Shloka 5
Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)
जो बलके द्वारा पराजित कर दिया गया हो, उसके साथ राजा कदापि युद्ध न करे। उसे कैद करके एक सालतक अनुकूल रहनेकी शिक्षा दे; फिर उसका नया जन्म होता है। वह विजयी राजाके लिये पुत्रके समान हो जाता है (इसलिये एक साल बाद उसे छोड़ देना चाहिये) ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | yo balena parājitaḥ sa rājñā kadācid api na yoddhavyaḥ | taṁ gṛhītvā saṁvatsaraṁ yāvad anukūla-vṛttiṁ śikṣayet; tataḥ tasya nava-janma bhavati; sa vijayine rājñe putra-samo bhavati, tasmāt saṁvatsarānte mocanīyaḥ | nārvāk-saṁvatsarāt kanyā praṣṭavyā vikramāhatā | evam eva dhanaṁ sarvaṁ yac cānyat sahasā hṛtam |
毗湿摩说道：“国王决不可再与那已被武力征服之人重启战端。当将其拘押，并在整整一年之内教导他以忠顺、和悦之道而居；其后，便如同再生。败者于胜王之前，犹如其子——故一年之后当释放之。同样，以武勇夺来的少女，一年之内不当盘问；一年之后若问之而她愿择他人，当送还。凡以骤然之势或以欺诈夺取的一切财物与产业，亦当依此：一年之后归还其正当之主。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches restraint and rehabilitation in kingship: do not keep fighting the already-defeated; instead, reform the captive for a year and then release him, treating him as integrated like a son. Parallel rules stress delayed inquiry and eventual restoration—regarding a maiden taken by force and wealth seized suddenly or deceitfully—so that coercion does not become permanent entitlement.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma lays down practical norms for a victorious ruler: how to handle a defeated opponent (custody, instruction, release), how to handle a maiden brought by force (no questioning for a year; then honor her choice), and how to handle property taken by sudden seizure or trickery (return after a year).