01.197
Core-Pancharatra: Vidura asks Dhritarastra to follow the advice of Bheeshma and Drona.
vidura uvāca॥
Vidura said.
rājan niḥsaṃśayaṃ śreyo vācyas tvam asi bāndhavaiḥ। na tvaśuśrūṣamāṇeṣu vākyaṃ sampratitiṣṭhati ॥1-197-1॥
O king, without doubt, you are considered superior by your relatives; however, words do not take root among those who do not listen.
hitaṃ hi tava tadvākyam uktavān kurusattamaḥ। bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo rājan pratigṛhṇāsi tan na ca॥1-197-2॥
O king, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu and the best of the Kurus, has indeed spoken words that are beneficial to you, but you do not accept them.
tathā droṇena bahudhā bhāṣitaṃ hitam uttamam। tac ca rādhāsutaḥ karṇo manyate na hitaṃ tava॥1-197-3॥
Thus, although Droṇa has spoken many excellent and beneficial things, Karṇa, the son of Radha, does not consider them beneficial for you.
cintayaṃś ca na paśyāmi rājaṃs tava suhṛttamam। ābhyāṃ puruṣasiṃhābhyāṃ yo vā syāt prajñayādhikaḥ ॥1-197-4॥
O king, while thinking, I do not see your best friend who may be superior in wisdom to these two lions among men.
imau hi vṛddhau vayasā prajñayā ca śrutena ca। samau ca tvayi rājendra teṣu pāṇḍusutēṣu ca ॥1-197-5॥
These two are indeed aged in years, wisdom, and learning; you, O king, and the sons of Pāṇḍu are equal in these respects.
dharme cānavamau rājan satyatāyāṃ ca bhārata। rāmād dāśaratheś caiva gayāc caiva na saṃśayaḥ ॥1-197-6॥
O Bharata, in dharma and truthfulness, there is no one inferior to Rāma, son of Daśaratha, or to Gaya; of this, O king, there is no doubt.
na coktavantāvaśreyaḥ purastādapi kiñcana। na cāpyapakṛtaṃ kiñcidanayorlakṣyate tvayi ॥1-197-7॥
Neither of the two has spoken anything unworthy before, nor do you observe any wrong done by either of them.
tāvimau puruṣavyāghrāvanāgasi nṛpa tvayi। na mantrayetāṃ tvacchreyaḥ kathaṃ satyaparākramau ॥1-197-8॥
O blameless king, if those two tigers among men do not consult with you about your welfare, how can they be truly valiant?
prajñāvantau naraśreṣṭhāvasmiṃlloke narādhipa। tvannimittamato nemau kiñcijjihmaṃ vadiṣyataḥ ॥ iti me naiṣṭhikī buddhirvartate kurunandana ॥1-197-9॥
O king, these two best among men, who are wise, will not speak even a little crookedly in this world for your sake. Thus, O delight of the Kurus, this is my firm conviction.
na cārthahetordharmajñau vakṣyataḥ pakṣasaṃśritam। etaddhi paramaṃ śreyo menāte tava bhārata ॥1-197-10॥
O Bhārata, the knowers of dharma do not speak taking sides for the sake of gain. Indeed, this is the highest good for me, not from you.
duryodhanaprabhṛtayaḥ putrā rājanyathā tava। tathaiva pāṇḍaveyāste putrā rājanna saṃśayaḥ ॥1-197-11॥
O king, just as your sons, beginning with Duryodhana, so too are the sons of Pandu—there is no doubt about it.
teṣu ced ahitaṃ kiñcin mantrayeyur abuddhitaḥ। mantriṇas te na te śreyaḥ prapaśyanti viśeṣataḥ॥1-197-12॥
If among them the counselors, lacking wisdom, deliberate on anything harmful, then they especially do not perceive what is truly beneficial.
atha te hṛdaye rājan viśeṣas teṣu vartate। antarsthaṃ vivṛṇvānāḥ śreyaḥ kuryur na te dhruvam ॥1-197-13॥
Now, O king, in your heart, there is a special distinction among them. Those who discern what is within may do what is better, but it is not certain for you.
etadartham-imau rājan-mahātmānau mahādyutī। nocaturvivṛtaṃ kiñcinna hy eṣa tava niścayaḥ ॥1-197-14॥
O king, for this purpose, these two great-souled and splendid ones have not openly declared anything; indeed, this is not your decision.
yaccāpy aśakyatāṃ teṣām āhatuḥ puruṣarṣabhau। tat tathā puruṣavyāghra tava tad bhadram astu te ॥1-197-15॥
O tiger among men, may that welfare which was the impossibility of striking those two bulls among men, be yours.
