the warriors of our foes.
Those that fly away from battle are wretches among men. They simply swell
the tale of human beings on earth. For true manhood, however, they are
neither here nor hereafter. Victorious foes, O sire, proceed cheerfully.
Their praises recited the while by bards, in pursuit of the flying
combatants. When enemies, coming to battle tarnish the fame of a person,
the misery the latter feels is more poignant, I think, than that of death
itself. Know that victory is the root of religious merit and of every
kind of happiness. That which is regarded as the highest misery by
cowards is cheerfully borne by those that are heroes. Resolved upon
acquiring heaven, we should fight, regardless of life itself, and
determined to conquer or die, attain a blessed end in heaven. Having
taken such an oath, and prepared to throwaway life itself, heroes should
courageously rush against the enemy's ranks. In the van should be placed
a division of men armed with swords and shields. In the rear should be
placed the car-division. In the space intervening should be placed other
classes of combatants. This should be the arrangement made for assailing
the foe. Those combatants in the army that are veterans should fight in
the van. They would protect their comrades behind them. Those amongst the
army that would be regarded as foremost for strength and courage, should
be placed in the van. The others should stand behind them. They that are
inspired with fear should, with care, be comforted and encouraged. These
weaker combatants should be placed on the field (without being withdrawn)
for at least showing the number of the army (to the foe). If the
troops are few, they should be drawn close together for the fight. At
times, if their leader wishes, the close array may be extended wide. When
a small number of troops is to fight with a great army, the array called
Suchimukha should be formed. When a small force is engaged with a
large one, the leader of the former may shake hands with his men and
utter loud cries to effect, 'The enemy has broken! The enemy has broken!'
Those among them that are endued with strength should resist the enemy,
loudly unto their comrades, 'Fresh friends have arrived! Fearlessly
strike at your foes!' Those that are in advance of the rest should utter
loud shouts and make diverse kinds of noises, and should blow and beat
Krakachas, cow-horns, drums, cymbals, and kettle-drums.'"
