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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अथ यो विजिगीषेत क्षत्रियः क्षत्रियं युधि। कस्तस्य धर्म्यो विजय एतत्पृष्टो ब्रवीहि मे ॥१२-९६-१॥
Now, if a Kshatriya wishes to conquer another Kshatriya in battle, whose victory is righteous? Tell me this, as I ask you.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
ससहायोऽसहायो वा राष्ट्रमागम्य भूमिपः। ब्रूयादहं वो राजेति रक्षिष्यामि च वः सदा ॥१२-९६-२॥
Whether with or without allies, upon entering the kingdom, the king should declare to the people: "I am your king and I will always protect you."
मम धर्म्यं बलिं दत्त किं वा मां प्रतिपत्स्यथ। ते चेत्तमागतं तत्र वृणुयुः कुशलं भवेत् ॥१२-९६-३॥
If my righteous offering has been given, will you accept me or not? If they choose the one who has come there, then welfare would result.
ते चेदक्षत्रियाः सन्तो विरुध्येयुः कथञ्चन। सर्वोपायैर्नियन्तव्या विकर्मस्था नराधिप ॥१२-९६-४॥
O king, if those who are not Kṣatriyas in any way oppose and engage in improper acts, they must be restrained by all means.
अशक्तं क्षत्रियं मत्वा शस्त्रं गृह्णात्यथापरः। त्राणायाप्यसमर्थं तं मन्यमानमतीव च ॥१२-९६-५॥
Thinking the kṣatriya to be powerless, another takes up the weapon, believing him to be utterly incapable even for protection.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अथ यः क्षत्रियो राजा क्षत्रियं प्रत्युपाव्रजेत्। कथं स प्रतियोद्धव्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-९६-६॥
Now, O grandfather, if a Kṣatriya king approaches another Kṣatriya, tell me how he should be opposed in battle.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
नासंनद्धो नाकवचो योद्धव्यः क्षत्रियो रणे। एक एकेन वाच्यश्च विसृजस्व क्षिपामि च ॥१२-९६-७॥
A warrior should not be fought if he is unarmored or without armor in battle. Each should be addressed one by one; now release, I am about to throw.
स चेत्संनद्ध आगच्छेत्संनद्धव्यं ततो भवेत्। स चेत्ससैन्य आगच्छेत्ससैन्यस्तमथाह्वयेत् ॥१२-९६-८॥
If he comes armed, then he should be met armed. If he comes with an army, then he should be challenged with an army.
स चेन्निकृत्या युध्येत निकृत्या तं प्रयोधयेत्। अथ चेद्धर्मतो युध्येद्धर्मेणैव निवारयेत् ॥१२-९६-९॥
If he fights deceitfully, he should be opposed by deceit; but if he fights righteously, he should be restrained only by righteousness.
नाश्वेन रथिनं यायादुदियाद्रथिनं रथी। व्यसने न प्रहर्तव्यं न भीताय जिताय च ॥१२-९६-१०॥
A chariot-warrior should not proceed with a charioteer who is without a horse, nor should he ascend such a charioteer. In times of distress, one should not strike at the frightened or the conquered.
नेषुर्लिप्तो न कर्णी स्यादसतामेतदायुधम्। जयार्थमेव योद्धव्यं न क्रुध्येदजिघांसतः ॥१२-९६-११॥
One should not use arrows smeared or with ear-shaped parts, as such weapons belong to the wicked. Fight only for victory, and do not become angry with those who do not wish to harm.
साधूनां तु मिथोभेदात्साधुश्चेद्व्यसनी भवेत्। सव्रणो नाभिहन्तव्यो नानपत्यः कथञ्चन ॥१२-९६-१२॥
But if, due to mutual dissension, a virtuous person becomes afflicted, one who is wounded should not be struck, nor should a childless person be harmed in any way.
भग्नशस्त्रो विपन्नाश्वश्छिन्नज्यो हतवाहनः। चिकित्स्यः स्यात्स्वविषये प्राप्यो वा स्वगृहान्भवेत् ॥ निर्व्रणोऽपि च मोक्तव्य एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥१२-९६-१३॥
A warrior whose weapon is broken, whose horse is lost, whose bowstring is cut, or whose vehicle is destroyed should be cared for in his own territory or brought to his home. Even if he is uninjured, he should be released; this is the eternal law.
तस्माद्धर्मेण योद्धव्यं मनुः स्वायम्भुवोऽब्रवीत्। सत्सु नित्यं सतां धर्मस्तमास्थाय न नाशयेत् ॥१२-९६-१४॥
Therefore, Manu Svāyambhuva said that one must fight by dharma. Among the good, one should always uphold the dharma of the virtuous and, having resorted to it, never destroy it.
यो वै जयत्यधर्मेण क्षत्रियो वर्धमानकः। आत्मानमात्मना हन्ति पापो निकृतिजीवनः ॥१२-९६-१५॥
The kṣatriya named Vardhamānaka, who indeed conquers by unrighteous means, destroys himself by his own actions; the sinful one who lives by deceit harms himself.
कर्म चैतदसाधूनामसाधुं साधुना जयेत्। धर्मेण निधनं श्रेयो न जयः पापकर्मणा ॥१२-९६-१६॥
Action should be such that the unrighteous are conquered by the righteous; it is better to die righteously than to achieve victory through evil deeds.
नाधर्मश्चरितो राजन्सद्यः फलति गौरिव। मूलान्यस्य प्रशाखाश्च दहन्समनुगच्छति ॥१२-९६-१७॥
O king, unrighteous acts do not yield results immediately; just as when a cow is burned, its roots and branches are consumed together, so too the consequences follow in due course.
पापेन कर्मणा वित्तं लब्ध्वा पापः प्रहृष्यति। स वर्धमानः स्तेयेन पापः पापे प्रसज्जति ॥१२-९६-१८॥
By evil deeds, when a wicked person acquires wealth, he rejoices. As he prospers through theft, the wicked person becomes increasingly attached to evil.
न धर्मोऽस्तीति मन्वानः शुचीनवहसन्निव। अश्रद्दधानभावाच्च विनाशमुपगच्छति ॥१२-९६-१९॥
One who thinks 'there is no dharma', mocking the pure as if, and due to lack of faith, attains destruction.
स बद्धो वारुणैः पाशैरमर्त्य इव मन्यते। महादृतिरिवाध्मातः स्वकृतेन विवर्धते ॥१२-९६-२०॥
He, bound by Varuṇa's nooses, imagines himself to be immortal. Like a greatly steadfast person, puffed up, he grows due to his own actions.
ततः समूलो ह्रियते नदीकूलादिव द्रुमः। अथैनमभिनिन्दन्ति भिन्नं कुम्भमिवाश्मनि ॥ तस्माद्धर्मेण विजयं कामं लिप्सेत भूमिपः ॥१२-९६-२१॥
Then, just as a tree with its roots is carried away from the riverbank, so too is he; then they reproach him like a broken pot on a stone. Therefore, a king should seek victory by righteousness as desired.
