Mahabharata 5.70.53

5.70.53

sarvathā vṛjinaṃ yuddhaṃ ko ghnanna pratihanyate |
hatasya ca hṛṣīkeśa samau jayaparājayau || 53 ||

yet success and defeat are independent of the will of the combatants. The lives also of creatures are independent of their own wishes, and neither weal nor woe can be one's when the time is not come for it, O best of the Yadu's race. Sometimes one man killeth many, sometimes many and united together kill one. A coward may slay a hero, and one unknown to fame may stay a hero of celebrity. Both parties cannot win success, nor both be defeated. The loss, however, on both sides may be equal. If one flieth away, loss of both life and fame is his. Under all circumstances, however, war is a sin. Who in striking another is not himself struck? As regard the person, however, who is struck, victory and defeat, O Hrishikesa, are the same. It is true that defeat is not much removed from death, but his loss also, O Krishna, is not less who winneth victory. He himself may not be killed, but his adversaries will kill at least some one that is dear to him, or some others and thus the man, O sire, deprived of strength and not seeing before him his sons and brothers, becometh indifferent, O Krishna, to life itself. Those that are quiet, modest, virtuous, and compassionate, are generally slain in battle, while they that are wicked escape. Even after slaying one's foes, repentance, O Janardana, possesseth the heart. He that surviveth among the foes giveth trouble, for the survivor, collecting a force, seeketh to destroy the surviving victor.