Though one conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, conquering oneself is the greatest victory.

Yo sahassaṃ sahassene saṅgāme mānuse jine — though one conquer a thousand men a thousand times: the hyperbole is among the greatest in the Dhammapada. A million enemies vanquished in battle — a victory inconceivable in military terms.

Ekañca jeyyamattānaṃ — but conquering just oneself: the inner battle against greed, aversion and ignorance is the only battle that truly matters.

Sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo — that one is the greatest of warriors: the revaluation of the concept of victory is total. The supreme warrior does not vanquish external enemies but the internal states that generate suffering.

In the Bhagavad Gītā, Kṛṣṇa leads Arjuna from understanding battle as external conflict toward understanding the inner battle. The Dhammapada shares this universal insight: the true war is internal, and the most difficult and glorious victory is over oneself.