Shloka 6
Vāmadeva’s Rājadharma: Norm-Setting, Counsel, and the Prevention of Rāṣṭra-Vināśa (वामदेव-प्रोक्तं राजधर्मम्)
द्विषन्तं कृतकल्याणं गृहीत्वा नृपतिं रणे । यो न मानयते द्वेषात क्षत्रधर्मादपैति सः
dviṣantaṃ kṛtakalyāṇaṃ gṛhītvā nṛpatiṃ raṇe | yo na mānayate dveṣāt kṣatradharmād apaiti saḥ ||
Hat man im Kampf einen König gefangen, der einem feindlich gesinnt ist, der einem jedoch einst Nutzen oder guten Dienst erwiesen hat, so fällt derjenige, der ihn aus Hass nicht ehrt, von der Dharma eines Kṣatriya ab.
वामदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kṣatriya must uphold honor and fairness even toward an enemy; if the enemy has done one good turn, hatred should not erase gratitude or proper respect. Letting personal malice govern one’s conduct is a deviation from kṣatriya-dharma.
Vāmadeva states a rule of conduct for warriors: when a king is captured in battle, the captor should not, out of sheer hatred, deny him due honor—especially if that enemy had previously done some good. The verse frames this as a test of adherence to the warrior code.