It has been laid down in the scriptures, O delighter of the Kurus, that a king satisfies his debt when he defeats his foe or kills him at once.
निर्वेदयित्वा तु परं हत्वा वा कुरुनन्दन। ततोऽनृणो भवेद् राजा यथा शास्त्रे निदर्शितम्॥