Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अथ यो विजिगीषेत क्षत्रियः क्षत्रियं युधि कस्तस्य धर्म्यो विजय एतत्पृष्टो ब्रवीहि मे
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said If a Kshatriya wishes to subjugate another Kshatriya in battle, how should the former act there? Questioned by me, do you answer it.
भीष्म उवाच ससहायोऽसहायो वा राष्ट्रमागम्य भूमिपः ब्रूयादहं वो राजेति रक्षिष्यामि च वः सदा
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said-That king, with or without an army to follow him, entering the territories of the king he would bring under subjection, should say to all people,-I am your king! I shall always protect you!
मम धर्म्यं बलिं दत्त किं वा मां प्रतिपत्स्यथ ते चेत्तमागतं तत्र वृणुयुः कुशलं भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Give me the just tribute or fight with me!-If the people accept him as their king, there need not be any fighting.
Supplementary Passages:
12.96.3 After 3, Ś1 K2 ins.: *227 ब्रूयाद्युद्धं करिष्यामः शृणु नः कुशलं भवेत्
ते चेदक्षत्रियाः सन्तो विरुध्येयुः कथंचन सर्वोपायैर्नियन्तव्या विकर्मस्था नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: If, without being born Kshatriyas they show sings of hostility, they should then, because they follow practices not sanctioned for them be tried to be restrained by every means.
अशक्तं क्षत्रियं मत्वा शस्त्रं गृह्णात्यथापरः त्राणायाप्यसमर्थं तं मन्यमानमतीव च
M. N. Dutt: People of the other castes do take up arms if they see the Kshatriya not ready for fight, incompetent to protect himself, and too much afraid of the enemy.'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अथ यः क्षत्रियो राजा क्षत्रियं प्रत्युपाव्रजेत् कथं स प्रतियोद्धव्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, how should that Kshatriya king fight who marches against another Kshatriya king!
भीष्म उवाच नासंनद्धो नाकवचो योद्धव्यः क्षत्रियो रणे एक एकेन वाच्यश्च विसृजस्व क्षिपामि च
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said A Kshatriya must not put on armour for fighting a Kshatriya who is not clad in coat of mail. One should fight one, and leave the opponent when the latter becomes disabled.
स चेत्संनद्ध आगच्छेत्संनद्धव्यं ततो भवेत् स चेत्ससैन्य आगच्छेत्ससैन्यस्तमथाह्वयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If the enemy comes clad in mail, his opponent also should put on armour. If the enemy advances with an army at his back, one should, calling into requisition, his own strength, give him the battle.
स चेन्निकृत्या युध्येत निकृत्या तं प्रयोधयेत् अथ चेद्धर्मतो युध्येद्धर्मेणैव निवारयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If the enemy fights deceitfully, he should be paid in his own coin. If, however, he fights fairly, he should be resisted with fair means.
नाश्वेन रथिनं यायादुदियाद्रथिनं रथी व्यसने न प्रहर्तव्यं न भीताय जिताय च
M. N. Dutt: One should not on horse-back run against a car-warrior. A car-warrior should fight with a car-warrior. When an antagonist is in a bad plight, he should not be struck; nor should one who has been frightened, nor one who has been defeated.
नेषुर्लिप्तो न कर्णी स्यादसतामेतदायुधम् जयार्थमेव योद्धव्यं न क्रुध्येदजिघांसतः
AI Translation: One should not be a bowman, or a charioteer, or a warrior, for these are the weapons of the wicked. One should fight only for victory, and not out of anger
Supplementary Passages:
12.96.11 After 11, D7 S ins.: *228 नास्त्येकस्य गजो युद्धे गजश्चैकस्य विद्यते न पदातिर्गजं युध्येन्न गजेन पदातिनम् हस्तिना योधयेन्नागं कदाचिच्छिक्षितो हयः दिव्यास्त्रबलसंपन्नः कामं युध्येत सर्वदा नागे भूमौ समे चैव रथेनाश्वेन वा पुनः रामरावणयोर्युद्धे हरयो वै पदातयः लक्ष्मणश्च महाभागस्तथा राजन्विभीषणः रावणस्यान्तकाले च रथेनैन्द्रेण राघवः निजघान दुराचारं रावणं पापकारिणम् दिव्यास्त्रबलसंपन्ने सर्वमेतद्विधीयते देवासुरेषु युद्धेषु दृष्टमेतत्पुरातनैः
साधूनां तु मिथोभेदात्साधुश्चेद्व्यसनी भवेत् सव्रणो नाभिहन्तव्यो नानपत्यः कथंचन
AI Translation: But if a good man should become addicted to vice, because of the mutual dissension of the good, he should not be struck when he is wounded, nor ever when he has no son.
