Like Makaras agitating the ocean, they agitate the ranks of the foe.  Assuring one another, they should gladden those (amongst them) that are cheerless.  The victor should protect the land newly conquered (from acts of aggression).  He should not cause his troops to pursue too much the routed foe.  The onset is irresistible of persons that rally after the rout and that, despairing of safety, assail their pursuers.  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.  For resisting and restraining them.  I shall tell thee what the contrivances are, as indicated in the scriptures.  Listen to me as I speak of those means for the success of all acts.  Both kinds of wisdom, straight and crooked, should be within call of the king.  Though acquainted with it, he should not, however, apply that wisdom which is crooked (for injuring others).  He may use it for resisting the dangers that may overtake him.  Enemies frequently injure a king by producing disunion (among his ministers or troops or allies or subjects).  The king, conversant with deceit, may, by the aid of deceit, counteract those enemies.  Leathern armour for protecting the bodies of elephants, armour of the same material for bovine bulls, bones, thorns, and keen-pointed weapons made of iron, coats of mail, yak-tails, sharp and well-tempered weapons, all kinds of armour, yellow and red, banners and standards of diverse hues, swords, and lances and scimitars of