Shloka 32
Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)
नैतत् प्रशंसन्त्याचार्या न च साधुनिदर्शनम् | अक्रोधेनाविनाशेन नियन्तव्या: स्वपुत्रवत्
naitat praśaṃsanty ācāryā na ca sādhunidarśanam | akrodhenāvināśena niyantavyāḥ svaputravat |
Bhishma said: “Teachers do not commend this, nor is it an example set by the virtuous. A king should bring even his enemy under control as if he were his own son—without anger and without destroying him.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that righteous governance avoids wrath and needless destruction: even an enemy should be restrained with calm discipline, as one would correct one’s own child, rather than being annihilated in anger.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises the king (Yudhiṣṭhira in context) that certain harsh measures are not endorsed by authoritative teachers or exemplified by the virtuous; the proper approach is controlled, non-angry subjugation rather than extermination.