Shloka 3

Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)

Devanagari script

विशीर्णकवचं चैव तवास्मीति च वादिनम्‌ | कृताञ्जलिं न्यस्तशस्त्रं गृहीत्वा न हि हिंसयेत्‌

Transliteration

viśīrṇakavacaṃ caiva tavāsmīti ca vādinaṃ | kṛtāñjaliṃ nyastaśastraṃ gṛhītvā na hi hiṃsayet |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“既已俘获对方武士，便不可再将其击杀——若其甲胄已碎，若其言‘我归于你’，若其合掌屈服而立，或已弃置兵刃。战争亦须受达摩所制：敌既被解除武装，或已求庇护，对其施暴便成不义。”

Word by Word

• विशीर्णकवचम्: one whose armor is shattered
• विशीर्णकवचम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशीर्ण-कवच
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, First, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वादिनम्: one who says/speaks
• वादिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृताञ्जलिम्: with hands joined (in supplication)
• कृताञ्जलिम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-अञ्जलि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न्यस्तशस्त्रम्: having laid down weapons
• न्यस्तशस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त-शस्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गृहीत्वा: having seized/taken (captive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), —, —

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

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• हिंसयेत्: should harm/kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हिंस्
• Form: Optative (Potential), Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• कवच (armor)
• शस्त्र (weapons)
• अञ्जलि (joined palms gesture)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, dharma restrains violence: a disarmed, armor-broken, supplicating, or surrendering opponent—especially one seeking protection (“I am yours”)—must not be killed, even if captured.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing on righteous conduct (dharma) in battle, specifying conditions under which an enemy combatant is no longer a legitimate target: when he is helpless, has surrendered, or has laid down arms.