02.038
Pancharatra: Shishupala starts insulting Bhishma.
śiśupāla uvāca॥
Shishupala said.
vibhīṣikābhir bahvībhiḥ bhīṣayan sarva-pārthivān। na vyapatrapase kasmāt vṛddhaḥ san kulapāṁsanaḥ ॥2-38-1॥
Being old and a disgrace to the family, why do you not feel ashamed, frightening all kings by many terrors? (2-38-1)
yuktam etat tṛtīyāyāṃ prakṛtau vartatā tvayā। vaktuṃ dharmād apetārthaṃ tvaṃ hi sarvakurūttamaḥ ॥2-38-2॥
This is proper in the third context as you are acting; to speak something devoid of dharma is not fitting for you, for you are indeed the foremost among all Kurus. (2-38-2)
nāvi nauriva sambaddhā yathāndho vāndham anviyāt। tathābhūtā hi kauravyā bhīṣma yeṣāṃ tvam agraṇīḥ ॥2-38-3॥
Just as in a boat, one boat bound to another, a blind man would follow another blind man; so too, O Bhishma, the Kauravas have become, of whom you are the leader. (2-38-3)
pūtanāghātapūrvāṇi karmāṇyasya viśeṣataḥ। tvayā kīrtayatāsmākaṃ bhūyaḥ pracyāvitaṃ manaḥ ॥2-38-4॥
When you recount his deeds, especially those beginning with the slaying of Pūtanā, our minds are once again unsettled. (2-38-4)
avaliptasya mūrkhasya keśavaṃ stotum icchataḥ। kathaṃ bhīṣma na te jihvā śatadheyaṃ vidīryate ॥2-38-5॥
O Bhīṣma, how is it that your tongue is not split into a hundred pieces when an arrogant fool desires to praise Keśava? (2-38-5)
yatra kutsā prayoktavyā bhīṣma bālatarair naraiḥ। tam imaṃ jñānavṛddhaḥ san gopaṃ saṃstotum icchasi॥2-38-6॥
O Bhishma, where reproach is to be uttered by very young men, you, being advanced in knowledge, wish to praise him secretly. (2-38-6)
yadyanena hatā bālye śakuniś citram atra kim। tau vāśvavṛṣabhau bhīṣma yau na yuddhaviśāradau ॥2-38-7॥
If Śakuni was killed in childhood by this person, then what is strange here? Or those two, the horse and the bull, Bhīṣma—are they not skilled in battle? (2-38-7)
cetanārahitaṃ kāṣṭhaṃ yady anena nipātitam। pādena śakaṭaṃ bhīṣma tatra kiṃ kṛtam adbhutam ॥2-38-8॥
O Bhishma, if this unconscious wood was knocked down by the foot, what is so wonderful done there with the cart? (2-38-8)
valmīkamātraḥ saptāhaṃ yadyanena dhṛto'calaḥ। tadā govardhano bhīṣma na taccitraṃ mataṃ mama ॥2-38-9॥
O Bhīṣma, if he held a mountain the size of an anthill for a week, then I do not consider Govardhana to be a wonder. (2-38-9)
bhuktametena bahvannaṃ krīḍatā nagamūrdhani। iti te bhīṣma śṛṇvānāḥ paraṃ vismayamāgatāḥ ॥2-38-10॥
O Bhīṣma, hearing that this one had eaten much food while playing on the mountain top, they were greatly astonished. (2-38-10)
yasya cānena dharmajña bhuktamannaṃ balīyasaḥ। sa cānena hataḥ kaṃsa ity etan na mahādbhutam ॥2-38-11॥
It is not at all surprising that the one whose food was eaten by this knower of dharma, and who was stronger, was also killed by him; thus, the slaying of Kaṃsa by him is not very wonderful. (2-38-11)
na te śrutam idaṃ bhīṣma nūnaṃ kathayatāṃ satām। yad vakṣye tvām adharmajña vākyaṃ kurukulādham ॥2-38-12॥
O Bhīṣma, you have certainly not heard this from the virtuous; what I am about to say to you, O knower of unrighteousness, O lowest of the Kuru dynasty, is unprecedented. (2-38-12)
strīṣu goṣu na śastrāṇi pātayed brāhmaṇeṣu ca। yasya ca annāni bhuñjīta yaś ca syāt śaraṇāgataḥ ॥2-38-13॥
Weapons should not be used against women, cows, or Brāhmaṇas; one should eat the food of those whose food it is, and of those who have sought refuge. (2-38-13)
iti santo'nuśāsanti sajjanā dharmiṇaḥ sadā। bhīṣma loke hi tatsarvaṃ vitathaṃ tvayi dṛśyate ॥2-38-14॥
Thus, the good and noble always instruct the righteous. But, O Bhīṣma, in this world, all that is seen in you appears false. (2-38-14)
jñānavṛddhaṃ ca vṛddhaṃ ca bhūyāṃsaṃ keśavaṃ mama। ajānata ivākhyāsi saṃstuvankurusattama॥ goghnaḥ strīghnaśca sanbhīṣma kathaṃ saṃstavamarhati॥2-38-15॥
