02.041
Pancharatra: Exchange of words between Bhishma and Shishupala.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
नैषा चेदिपतेर्बुद्धिर्यया त्वाह्वयतेऽच्युतम्। नूनमेष जगद्भर्तुः कृष्णस्यैव विनिश्चयः ॥२-४१-१॥
This is not the intention of the king of Cedi by which he invites you, O Acyuta. Surely, this is indeed the decision of Kṛṣṇa, the sustainer of the world. (2-41-1)
को हि मां भीमसेनाद्य क्षितावर्हति पार्थिवः। क्षेप्तुं दैवपरीतात्मा यथैष कुलपांसनः ॥२-४१-२॥
Who indeed among kings on earth today, except Bhīmasena, could cast me down, whose mind is overpowered by fate, just as this disgrace of the family (has done)? (2-41-2)
एष ह्यस्य महाबाहो तेजोंशश्च हरेर्ध्रुवम्। तमेव पुनरादातुमिच्छत्पृथुयशा हरिः ॥२-४१-३॥
O mighty-armed one, this is certainly a portion of Hari's radiance; Hari, renowned and illustrious, now wishes to reclaim him. (2-41-3)
येनैष कुरुशार्दूल शार्दूल इव चेदिराट्। गर्जत्यतीव दुर्बुद्धिः सर्वानस्मानचिन्तयन् ॥२-४१-४॥
O tiger among the Kurus, it is by him—this king of the Cedis, who, like a tiger, roars exceedingly with wicked intent, disregarding all of us. (2-41-4)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ततो न ममृषे चैद्यस्तद्भीष्मवचनं तदा। उवाच चैनं सङ्क्रुद्धः पुनर्भीष्ममथोत्तरम् ॥२-४१-५॥
Then the king of Chedi, unable to bear Bhishma's words at that time, spoke again to Bhishma in great anger with this reply. (2-41-5)
शिशुपाल उवाच॥
Shishupala said.
द्विषतां नोऽस्तु भीष्मैष प्रभावः केशवस्य यः। यस्य संस्तववक्ता त्वं बन्दिवत्सततोत्थितः ॥२-४१-६॥
May this formidable power of Keśava, which is directed against our enemies, be present; you, like a bard, are always ready to sing his praises. (2-41-6)
संस्तवाय मनो भीष्म परेषां रमते सदा। यदि संस्तौषि राज्ञस्त्वमिमं हित्वा जनार्दनम् ॥२-४१-७॥
O Bhishma, the minds of others are always inclined towards praise. If you praise the king, abandoning this Janardana (Krishna), (2-41-7)
दरदं स्तुहि बाह्लीकमिमं पार्थिवसत्तमम्। जायमानेन येनेयमभवद्दारिता मही ॥२-४१-८॥
Praise the Darada, the Bahlika, this foremost of kings, by whose birth the earth was split. (2-41-8)
वङ्गाङ्गविषयाध्यक्षं सहस्राक्षसमं बले। स्तुहि कर्णमिमं भीष्म महाचापविकर्षणम् ॥२-४१-९॥
O Bhishma, praise this Karna, the superintendent of the territories of Vanga and Anga, who is equal to Indra in strength and a mighty wielder of the great bow. (2-41-9)
द्रोणं द्रौणिं च साधु त्वं पितापुत्रौ महारथौ। स्तुहि स्तुत्याविमौ भीष्म सततं द्विजसत्तमौ ॥२-४१-१०॥
Droṇa and Drauṇi, the great chariot-warrior father and son, you should properly praise; always praise these two, Bhīṣma, the best among the twice-born. (2-41-10)
ययोरन्यतरो भीष्म सङ्क्रुद्धः सचराचराम्। इमां वसुमतीं कुर्यादशेषामिति मे मतिः ॥२-४१-११॥
O Bhīṣma, my thought is that of the two, whichever one becomes enraged could make this entire earth, with all its moving and unmoving beings, his own. (2-41-11)
द्रोणस्य हि समं युद्धे न पश्यामि नराधिपम्। अश्वत्थाम्नस्तथा भीष्म न चैतौ स्तोतुमिच्छसि ॥२-४१-१२॥
I do not see any king equal to Droṇa in battle; nor do you wish to praise either Aśvatthāman or Bhīṣma. (2-41-12)
शल्यादीनपि कस्मात्त्वं न स्तौषि वसुधाधिपान्। स्तवाय यदि ते बुद्धिर्वर्तते भीष्म सर्वदा ॥२-४१-१३॥
Bhishma, if you always have the intention to praise, why do you not praise Shalya and the other lords of the earth? (2-41-13)
किं हि शक्यं मया कर्तुं यद्वृद्धानां त्वया नृप। पुरा कथयतां नूनं न श्रुतं धर्मवादिनाम् ॥२-४१-१४॥
O king, what could I possibly do that you, among the elders, have not already heard from those who speak of dharma in the past? (2-41-14)
आत्मनिन्दात्मपूजा च परनिन्दा परस्तवः। अनाचरितमार्याणां वृत्तमेतच्चतुर्विधम् ॥२-४१-१५॥
Self-blame, self-praise, blaming others, and praising others—these four types of conduct are not followed by the noble. (2-41-15)
यदस्तव्यमिमं शश्वन्मोहात्संस्तौषि भक्तितः। केशवं तच्च ते भीष्म न कश्चिदनुमन्यते ॥२-४१-१६॥
Whatever you are always praising here, out of delusion and with devotion, Keśava—Bhīṣma, no one approves of that (2-41-16).
