Shloka 14
धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः
Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement
निर्वरणक्ष॒ स मोक्तव्य एष धर्म: सनातन: । तस्माद् धर्मेण योद्धव्यमिति स्वायम्भुवोडब्रवीत्
nirvaraṇakṣaḥ sa moktavya eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | tasmād dharmeṇa yoddhavyam iti svāyambhuvo 'bravīt ||
Bhishma said: “One who is unprotected and wounded should be released; this is the eternal law of dharma. Therefore one should fight in accordance with dharma—so declared Svayambhuva Manu.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in warfare, conduct must be governed by dharma: an unprotected and wounded opponent should be spared, and fighting should be carried out only through righteous means as taught by the ancient lawgiver Manu.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhishma cites Svayambhuva Manu to articulate a rule of dharma-yuddha: mercy toward a defenseless wounded person, alongside the broader obligation to wage war only in accordance with dharma.