Shloka 15

धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः

Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement

Devanagari script

सत्सु नित्य: सतां धर्मस्तमास्थाय न नाशयेत्‌ । यो वै जयत्यधर्मेण क्षत्रियो धर्मसंगर:

Transliteration

satsu nityaḥ satāṁ dharmas tam āsthāya na nāśayet | yo vai jayaty adharmeṇa kṣatriyo dharma-saṅgaraḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“在善人之中，正法恒常不变；既以此达摩为依止，便不可毁坏它。对刹帝利而言，以不义手段取得的胜利，是一场本身就违背达摩的战斗。”

Word by Word

• सत्सु: among the good (virtuous people)
• सत्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• नित्यः: constant, eternal
• नित्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: that (dharma)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having resorted to / having taken refuge in
• आस्थाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (स्था)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• नाशयेत्: should not destroy
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (नाशयति)
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• जयति: wins, conquers
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Lat (present indicative), Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अधर्मेण: by unrighteousness, through adharma
• अधर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• क्षत्रियः: a kshatriya (warrior)
• क्षत्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मसंगरः: a battle for dharma / righteous conflict
• धर्मसंगरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मसंगर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma must be upheld consistently; one should not abandon or damage righteousness for the sake of success. For a warrior, winning by unrighteous means undermines the very legitimacy of the fight.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma advises on ethical conduct, emphasizing that even in conflict a Kshatriya must not seek victory through adharma, because such ‘victory’ becomes a violation of dharma.