भग्नशस्त्रो विपन्नाश्वश्छिन्नज्यो हतवाहनः चिकित्स्यः स्यात्स्वविषये प्राप्यो वा स्वगृहान्भवेत् निर्व्रणोऽपि च मोक्तव्य एष धर्मः सनातनः
M. N. Dutt: A weak or wounded man should not be killed, nor one who is sonless; nor one whose Weapon has been broken; nor one who has fallen into distress; nor one whose bowstring has been cut; nor one who has lost his car. A wounded opponent should either be sent to his own home, or, if brought to the victor's house, should have his wounds dressed by skilful surgeons. When for a fair fight between two kings, a righteous warrior is reduced to straits, he should, when cured, be liberated, This is the eternal duty.
तस्माद्धर्मेण योद्धव्यं मनुः स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवीत् सत्सु नित्यं सतां धर्मस्तमास्थाय न नाशयेत्
M. N. Dutt: Manu himself, the son of the Self-create (Brahman), has said that battles should be fought fairly. The righteous should always treat the righteous fairly. They should follow righteousness without destroying it.
यो वै जयत्यधर्मेण क्षत्रियो वर्धमानकः आत्मानमात्मना हन्ति पापो निकृतिजीवनः
M. N. Dutt: If a Kshatriya, whose duty is to fight fairly, wins a victory by unfair means, he incurs sin thereby. Of deceitful conduct, such a person is said to destroy his ownself.
कर्म चैतदसाधूनामसाधुं साधुना जयेत् धर्मेण निधनं श्रेयो न जयः पापकर्मणा
M. N. Dutt: The wicked follow this practice. Even the wlicked should be subdued by fair means. It is better to sacrifice life itself in the observance of righteousness than to acquire victory by unfair means.
नाधर्मश्चरितो राजन्सद्यः फलति गौरिव मूलान्यस्य प्रशाखाश्च दहन्समनुगच्छति
M. N. Dutt: Like a cow, O king, sin, when perpetrated, does not yield immediate fruits. That sin destroys the perpetrator after consuming his roots and branches.
पापेन कर्मणा वित्तं लब्ध्वा पापः प्रहृष्यति स वर्धमानः स्तेयेन पापः पापे प्रसज्जति
M. N. Dutt: Acquiring wealth by foul means, a sinful person becomes overjoyed. But gaining advancement by sinful ways, the miscreant becomes a confirmed sinner.
न धर्मोऽस्तीति मन्वानः शुचीनवहसन्निव अश्रद्दधानभावाच्च विनाशमुपगच्छति
AI Translation: Thinking that there is no Dharma, he becomes impure and falls into the river. And due to disbelief, he perishes.
स बद्धो वारुणैः पाशैरमर्त्य इव मन्यते महादृतिरिवाध्मातः स्वकृतेन विवर्धते
AI Translation: Bound by the noose of Varuna, he thinks like an immortal. Like a great elephant, he is agitated and grows by his own doing.
ततः समूलो ह्रियते नदीकूलादिव द्रुमः अथैनमभिनिन्दन्ति भिन्नं कुम्भमिवाश्मनि तस्माद्धर्मेण विजयं कामं लिप्सेत भूमिपः
M. N. Dutt: Then seeing him look like an earthen pot broken on a stone surface, people describe him as he deserves. The king should, therefore, seek both victory and the increment of his resources, by fair means.