Shloka 10
बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः
Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra
श्रेयो वदामि युष्माकं॑ न हिंसेयमवस्थितान्
śreyo vadāmi yuṣmākaṁ na hiṁseyam avasthitān | yo ‘haṁ bhavān iti brūyād raṇe jitvā mayā tv iti | sa tiṣṭhann api me ‘grato na taṁ hanyāṁ yodhāḥ ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Aku menyampaikan demi kesejahteraan kalian: aku tidak akan melukai mereka yang berhenti bertempur. Siapa pun di antara kalian yang, mengakui kalah di medan laga, berkata, ‘Aku milikmu; engkau telah menaklukkanku dalam perang,’—meski ia berdiri tepat di hadapanku, tetap tidak akan kubunuh. Setelah mendengar ini, lakukanlah apa yang masing-masing kalian pandang sebagai yang paling bermanfaat.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes a dharmic restraint in warfare: a combatant who openly accepts defeat and submits should not be harmed. It frames mercy toward the surrendered as a higher, welfare-producing course (śreyaḥ), placing ethical limits on violence even amid battle.
The speaker announces a rule to the assembled warriors: if any opponent acknowledges defeat and declares submission—‘I am yours; you have conquered me’—then even if that person remains standing before him, he will not be slain. The warriors are then told to choose their course based on what they judge to be in their best interest.