Mahabharata/Jaya- Rules of the War

"This is Dharm Yudh(War for Righteousness). Hence, the war will be fought as per the rules of Dharma (principles of righteousness)." Thus spoke Bhishma to the assembled kings and generals of the Pandavas and Kauravas before listing down the rules of the war.

The Kauravas had 11 akshauhinis and Pandavas had 7 akshauhinis.( A division (akshauhini) includes 21,870 chariots and chariot-riders, 21,870 elephants and riders, 65,610horses and riders, and 109,350 foot-soldiers (in a ratio of 1:1:3:5). The combined number of warriors and soldiers in both armies was approximately 3.94 million.^[14] Each Akshohini was under a commander or a general, apart from the Commander in chief or the generalissimo who was the head of the entire army.) Source Wikipedia.

Rules of engagement

The two supreme commanders met and framed "rules of ethical conduct", dharmayuddha, for the war. The rules included:

• Fighting must begin no earlier than sunrise and end exactly at sunset.
• Multiple warriors may not attack a single warrior.
• Two warriors may "duel", or engage in prolonged personal combat, only if they carry the same weapons and they are on the same mount (no mount, a horse, an elephant, or a chariot).
• No warrior may kill or injure a warrior who has surrendered.
• One who surrenders becomes a prisoner of war and will then be subject to the protections of a prisoner of war.
• No warrior may kill or injure an unarmed warrior.
• No warrior may kill or injure an unconscious warrior.
• No warrior may kill or injure a person or animal not taking part in the war.
• No warrior may kill or injure a warrior whose back is turned away.
• No warrior may attack a woman.
• No warrior may strike an animal not considered a direct threat.
• The rules specific to each weapon must be followed. For example, it is prohibited to strike below the waist in mace warfare.
• Warriors may not engage in any "unfair" warfare.

Source Wikipedia.

Probably, this is the time when Bhishma promises Krishna  that he (Bhishma) will make Krishna raise his weapon in the war. 

In the concluding war, we will see that both the sides breaks all the rules. There are no clear white and black. Shades of grey emerge on both the sides. As they say, history is written by the winners to glorify themselves. The actions in the war might just make us stand up and question if Pandavas were really all that valiant and just as they are made out to be. But in some ways it also shows the vision and clarity of Krishna. For him, the means was not as important as the end. He did not fight the war and yet, he was the biggest reason for Pandavas to win.