Shloka 12
Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)
जो कोई धर्मका लोप और मर्यादाको भंग करके विजय पाता है, उसके इस बर्तावका विजयाभिलाषी नरेशको अनुसरण नहीं करना चाहिये। धर्मके द्वारा प्राप्त हुई विजयसे बढ़कर दूसरा कौन-सा लाभ हो सकता है? ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | yo ko'pi dharmasya lopaṁ maryādāyāś ca bhaṅgaṁ kṛtvā vijayaṁ prāpnoti, tasya etādṛśaṁ vyavahāraṁ vijayābhilāṣiṇā nṛpeṇa nānusaraṇīyam | dharmeṇa prāptād vijayāt paraṁ dvitīyaṁ ko nāma lābhaḥ syāt? || sahasā anāryabhūtāni kṣipram eva prasādayet | sāntvena bhogadānena sa rājñāṁ paramo nayaḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「勝利を希う王は、ダルマを滅ぼし、定められた規範の境界を破って勝つ者の振る舞いを、決して手本としてはならぬ。ダルマそのものによって得られる勝利に勝る利得が、どこにあろうか。ゆえに勝利した統治者は、民のうちの未開の者や外来の者に至るまで、柔らかな言葉と、享受のための品々や糧秣の施与によって、速やかに心を和らげて取り込むべきである。これこそ王たちの最上の政道である。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Victory is not truly beneficial if achieved by violating dharma and social bounds; the highest gain is a dharma-based victory. A ruler should govern by ethical means and stabilize rule through conciliation and welfare-giving rather than lawless force.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on proper royal conduct: do not emulate unrighteous conquerors, and after victory, pacify potentially hostile or outsider groups swiftly through gentle speech and material benefits.