03.019
Pancharatra: After gaining consciousness Pradyumna urges the charioteer to return to the battlefield.
वासुदेव उवाच॥
Vāsudeva said.
शाल्वबाणार्दिते तस्मिन्प्रद्युम्ने बलिनां वरे। वृष्णयो भग्नसङ्कल्पा विव्यथुः पृतनागताः ॥३-१९-१॥
When Pradyumna, the foremost among the strong, was struck by Śālva's arrow, the Vṛṣṇis, whose resolve was broken, who had come to the battle, were filled with distress. (3-19-1)
हाहाकृतमभूत्सार्वं वृष्ण्यन्धकबलं तदा। प्रद्युम्ने पतिते राजन्परे च मुदिताभवन् ॥३-१९-२॥
At that time, O king, when Pradyumna fell, all the Vṛṣṇi and Andhaka forces cried out in distress, while the opposing side became joyful. (3-19-2)
तं तथा मोहितं दृष्ट्वा सारथिर्जवनैर्हयैः। रणादपाहरत्तूर्णं शिक्षितो दारुकिस्ततः ॥३-१९-३॥
Seeing him thus bewildered, the trained charioteer Dāruka quickly carried him away from the battlefield with swift horses. (3-19-3)
नातिदूरापयाते तु रथे रथवरप्रणुत्। धनुर्गृहीत्वा यन्तारं लब्धसञ्ज्ञोऽब्रवीदिदम् ॥३-१९-४॥
When the chariot had not gone very far, and as he regained consciousness, he took up his bow and spoke these words to the charioteer. (3-19-4)
सौते किं ते व्यवसितं कस्माद्यासि पराङ्मुखः। नैष वृष्णिप्रवीराणामाहवे धर्म उच्यते ॥३-१९-५॥
O son of Suta, what have you decided? Why are you turning away? For the mighty Vṛṣṇis, this is not considered righteousness in battle. (3-19-5)
कच्चित्सौते न ते मोहः शाल्वं दृष्ट्वा महाहवे। विषादो वा रणं दृष्ट्वा ब्रूहि मे त्वं यथातथम् ॥३-१९-६॥
O son of Suta, tell me truly: did you not feel delusion on seeing Śālva in the great battle, or did you feel despondency on seeing the battle? Tell me exactly as it happened. (3-19-6)
सूत उवाच॥
The charioteer said.
जानार्दने न मे मोहो नापि मे भयमाविशत्। अतिभारं तु ते मन्ये शाल्वं केशवनन्दन ॥३-१९-७॥
O Jānārdana, I have neither delusion nor has fear entered me. But I consider Śālva to be an excessive burden for you, O son of Keśava. (3-19-7)
सोऽपयामि शनैर्वीर बलवानेष पापकृत्। मोहितश्च रणे शूरो रक्ष्यः सारथिना रथी ॥३-१९-८॥
O hero, I am restraining this strong evil-doer slowly; though valiant, the chariot-warrior, being deluded in battle, must be protected by the charioteer. (3-19-8)
आयुष्मंस्त्वं मया नित्यं रक्षितव्यस्त्वयाप्यहम्। रक्षितव्यो रथी नित्यमिति कृत्वापयाम्यहम् ॥३-१९-९॥
O long-lived one, you are always to be protected by me, and I too must always be protected by you, the charioteer. Thinking thus, I withdraw. (3-19-9)
एकश्चासि महाबाहो बहवश्चापि दानवाः। नसमं रौक्मिणेयाहं रणं मत्वापयाम्यहम् ॥३-१९-१०॥
O mighty-armed, you are one, and the Dānavas are many; considering the battle not to be equal, O son of Rukmiṇī, I withdraw. (3-19-10)
वासुदेव उवाच॥
Vāsudeva said.
एवं ब्रुवति सूते तु तदा मकरकेतुमान्। उवाच सूतं कौरव्य निवर्तय रथं पुनः ॥३-१९-११॥
While the charioteer was thus speaking, at that moment Makaraketu said to the charioteer, "O Kauravya, turn the chariot back again." (3-19-11)
दारुकात्मज मैवं त्वं पुनः कार्षीः कथञ्चन। व्यपयानं रणात्सौते जीवतो मम कर्हिचित् ॥३-१९-१२॥
O son of Dāruka, never again should you, O charioteer, in any way leave the battlefield while I am alive. (3-19-12)
न स वृष्णिकुले जातो यो वै त्यजति सङ्गरम्। यो वा निपतितं हन्ति तवास्मीति च वादिनम् ॥३-१९-१३॥
He who abandons battle, or who kills the fallen, or who slays one saying 'I am yours', is not born in the Vṛṣṇi family. (3-19-13)
तथा स्त्रियं वै यो हन्ति वृद्धं बालं तथैव च। विरथं विप्रकीर्णं च भग्नशस्त्रायुधं तथा ॥३-१९-१४॥
In the same way, whoever kills a woman, an old person, a child, one who is without a chariot, disheveled, or whose weapons and arms are broken, is also condemned. (3-19-14)
त्वं च सूतकुले जातो विनीतः सूतकर्मणि। धर्मज्ञश्चासि वृष्णीनामाहवेष्वपि दारुके ॥३-१९-१५॥
O Dāruka, you were born in the charioteer family, are trained in the duties of a charioteer, are a knower of dharma, and are also among the Vṛṣṇis in battles. (3-19-15)
स जानंश्चरितं कृत्स्नं वृष्णीनां पृतनामुखे। अपयानं पुनः सौते मैवं कार्षीः कथञ्चन ॥३-१९-१६॥
He, knowing all the deeds of the Vṛṣṇis at the front of battle, said, "O charioteer, do not ever retreat again in this way." (3-19-16)
