Shloka 17
Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)
युधिष्ठिर! विशाल चतुरंगिणी सेना एकत्र कर लेनेके बाद भी तुम्हें पहले सामनीतिके द्वारा शत्रुसे सन्धि करनेका ही प्रयास करना चाहिये। यदि वह सफल न हो तो युद्धके लिये प्रयत्न करना उचित है ।।
Yudhiṣṭhira! viśālāṃ caturaṅgiṇīṃ senām ekatra kṛtvāpi tvaṃ pūrvaṃ sāmnītyā śatrunā saha sandhiṃ kartum eva prayatethāḥ. yadi sa na sidhyet, tato yuddhāya prayatnaḥ kartum ucitaḥ. jaghanya eṣa vijayo yad yuddha-nāma, Bhārata. yādṛcchiko yudhi jayo daivo veti vicāraṇam, Bharatanandana; yuddhena yo jayaḥ prāpyate sa nīca eva mataḥ. yuddha-jayaḥ sahasā prāpnoti vā daiva-icchayā; asya pūrvaniścayo na vidyate.
毗湿摩说道：“尤提士提罗啊，即便你已集结起庞大的四部军（车、马、象、步），也应先以审慎的治国权谋与敌求和。若和议不成，方可奋力从事战争。因为所谓‘以战争得胜’的胜利，被视为最下等。战场之胜，或出于偶然，或由天命所使；此事当深加思量，婆罗多族之欢悦者啊，且绝非事先所能确断。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even with overwhelming military strength, a ruler should first pursue peace through diplomacy (sāma-nīti and sandhi). War is a last resort, and victory gained through war is ethically inferior because it depends heavily on chance and fate rather than stable, predictable righteousness.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship and conduct, Bhīṣma counsels Yudhiṣṭhira on state policy: attempt reconciliation and treaty-making first; only if peace fails should one proceed to war, recognizing the uncertainty and moral cost of battlefield victory.