12.096
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
atha yo vijigīṣeta kṣatriyaḥ kṣatriyaṃ yudhi। kas tasya dharmyo vijaya etat pṛṣṭo bravīhi me ॥12-96-1॥
Now, if a Kshatriya wishes to conquer another Kshatriya in battle, whose victory is righteous? Tell me this, as I ask you.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
sasahāyo'sahāyo vā rāṣṭram āgamya bhūmipaḥ। brūyād ahaṃ vo rājeti rakṣiṣyāmi ca vaḥ sadā॥12-96-2॥
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."
mama dharmyaṃ baliṃ datta kiṃ vā māṃ pratipatsyatha। te cettamāgataṃ tatra vṛṇuyuḥ kuśalaṃ bhavet ॥12-96-3॥
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.
te ced akṣatriyāḥ santo virudhyeyuḥ kathañcana। sarvopāyair niyantavyā vikarmasthā narādhipa ॥12-96-4॥
O king, if those who are not Kṣatriyas in any way oppose and engage in improper acts, they must be restrained by all means.
aśaktaṃ kṣatriyaṃ matvā śastraṃ gṛhṇāty athāparaḥ। trāṇāyāpy asamarthaṃ taṃ manyamānam atīva ca ॥12-96-5॥
Thinking the kṣatriya to be powerless, another takes up the weapon, believing him to be utterly incapable even for protection.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
atha yaḥ kṣatriyo rājā kṣatriyaṃ pratyupāvrajet। kathaṃ sa pratiyoddhavyas tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-96-6॥
Now, O grandfather, if a Kṣatriya king approaches another Kṣatriya, tell me how he should be opposed in battle.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
nāsaṁnaddho nākavaco yoddhavyaḥ kṣatriyo raṇe। eka ekena vācyaś ca visṛjasva kṣipāmi ca ॥12-96-7॥
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.
sa cetsamnaddha āgacchetsamnaddhavyaṃ tato bhavet। sa cetsasainya āgacchetsasainyastamathāhvayet ॥12-96-8॥
If he comes armed, then he should be met armed. If he comes with an army, then he should be challenged with an army.
sa cennikṛtyā yudhyeta nikṛtyā taṃ prayodhayet। atha ceddharmato yudhyeddharmeṇaiva nivārayet ॥12-96-9॥
If he fights deceitfully, he should be opposed by deceit; but if he fights righteously, he should be restrained only by righteousness.
nāśvena rathinaṃ yāyādudiyādrathinaṃ rathī। vyasane na prahartavyaṃ na bhītāya jitāya ca ॥12-96-10॥
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.
neṣur lipto na karṇī syād asatām etad āyudham। jayārtham eva yoddhavyaṃ na krudhye dajighāṃsataḥ ॥12-96-11॥
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.
sādhūnāṃ tu mithobhedātsādhuścedvyasanī bhavet। savraṇo nābhihantavyo nānapatyaḥ kathañcana ॥12-96-12॥
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.
bhagnaśastro vipannāśvaś-chinnajyo hatavāhanaḥ। cikitsyaḥ syāt-svaviṣaye prāpyo vā svagṛhān-bhavet ॥ nirvraṇo'pi ca moktavya eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥12-96-13॥
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.
tasmāddharmeṇa yoddhavyaṃ manuḥ svāyambhuvo'bravīt। satsu nityaṃ satāṃ dharmastamāsthāya na nāśayet ॥12-96-14॥
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.
yo vai jayaty adharmeṇa kṣatriyo vardhamānakaḥ। ātmānam ātmanā hanti pāpo nikṛtijīvanaḥ ॥12-96-15॥
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.
karma caitad asādhūnām asādhuṃ sādhuṇā jayet। dharmeṇa nidhanaṃ śreyo na jayaḥ pāpakarmaṇā ॥12-96-16॥
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.
nādharmas carito rājan sadyaḥ phalati gaur iva। mūlāny asya praśākhāś ca dahann anugacchati ॥12-96-17॥
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.
pāpena karmaṇā vittaṃ labdhvā pāpaḥ prahṛṣyati। sa vardhamānaḥ steyena pāpaḥ pāpe prasajjati ॥12-96-18॥
By evil deeds, when a wicked person acquires wealth, he rejoices. As he prospers through theft, the wicked person becomes increasingly attached to evil.
na dharmo'stīti manvānaḥ śucīn avahasann iva। aśraddadhāna-bhāvāc ca vināśam upagacchati॥12-96-19॥
One who thinks 'there is no dharma', mocking the pure as if, and due to lack of faith, attains destruction.
sa baddho vāruṇaiḥ pāśair amartya iva manyate। mahādṛtir ivādhmātaḥ svakṛtena vivardhate ॥12-96-20॥
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.
tataḥ samūlo hriyate nadīkūlādiva drumaḥ। athainamabhinindanti bhinnaṃ kumbhamivāśmani॥ tasmāddharmeṇa vijayaṃ kāmaṃ lipseta bhūmipaḥ॥12-96-21॥
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.
