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 |
毗湿摩教诲：宁可依达摩而死，不可凭罪业而胜。以恶行得来的胜利，是恶人之道；真正高贵者当求胜——纵胜于恶人——亦唯以正法为途。故而，在达摩所导的战斗中战死，胜过以不义之行换取成功。
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.