You describe Keśava, who is grown in knowledge, aged, and greater than me, as if you do not know, praising him, O best of Kurus. How does Bhīṣma, being a killer of cows and women, deserve praise? (2-38-15)
asau matimatāṃ śreṣṭho ya eṣa jagataḥ prabhuḥ। sambhāvayati yady evaṃ tvad-vākyāc ca janārdanaḥ ॥ evam etat sarvam iti sarvaṃ tad vitathaṃ dhruvam ॥2-38-16॥
That Janardana, the best among the intelligent and lord of the world, considers thus if it is so from your statement. Thus, all this, all that, is certainly false. (2-38-16)
na gāthā gāthinaṃ śāsti bahu ced api gāyati। prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni bhūliṅgaśakunir yathā ॥2-38-17॥
A song does not teach the singer, even if he sings much. Beings return to their nature, just as a trained bird does. (2-38-17)
nūnaṃ prakṛtireṣā te jaghanyā nātra saṃśayaḥ। ataḥ pāpīyasī caiṣāṃ pāṇḍavānām apīṣyate ॥2-38-18॥
Indeed, this is your nature, the lowest; there is no doubt about it. Therefore, this is considered even more sinful among the Pāṇḍavas. (2-38-18)
yeṣām arcyatamaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ tvaṃ ca yeṣāṃ pradarśakaḥ। dharmavāktvam adharmajñaḥ satāṃ mārgād avaplutah ॥2-38-19॥
You, Kṛṣṇa, who are the most worshipful among them, and their guide, speaker of dharma, knower of adharma, have deviated from the path of the righteous. (2-38-19)
ko hi dharmiṇam ātmānaṃ jānan jñānavatāṃ varaḥ। kuryād yathā tvayā bhīṣma kṛtaṃ dharmam avekṣatā ॥2-38-20॥
O Bhishma, who among the wise, knowing himself to be righteous, would act as you have done, performing duty with such careful consideration? (2-38-20)
anyakāmā hi dharmajña kanyakā prājñamāninā। ambā nāmeti bhadraṃ te kathaṃ sāpahṛtā tvayā ॥2-38-21॥
Ambā, who desired another and was knowledgeable in dharma, was taken away by you, who considered yourself wise. How did this happen? May you fare well. (2-38-21)
yāṃ tvayāpahṛtāṃ bhīṣma kanyāṃ naiṣitavānnṛpaḥ। bhrātā vicitravīryaste satāṃ vṛttamanuṣṭhitaḥ ॥2-38-22॥
The maiden whom you, Bhīṣma, had taken away, the king sought to marry; your brother Vicitrapīrya acted according to the conduct of the virtuous. (2-38-22)
dārayoryasya cānyena miṣataḥ prājñamāninaḥ। tava jātānyapatyāni sajjanācarite pathi ॥2-38-23॥
Your children, born of your two wives, in the presence of another who considers himself wise, have been set on the path practiced by the virtuous. (2-38-23)
na hi dharmo'sti te bhīṣma brahmacaryam idaṃ vṛthā। yad dhārayasi mohād vā klībatvād vā na saṃśayaḥ॥2-38-24॥
O Bhishma, this celibacy you maintain is not truly righteousness, for it is in vain—whether you uphold it out of delusion or impotence, there is no doubt about it. (2-38-24)
na tvahaṃ tava dharmajña paśyāmyupacayaṃ kvacit। na hi te sevitā vṛddhā ya evaṃ dharmam abruvan ॥2-38-25॥
O knower of dharma, I do not see any increase of your (virtue) anywhere. Indeed, your elders who spoke thus about dharma were not served by you. (2-38-25)
iṣṭaṃ dattam adhītaṃ ca yajñāś ca bahudakṣiṇāḥ। sarvam etad apatyasya kalāṃ nārhati ṣoḍaśīm ॥2-38-26॥
All that has been sacrificed, given, studied, and all the sacrifices performed with many gifts—none of this is worthy of even a sixteenth part of a son. (2-38-26)
vratopavāsair bahubhiḥ kṛtaṃ bhavati bhīṣma yat। sarvaṃ tad anapatyasya moghaṃ bhavati niścayāt ॥2-38-27॥
O Bhīṣma, whatever is performed by many vows and fasts, all of that certainly becomes fruitless for one who has no offspring. (2-38-27)
so'napatyaś ca vṛddhaś ca mithyā-dharmānuśāsanāt। haṃsavat tvam apīdānīṃ jñātibhyaḥ prāpnuyā vadham ॥2-38-28॥
He, being childless and aged, because of false instruction on righteousness, like a swan, you too may now meet your death at the hands of your kinsmen. (2-38-28)
evaṃ hi kathayanty anye narā jñānavidaḥ purā। bhīṣma yat tad ahaṃ samyag vakṣyāmi tava śṛṇvataḥ ॥2-38-29॥
Thus, as others—men who are knowers of knowledge—have narrated in former times, O Bhīṣma, that which I shall properly explain to you as you listen.
