Shloka 33
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
मैत्रा: क्रूराणि कुर्वन्तो जयन्ति स्वर्गमुत्तमम् । धर्म्या: पापानि कुर्वाणा गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम्
maitrāḥ krūrāṇi kurvanto jayanti svargam uttamam | dharmyāḥ pāpāni kurvāṇā gacchanti paramāṃ gatim ||
毗湿摩说：凡对一切众生怀友善之心者——即便为护佑他人而不得不对恶人施以严厉——亦能得至最高天界。同样，持守正法之人，即使为保全众生而行看似有罪之事（如以武力），终亦能证得至上归趣。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral evaluation depends on intention and purpose: a person grounded in friendliness and righteousness may employ harsh or even seemingly sinful means when the aim is protection of others; such protective action, not motivated by hatred or selfishness, can still lead to the highest good.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he explains a nuanced principle for rulers and righteous people: maintaining benevolence toward all, one may still punish or use force against the wicked to defend the vulnerable, without losing spiritual merit.