For this
reason, O king, thou shouldst not cause thy troops to pursue too much the
routed roe. Warriors of courage do not wish to strike them that run away
with speed. That is another reason why the routed foe should not be
pursued hotly. Things that are immobile are devoured by those that are
mobile; creatures that are toothless are devoured by those that have
teeth; water is drunk by the thirsty; cowards are devoured by heroes.
Cowards sustain defeat though they have, like the victors, similar backs
and stomachs and arms and legs. They that are afflicted with fear bend
their heads and joining their hands stay before those that are possessed
of courage. This world rests on the arms of heroes like a son on those of
his sire. He, therefore, that is a hero deserves respect under every
circumstance. There is nothing higher in the three worlds than heroism.
The hero protects and cherishes all, and all things depend upon the
hero.'"
SECTION C
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, how kings desirous of victory
should, O bull of Bharata's race, lead their troops to battle even by
offending slightly against the rules of righteousness!'
"Bhishma said: 'Some say that righteousness is made stable by truth;
some, by reasoning: so me, by good behaviour; and some, by the
application of means and contrivances.[294] I shall presently tell thee
what the means and contrivances, productive of immediate fruit, are.
Robbers, transgressing all wholesome bounds, very often become destroyers
of property and religious merit.
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