Shloka 163
धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः
Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement
धर्मेण निधनं श्रेयो न जय: पापकर्मणा । यह तो दुष्टोंका काम है। श्रेष्ठ पुरुषको तो दुष्टोपर भी धर्मसे ही विजय पानी चाहिये। धर्मपूर्वक युद्ध करते हुए मर जाना भी अच्छा है; परंतु पापकर्मके द्वारा विजय पाना अच्छा नहीं है
dharmeṇa nidhanaṃ śreyo na jayaḥ pāpakarmaṇā |
Itinuturo ni Bhīṣma: Mas mabuti ang mamatay na nakatindig sa dharma kaysa manalo sa pamamagitan ng kasalanan. Ang tagumpay na nakamit sa maling gawa ay landas ng masasama; ang tunay na marangal ay dapat maghangad ng pananaig—kahit laban sa masasama—sa pamamagitan lamang ng matuwid na paraan. Kaya, ang mamatay sa digmaang ginagabayan ng dharma ay higit na mainam kaysa magwagi sa imoral na gawa.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that moral integrity (dharma) must govern one’s means: death attained through righteousness is preferable to victory achieved through sinful conduct, since true nobility refuses unethical success.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, Bhishma advises the listener that even in conflict a righteous person should pursue victory only through dharmic methods, rejecting triumph obtained by wrongdoing.