Bhishma said “A king should never desire to conquer the Earth by unfair means even if such subjugation would secure him the sovereignty of the whole Earth. What king is there who becomes happy after acquiring victory by unfair means?

A victory sullied by unrighteousness is uncertain and never leads to heaven. Such a victory, O foremost of Bharata's race, weakens both the king and the Earth.

A warrior whose armour has slipped off of his body, or who prays for rescue, saying-I am yours,-or joining his hands, or who has thrown off his weapon, may simply be captured but never killed.

If a hostile king be defeated by the army of the invader, the latter should not himself fight his defeated enemy. O the other hand, he should bring him to his place and induce him for whole year to say-I to say-I am your slave!-Whether he says or does not say this, the defeated enemy, by living for a year in the house of his victor, indeed gains a new life.

If a king carries forcibly a maiden from the house of his defeated foe, he should keep her for a year and ask her whether she would a : marry him or any one else. If she does not agree, she should then be returned. He should likewise deal with all other kinds of wealth that are acquired by force.

The king should never appropriate the riches confiscated from thieves and others awaiting execution. The kine captured from the enemy by force should be given away to the Brahmanas so that they may drink their milk. The bulls taken from the enemy should be engaged in agricultural work or returned to the enemy. It is laid down that a king should fight with a king. One who is not a king should never strike a king.

If a Brahmana, with a view to secure peace, fearlessly intervenes between the two contending armies, both should immediately stop fighting.

He would break an eternal rule who would kill or wound such a Brahmana. If any Kshatriya breaks that rule, he would become the most cursed of his order.

Furthermore, the Kshatriya, who destroys righteousness and transgresses all wholesome restrictions, is not regarded as a Kshatriya and should be driven from society.

A king, desirous of winning victory, should never behave thus. What gain can be greater than victory won fairly.

The sections of men who are liable to excite people (in a newly conquered kingdom) should forthwith, be conciliated with soothing words and presents. This is a good policy which the king should adopt.

It instead of doing this, a king tries to govern them with impolicy, they would then leave the kingdom and side with his foes and wait for calamities to overwhelm him.

Watching for the calamities of the king, discontented men promptly side with the latter's enemies, O monarch, in time of danger.

An enemy should not be imposed on by unfair means. Nor should he be wounded morally. For if struck morally, his very life may disappear.

If a king is satisfied with little resources he considers life alone as valuable.

That king, whose dominions are extensive and rich, whose subjects are loyal, whose servants and officers are all contented, is said to be firmly settled.

That king whose Ritvijas, priests, preceptors and others about him that are wellversed in the scriptures and worthy of honours are all duly honoured, is considered as the master of the worldly ways.

It was by such conduct that Indra became the king of the world. It is by this conduct that earthly kings attain to the dignity of Indra.

Defeating his enemies in great battle, King Pratardana took all their wealth, including their very grain and medicinal herbs, but left their land untouched.

After subjugating his foes, King Divodasa brought away the very residue of their sacrificial fires, their clarified butter, and their food. Therefore he was deprived of the merit of his conquests.

King Nabhaga gave away whole kingdoms with their rulers as sacrificial presents to the Brahmanas, save the wealth of learned Brahmanas and ascetics.

The conduct, O Yudhishthira, of all the righteous kings of yore, was excellent, and I approve of it wholly.

That king who wishes for his own prosperity should try to make conquests by fair means, but never with deceit but ones on or with pride.'