कथं भोजस्य पुरुषे वर्गपाले दुरात्मनि। समावेशयसे सर्वं जगत्केवलकाम्यया ॥२-४१-१७॥
How do you, by mere desire, entrust the entire world to Bhoja's man, the group-protector, who is wicked-minded? (2-41-17)
अथ वैषा न ते भक्तिः पकृतिं याति भारत। मयैव कथितं पूर्वं भूलिङ्गशकुनिर्यथा ॥२-४१-१८॥
Now, O Bhārata, this devotion of yours does not reach its true nature. I have already explained this before, just as with the earth-marked bird. (2-41-18)
भूलिङ्गशकुनिर्नाम पार्श्वे हिमवतः परे। भीष्म तस्याः सदा वाचः श्रूयन्तेऽर्थविगर्हिताः ॥२-४१-१९॥
O Bhishma, on the far side of the Himalayas, there is a bird named Bhūliṅga; her words are always heard, but they are considered blameworthy in meaning. (2-41-19)
मा साहसमितीदं सा सततं वाशते किल। साहसं चात्मनातीव चरन्ती नावबुध्यते ॥२-४१-२०॥
Do not say, 'this is rashness,' for she always speaks thus. Yet, acting exceedingly rashly on her own, she does not realize it. (2-41-20)
सा हि मांसार्गलं भीष्म मुखात्सिंहस्य खादतः। दन्तान्तरविलग्नं यत्तदादत्तेऽल्पचेतना ॥२-४१-२१॥
She, of little intelligence, takes that piece of flesh which is stuck between the teeth of the terrible lion while he is eating. (2-41-21)
इच्छतः सा हि सिंहस्य भीष्म जीवत्यसंशयम्। तद्वत्त्वमप्यधर्मज्ञ सदा वाचः प्रभाषसे ॥२-४१-२२॥
O Bhishma, just as the lioness lives as long as the lion desires, without doubt, so too, you, knower of unrighteousness, always speak such words. (2-41-22)
इच्छतां पार्थिवेन्द्राणां भीष्म जीवस्यसंशयम्। लोकविद्विष्टकर्मा हि नान्योऽस्ति भवता समः ॥२-४१-२३॥
O Bhishma, among all the kings who desire, there is doubt about the living; truly, there is no one whose actions are as hated by the world as yours, and no one equal to you. (2-41-23)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ततश्चेदिपतेः श्रुत्वा भीष्मः स कटुकं वचः। उवाचेदं वचो राजंश्चेदिराजस्य शृण्वतः ॥२-४१-२४॥
Then, upon hearing the harsh words of the king of the Cedis, Bhishma spoke these words, O king, as the king of the Cedis listened. (2-41-24)
इच्छतां किल नामाहं जीवाम्येषां महीक्षिताम्। योऽहं न गणयाम्येतांस्तृणानीव नराधिपान् ॥२-४१-२५॥
I live, it is said, only for those who desire me among these kings; for I am one who regards these rulers as no more than blades of grass. (2-41-25)
एवमुक्ते तु भीष्मेण ततः सञ्चुक्रुधुर्नृपाः। केचिज्जहृषिरे तत्र केचिद्भीष्मं जगर्हिरे ॥२-४१-२६॥
When Bhishma had spoken thus, then the kings became angry; some there rejoiced, while others censured Bhishma. (2-41-26)
केचिदूचुर्महेष्वासाः श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य तद्वचः। पापोऽवलिप्तो वृद्धश्च नायं भीष्मोऽर्हति क्षमाम् ॥२-४१-२७॥
Some of the great archers, upon hearing Bhīṣma's words, said: "This Bhīṣma, being wicked, arrogant, and old, does not deserve forgiveness." (2-41-27)
हन्यतां दुर्मतिर्भीष्मः पशुवत्साध्वयं नृपैः। सर्वैः समेत्य संरब्धैर्दह्यतां वा कटाग्निना ॥२-४१-२८॥
Let the evil-minded Bhishma be slain like a beast, properly, by the assembled and enraged kings; or let him be burned by all with the fire of the funeral pyre. (2-41-28)
इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा ततः कुरुपितामहः। उवाच मतिमान्भीष्मस्तानेव वसुधाधिपान् ॥२-४१-२९॥
Having listened to their words, the wise Bhishma, grandsire of the Kurus, then addressed those very kings of the earth. (2-41-29)
उक्तस्योक्तस्य नेहान्तमहं समुपलक्षये। यत्तु वक्ष्यामि तत्सर्वं शृणुध्वं वसुधाधिपाः ॥२-४१-३०॥
I do not see an end here to what has already been said. But listen, O kings of the earth, to all that I am about to say. (2-41-30)
पशुवद्घातनं वा मे दहनं वा कटाग्निना। क्रियतां मूर्ध्नि वो न्यस्तं मयेदं सकलं पदम् ॥२-४१-३१॥
Let me be killed like an animal or burned by the funeral fire; do as you wish. I have placed my entire step (self) on your head. (2-41-31)
एष तिष्ठति गोविन्दः पूजितोऽस्माभिरच्युतः। यस्य वस्त्वरते बुद्धिर्मरणाय स माधवम् ॥२-४१-३२॥
Here stands Govinda, Acyuta, worshipped by us. He whose mind and intellect rush towards death should turn to Mādhava. (2-41-32)
कृष्णमाह्वयतामद्य युद्धे शार्ङ्गगदाधरम्। यावदस्यैव देवस्य देहं विशतु पातितः ॥२-४१-३३॥
Summon Kṛṣṇa, the wielder of the Śārṅga bow and mace, today to the battle, until the body of this very god, when slain, may enter (the earth). (2-41-33)
