Shloka 36
Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)
अहो जीवितमाकाडुक्षेन्नेद्शो वधमर्हति । सुदुर्लभा: सुपुरुषा: संग्रामेष्वपलायिन:
aho jīvitam ākāṅkṣen nedṛśo vadham arhati | sudurlabhāḥ supuruṣāḥ saṅgrāmeṣv apalāyinaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “Alas, every being longs to preserve life; therefore a man of this kind does not deserve to be slain. Truly rare in this world are noble men who do not turn their backs in battle.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even within the harsh sphere of warfare, Bhīṣma highlights an ethical intuition: since all beings cherish life, the killing of a truly steadfast and noble warrior is morally weighty and not to be treated lightly; such courage without retreat is rare and worthy of honor.
Bhīṣma laments the slaying of a brave, non-retreating warrior and underscores the rarity of such men in battle, framing the event as ethically significant rather than merely a tactical success.