Shloka 16
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
अविक्षतेन देहेन समराद् यो निवर्तते । क्षत्रियो नास्य तत् कर्म प्रशंसन्ति पुराविद:
avikṣatena dehena samarād yo nivartate | kṣatriyo nāsya tat karma praśaṃsanti purāvidaḥ ||
Bhishma dit : «Le kshatriya qui revient du champ de bataille le corps intact—sans avoir reçu la moindre blessure—ne reçoit aucune louange pour cet acte de la part des sages qui connaissent le dharma ancien».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Within kshatriya-dharma, honor lies in facing danger and fulfilling one’s martial duty; withdrawing from battle without even being wounded is censured by authorities on ancient dharma as conduct unworthy of praise.
Bhishma is instructing on standards of warrior conduct: he states that learned upholders of traditional dharma do not commend a kshatriya who returns from combat without having borne any injury, implying he avoided proper engagement.