Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 10

धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः

Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement

यदि वह छलसे युद्ध करे तो स्वयं भी उसी रीतिसे उसका सामना करे और यदि वह धर्मसे युद्ध आरम्भ करे तो धर्मसे ही उसका सामना करना चाहिये ।। नाश्वेन रथिनं यायादुदियाद्‌ रथिनं रथी । व्यसने न प्रहर्तव्यं न भीताय जिताय च,घोड़ेके द्वारा रथीपर आक्रमण न करे। रथीका सामना रथीको ही करना चाहिये। यदि शत्रु किसी संकटमें पड़ जाय तो उसपर प्रहार न करे। डरे और पराजित हुए शत्रुपर भी कभी प्रहार नहीं करना चाहिये

bhīṣma uvāca | yadi sa chalayā yuddhaṃ kuryāt tadā svayam api tathaiva tasya samānaṃ kuryāt | yadi tu sa dharmeṇa yuddham ārabhate tadā dharmeṇaiva tasya samānaṃ kartavyam || nāśvena rathinaṃ yāyād udiyād rathinaṃ rathī | vyasane na prahartavyaṃ na bhītāya jitāya ca ||

หากเขารบด้วยเล่ห์กล ก็อาจรับมือด้วยวิธีนั้น แต่หากเขาเริ่มรบตามธรรม ก็พึงต่อสู้ด้วยธรรมเท่านั้น อย่าให้ทหารม้าเข้าตีรบพาหนะศึก; นักรบรถศึกพึงประจันกับนักรบรถศึก อย่าฟันศัตรูเมื่อเขาตกอยู่ในเคราะห์ร้าย และอย่าฟันผู้หวาดกลัวหรือผู้พ่ายแพ้แล้ว

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अश्वेनby/with a horse
अश्वेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
रथिनम्a chariot-warrior
रथिनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथिन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
यायात्should go/attack/approach
यायात्:
TypeVerb
Rootया
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Non-past (injunctive/optative sense), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
उदीयात्should rise up/advance against
उदीयात्:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-या
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Non-past (injunctive/optative sense), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
रथिनम्a chariot-warrior
रथिनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथिन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
रथीa chariot-warrior (as the attacker)
रथी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरथिन्/रथी
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
व्यसनेin calamity/distress
व्यसने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootव्यसन
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
प्रहर्तव्यम्is to be struck/should be struck
प्रहर्तव्यम्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-हृ
FormGerundive (tavya), Passive sense, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
भीतायto/against one who is afraid
भीताय:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootभीत
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
जितायto/against one who is defeated
जिताय:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootजित
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
R
ratha (chariot)
A
aśva (horse)

Educational Q&A

Bhīṣma lays down norms of dharma-yuddha: match the opponent’s mode of fighting (dharma with dharma), keep combat between comparable warriors (chariot-warrior against chariot-warrior), and refrain from attacking one who is in distress, frightened, or already defeated.

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct. Here he specifies battlefield ethics—how a kṣatriya should engage an enemy and which situations make striking the foe morally impermissible.