अपयातं हतं पृष्ठे भीतं रणपलायिनम्। गदाग्रजो दुराधर्षः किं मां वक्ष्यति माधवः ॥३-१९-१७॥
If I depart, slain on the back, frightened, fleeing from battle, what will the elder brother of Gadā, the unconquerable Mādhava, say to me? (3-19-17)
केशवस्याग्रजो वापि नीलवासा मदोत्कटः। किं वक्ष्यति महाबाहुर्बलदेवः समागतः ॥३-१९-१८॥
What will Baladeva, the mighty-armed elder brother of Keśava, who is also clad in blue and intensely proud, say now that he has arrived? (3-19-18)
किं वक्ष्यति शिनेर्नप्ता नरसिंहो महाधनुः। अपयातं रणात्सौते साम्बश्च समितिञ्जयः ॥३-१९-१९॥
O charioteer, what will Śini's grandson Narasiṁha, the great bowman, say about Sāmba and the conqueror of assemblies having left the battlefield? (3-19-19)
चारुदेष्णश्च दुर्धर्षस्तथैव गदसारणौ। अक्रूरश्च महाबाहुः किं मां वक्ष्यति सारथे ॥३-१९-२०॥
Cārudeṣṇa, Durdharṣa, as well as Gada and Sāraṇa, and also Akrūra, the mighty-armed—O charioteer, what will they say about me? (3-19-20)
शूरं सम्भावितं सन्तं नित्यं पुरुषमानिनम्। स्त्रियश्च वृष्णीवीराणां किं मां वक्ष्यन्ति सङ्गताः ॥३-१९-२१॥
What will the assembled women of the Vṛṣṇi heroes say about me, who am always brave, honored, virtuous, and proud of my manliness? (3-19-21)
प्रद्युम्नोऽयमुपायाति भीतस्त्यक्त्वा महाहवम्। धिगेनमिति वक्ष्यन्ति न तु वक्ष्यन्ति साध्विति ॥३-१९-२२॥
This Pradyumna, having abandoned the great battle out of fear, is approaching. People will say "Shame on him", but they will not say "Well done". (3-19-22)
धिग्वाचा परिहासोऽपि मम वा मद्विधस्य वा। मृत्युनाभ्यधिकः सौते स त्वं मा व्यपयाः पुनः ॥३-१९-२३॥
O Sauti, even mockery by words, whether of me or of one like me, is worse than death; therefore, do not repeat it again. (3-19-23)
भारं हि मयि संन्यस्य यातो मधुनिहा हरिः। यज्ञं भरतसिंहस्य पार्थस्यामिततेजसः ॥३-१९-२४॥
Indeed, having placed the burden upon me, Hari, the slayer of Madhu, departed. The sacrifice of Partha, the lion of the Bharatas, who possesses immeasurable energy, (was thus left to me). (3-19-24)
कृतवर्मा मया वीरो निर्यास्यन्नेव वारितः। शाल्वं निवारयिष्येऽहं तिष्ठ त्वमिति सूतज ॥३-१९-२५॥
Kṛtavarmā, the hero, was stopped by me just as he was about to depart. I will restrain Śālva; you stay here, O son of the charioteer. (3-19-25)
स च सम्भावयन्मां वै निवृत्तो हृदिकात्मजः। तं समेत्य रणं त्यक्त्वा किं वक्ष्यामि महारथम् ॥३-१९-२६॥
And he, the son of Hṛidika, having honoured me, has withdrawn; having approached him and abandoned the battle, what shall I say to the great chariot-warrior? (3-19-26)
उपयातं दुराधर्षं शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम्। पुरुषं पुण्डरीकाक्षं किं वक्ष्यामि महाभुजम् ॥३-१९-२७॥
What can I say about the mighty-armed, lotus-eyed person, who has approached, who is difficult to overcome, and who bears the conch, discus, and mace? (3-19-27)
सात्यकिं बलदेवं च ये चान्येऽन्धकवृष्णयः। मया स्पर्धन्ति सततं किं नु वक्ष्यामि तानहम् ॥३-१९-२८॥
Sātyaki, Baladeva, and the other Andhaka and Vṛṣṇi clansmen always compete with me; what indeed shall I say about them? (3-19-28)
त्यक्त्वा रणमिमं सौते पृष्ठतोऽभ्याहतः शरैः। त्वयापनीतो विवशो न जीवेयं कथञ्चन ॥३-१९-२९॥
O charioteer, having abandoned this battle and being struck from behind by arrows, if I am removed by you and rendered helpless, I would not wish to live in any way. (3-19-29)
स निवर्त रथेनाशु पुनर्दारुकनन्दन। न चैतदेवं कर्तव्यमथापत्सु कथञ्चन ॥३-१९-३०॥
Return quickly by chariot again, O son of Dāruka. This should not be done in this way, except in cases of danger, in any way. (3-19-30)
न जीवितमहं सौते बहु मन्ये कदाचन। अपयातो रणाद्भीतः पृष्ठतोऽभ्याहतः शरैः ॥३-१९-३१॥
O charioteer, I never value life much if one flees from battle in fear and is struck from behind by arrows. (3-19-31)
कदा वा सूतपुत्र त्वं जानीषे मां भयार्दितम्। अपयातं रणं हित्वा यथा कापुरुषं तथा ॥३-१९-३२॥
O son of a charioteer, when have you ever seen me, afflicted by fear, abandon the battle and flee like a coward? (3-19-32)
न युक्तं भवता त्यक्तुं सङ्ग्रामं दारुकात्मज। मयि युद्धार्थिनि भृशं स त्वं याहि यतो रणम् ॥३-१९-३३॥
It is not proper for you to abandon the battle, O son of Dāruka; since I am greatly desiring battle, therefore you go where the battle is. (3-19-33)
