Shloka 1
धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः
Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement
(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके ५ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल १८ श्लोक हैं) ऑपन--माजर बक। -ज॑ऑ:डिे् पञ्चनवतितमो< ध्याय: विजयाभिलाषी राजाके धर्मानुकूल बर्ताव तथा युद्धनीतिका वर्णन युधिछिर उवाच अथ यो विजिगीषित क्षत्रिय: क्षत्रियं युधि । कस्तस्य विजये धर्मों होतं पृष्टो वदस्व मे
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: atha yo vijigīṣuḥ kṣatriyaḥ kṣatriyaṃ yudhi | kas tasya vijaye dharmo hotaṃ pṛṣṭo vadasva me ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Grandfather, if a kṣatriya who longs for conquest goes to war against another kṣatriya, what is the dharma that leads to his victory? Asked by me, please tell me.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a rājadharma inquiry: victory in war is not treated as mere force or strategy, but as something that must be grounded in dharma—rightful conduct and duty—especially when one kṣatriya confronts another.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira approaches Bhīṣma as an authority on dharma and asks what code of conduct a conquest-seeking king should follow to attain victory in a war against another king.