A Kshatriya should not, O king, strike one who is fatigued, or one who is terrified, or one who has been disarmed, or one who is weeping, or one who is reluctant to fight, or one who is unequipped with mail and cars and horse and infantry, or one who has ceased to exert in the fight, or one who is ill, or one who cries for quarter. Or one who is of tender years, or one who is old.
श्रान्तं भीतं भ्रष्टशस्त्रं रुदन्तं पराङ्मुखं पारिबहश्च हीनम्। अनुद्यन्तं रोगिणं याचमानं न वै हिंस्याद् बालवृद्धौ च राजन्॥