Shloka 12
Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)
जो कोई धर्मका लोप और मर्यादाको भंग करके विजय पाता है, उसके इस बर्तावका विजयाभिलाषी नरेशको अनुसरण नहीं करना चाहिये। धर्मके द्वारा प्राप्त हुई विजयसे बढ़कर दूसरा कौन-सा लाभ हो सकता है? ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | yo ko'pi dharmasya lopaṁ maryādāyāś ca bhaṅgaṁ kṛtvā vijayaṁ prāpnoti, tasya etādṛśaṁ vyavahāraṁ vijayābhilāṣiṇā nṛpeṇa nānusaraṇīyam | dharmeṇa prāptād vijayāt paraṁ dvitīyaṁ ko nāma lābhaḥ syāt? || sahasā anāryabhūtāni kṣipram eva prasādayet | sāntvena bhogadānena sa rājñāṁ paramo nayaḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：渴求胜利的君王，不应效法那种以毁坏达摩、破坏既定法度而取胜之人的行径。还有什么利益能胜过由达摩本身所赢得的胜利呢？因此，得胜的统治者应当以柔和之言，并赐予享用之物与给养，迅速安抚并赢得民众中即便是不文明者或外来之众；这确是诸王之至高政略。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Victory is not truly beneficial if achieved by violating dharma and social bounds; the highest gain is a dharma-based victory. A ruler should govern by ethical means and stabilize rule through conciliation and welfare-giving rather than lawless force.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on proper royal conduct: do not emulate unrighteous conquerors, and after victory, pacify potentially hostile or outsider groups swiftly through gentle speech and material benefits.