Shloka 31
सैन्यसंनिवेशः (Sainyasaṃniveśaḥ) — Deployment, Omens, and Yuddha-Dharma Conventions
एकेन सह संयुक्त: प्रपन्नो विमुखस्तथा । क्षीणशस्त्रो विवर्मा च न हन्तव्य: कदाचन,जो एकके साथ युद्धमें लगा हो, शरणमें आया हो, पीठ दिखाकर भागा हो और जिसके अस्त्र-शस्त्र और कवच कट गये हों; ऐसे मनुष्यको कदापि न मारा जाय
ekena saha saṁyuktaḥ prapanno vimukhas tathā | kṣīṇaśastro vivarmā ca na hantavyaḥ kadācana ||
毗舍摩波罗衍那说道：凡与一名对手单独交战者，或前来投诚求庇护者，或背身逃遁者，又或兵刃已尽、甲胄尽失者——此等之人，永不可杀。此偈立下合乎正法的战阵之规：不可为求胜而屠戮无助者与已降者。
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The core teaching is dharma-yuddha (righteous warfare): do not kill an opponent who is effectively helpless—one fighting only a single duel, one who has surrendered, one who is fleeing with his back turned, or one who is disarmed and without armour.
In the opening of Bhīṣma Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana recounts norms and codes governing conduct in battle. This verse lists specific categories of combatants who must be spared, framing the Kurukṣetra war within an ethical rule-set even amid violence.