vṛddhaḥ kila samudrānte kaścid dhaṃso 'bhavat purā। dharmavāg anyathāvṛttaḥ pakṣiṇaḥ so 'nuśāsti ha ॥2-38-30॥
Once, there was an old swan at the edge of the ocean; though he spoke of righteousness, he acted otherwise, and he used to instruct the other birds. (2-38-30)
dharmaṃ carata mādharmam iti tasya vacaḥ kila। pakṣiṇaḥ śuśruvur bhīṣma satataṃ dharmavādinaḥ ॥2-38-31॥
"Practice righteousness, not unrighteousness"—such was his statement, O Bhishma, which the birds, always devoted to righteousness, heard. (2-38-31)
athāsya bhakṣyam ājahruḥ samudra-jala-cāriṇaḥ। aṇḍajā bhīṣma tasyānye dharmārtham iti śuśruma ॥2-38-32॥
Then, O Bhīṣma, those who move in the ocean and water, the egg-born beings, brought him food. Others also, for the sake of dharma, did likewise, as we have heard. (2-38-32)
tasya caiva samabhyāśe nikṣipyāṇḍāni sarvaśaḥ। samudrāmbhasyamodanta caranto bhīṣma pakṣiṇaḥ ॥2-38-33॥
And near him, having placed all their eggs, the fearsome birds moved about rejoicing in the waters of the ocean. (2-38-33)
teṣāmaṇḍāni sarveṣāṃ bhakṣayāmāsa pāpakṛt। sa haṃsaḥ sampramattānāmapramattaḥ svakarmaṇi ॥2-38-34॥
The evil-doer ate all their eggs. The swan, unlike the careless ones, was attentive to his own duty. (2-38-34)
tataḥ prakṣīyamāṇeṣu teṣvaṇḍeṣvaṇḍajo'paraḥ| aśaṅkata mahāprājñastaṃ kadācid dadarśa ha ॥2-38-35॥
Then, as those eggs were being destroyed, another egg-born creature became suspicious; at some point, the great wise one saw him. (2-38-35)
tataḥ sa kathayāmāsa dṛṣṭvā haṃsasya kilbiṣam। teṣāṃ paramaduḥkhārtaḥ sa pakṣī sarvapakṣiṇām ॥2-38-36॥
Then, having seen the swan's wrongdoing, he, the bird who was most afflicted with sorrow among all the birds, spoke to them. (2-38-36)
tataḥ pratyakṣato dṛṣṭvā pakṣiṇas te samāgatāḥ। nijaghnus taṃ tadā haṃsaṃ mithyāvṛttaṃ kurūdvaha ॥2-38-37॥
Then, O best of the Kurus, the birds, having seen the swan acting falsely, assembled together and killed him. (2-38-37)
te tvāṃ haṃsasadharmāṇam apīme vasudhādhipāḥ। nihanyur bhīṣma saṅkruddhāḥ pakṣiṇas tam ivāṇḍajam ॥2-38-38॥
O Bhishma, even these kings of the earth, if greatly enraged, would slay you, who are as pure as a swan, just as birds would kill one of their own kind hatched from an egg. (2-38-38)
gāthām apy atra gāyanti ye purāṇavido janāḥ। bhīṣma yāṃ tāṃ ca te samyak kathayiṣyāmi bhārata ॥2-38-39॥
O Bhārata, I shall properly narrate to you that song which the people who know the Purāṇas sing here, and which Bhīṣma also sang. (2-38-39)
antarātmani vinihite; rauṣi patraratha vitatham। aṇḍabhakṣaṇamaśuci te; karma vācamatiśayate ॥2-38-40॥
When the inner self is established, O Rishi, the leaf-chariot is false. Eating eggs is impure; your action surpasses your words. (2-38-40)