kathaṁ hi pāṇḍavaḥ śrīmān savyasācī parantapaḥ। śakyo vijetuṁ saṅgrāme rājan maghavatā api॥
O king, how indeed can the prosperous, ambidextrous son of Pāṇḍu, the scorcher of foes, be conquered in battle, even by Maghavat (Indra)?
bhīmaseno mahābāhur nāgāyutabalo mahān। kathaṃ hi yudhi śakyeta vijetum amarair api ॥1-197-17॥
How could Bhīmasena, the mighty-armed and great hero with the strength of ten thousand elephants, possibly be defeated in battle, even by the gods themselves?
tathaiva kṛtinau yuddhe yamau yamasutāviva। kathaṃ viṣahituṃ śakyau raṇe jīvitumicchatā ॥1-197-18॥
Just so, the two accomplished warriors in battle, like the sons of Yama, how could they possibly withstand and survive in battle, wishing to live?
yasmin dhṛtir anukrośaḥ kṣamā satyaṃ parākramaḥ। nityāni pāṇḍava-śreṣṭhe sa jīyeta kathaṃ raṇe ॥1-197-19॥
How could one in whom steadfastness, compassion, forbearance, truth, and valor are always present, especially in the best of the Pāṇḍavas, ever be conquered in battle?
yeṣāṃ pakṣadharo rāmo yeṣāṃ mantrī janārdanaḥ। kiṃ nu tair ajitaṃ saṅkhye yeṣāṃ pakṣe ca sātyakiḥ ॥1-197-20॥
How can anything remain unconquered in battle by those on whose side are Rāma as supporter, Janārdana as counselor, and Sātyaki as well?
drupadaḥ śvaśuro yeṣāṃ yeṣāṃ śyālāś ca pārṣatāḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhā vīrā bhrātaro drupadātmajāḥ॥1-197-21॥
Drupada is their father-in-law, and their brothers-in-law are the sons of Drupada, the heroic brothers headed by Dhṛṣṭadyumna, descendants of Pṛṣata.
so'śakyatāṃ ca vijñāya teṣām agreṇa bhārata। dāyādyatāṃ ca dharmeṇa samyakteṣu samācara ॥1-197-22॥
O Bhārata, having understood what is impossible for them through the foremost, and succession according to righteousness, act properly among the worthy.
idaṃ nirdigdham-ayaśaḥ purocana-kṛtaṃ mahat। teṣām-anugraheṇa-adya rājan-prakṣālayātmanaḥ ॥1-197-23॥
O king, today, by their favor, cleanse yourself in this great unpierced iron structure made by Purocana.
drupado'pi mahān rājā kṛtavairaś ca naḥ purā। tasya saṅgrahaṇaṃ rājansvapakṣasya vivardhanam ॥1-197-24॥
Drupada, the great king who was once our enemy, has now joined us; O king, his alliance strengthens our own side.
balavantaś ca dāśārhā bahavaś ca viśāṃ pate| yataḥ kṛṣṇas tataste syur yataḥ kṛṣṇas tato jayaḥ ॥1-197-25॥
O lord of men, the strong and the Daśārhas and many others are present; wherever Kṛṣṇa is, they will be there; wherever Kṛṣṇa is, there is victory.
yacca sāmnaiva śakyeta kāryaṃ sādhayituṃ nṛpa। ko daivaśaptastatkārtuṃ vigraheṇa samācaret ॥1-197-26॥
O king, whatever task can be accomplished by conciliation alone, who, being cursed by fate, would undertake to accomplish that by conflict?
śrutvā ca jīvataḥ pārthān paurajānapado janaḥ। balavad-darśane gṛdhnuḥ teṣāṃ rājan kuru priyam ॥1-197-27॥
O king, having heard that the sons of Pṛthā are alive, the citizens and country people, eager to see them, desire something favourable for them; do what is pleasing to them.
duryodhanaś ca karṇaś ca śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ। adharma-yuktā duṣprajñā bālā maiṣāṃ vacaḥ kṛthāḥ ॥1-197-28॥
Duryodhana, Karṇa, and Śakuni, the son of Subala, are joined with unrighteousness, of evil understanding, and immature; do not act upon the words of these.
uktam etan mayā rājan purā guṇavatas tava। duryodhanāparādhena prajā iyam vinaśiṣyati॥1-197-29॥
O king, I had previously told you this: because of Duryodhana's offence, your virtuous people will perish.
