03.019
Pancharatra: After gaining consciousness Pradyumna urges the charioteer to return to the battlefield.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said.
śālvabāṇārditē tasmin pradyumnē balināṃ varē। vṛṣṇayaḥ bhagnasaṅkalpā vivyathuḥ pṛtanāgatāḥ ॥3-19-1॥
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)
hāhākṛtam abhūt sārvaṃ vṛṣṇy-andhaka-balaṃ tadā। pradyumne patite rājan pare ca muditā abhavan ॥3-19-2॥
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)
taṃ tathā mohitaṃ dṛṣṭvā sārathir javanair hayaiḥ। raṇād apāharat tūrṇaṃ śikṣito dārukis tataḥ ॥3-19-3॥
Seeing him thus bewildered, the trained charioteer Dāruka quickly carried him away from the battlefield with swift horses. (3-19-3)
nātīdūrāpayāte tu rathe rathavarapraṇut। dhanurgr̥hītvā yantāraṃ labdhasaṃjño'bravīdidam ॥3-19-4॥
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)
saute kiṁ te vyavasitaṁ kasmādyāsi parāṅmukhaḥ। naiṣa vṛṣṇipravīrāṇāmāhave dharma ucyate ॥3-19-5॥
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)
kaccitsaute na te mohaḥ śālwaṃ dṛṣṭvā mahāhave। viṣādo vā raṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā brūhi me tvaṃ yathātatham ॥3-19-6॥
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)
sūta uvāca॥
The charioteer said.
jānārdane na me moho nāpi me bhayam āviśat। atibhāraṃ tu te manye śālvaṃ keśavanandana ॥3-19-7॥
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)
so'payāmi śanair vīra balavān eṣa pāpakṛt। mohitaś ca raṇe śūro rakṣyaḥ sārathinā rathī ॥3-19-8॥
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)
āyuṣmaṃs tvaṃ mayā nityaṃ rakṣitavyas tvayāpy aham। rakṣitavyo rathī nityam iti kṛtvā apayāmy aham॥3-19-9॥
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)
ekaś cāsi mahābāho bahavaś cāpi dānavāḥ। nasamaṃ raukmiṇeyāhaṃ raṇaṃ matvāpayāmy aham ॥3-19-10॥
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)
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vāsudeva said.
evaṃ bruvati sūte tu tadā makaraketumān। uvāca sūtaṃ kauravya nivartaya rathaṃ punaḥ ॥3-19-11॥
While the charioteer was thus speaking, at that moment Makaraketu said to the charioteer, "O Kauravya, turn the chariot back again." (3-19-11)
dārukātmaja maivaṃ tvaṃ punaḥ kārṣīḥ kathaṃcana। vyapayānaṃ raṇātsaute jīvato mama karhicit ॥3-19-12॥
O son of Dāruka, never again should you, O charioteer, in any way leave the battlefield while I am alive. (3-19-12)
na sa vṛṣṇikule jāto yo vai tyajati saṅgaram। yo vā nipatitaṃ hanti tavāsmīti ca vādinam ॥3-19-13॥
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)
tathā striyaṃ vai yo hanti vṛddhaṃ bālaṃ tathaiva ca। virathaṃ viprakīrṇaṃ ca bhagnaśastrāyudhaṃ tathā ॥3-19-14॥
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)
tvaṃ ca sūtakule jāto vinītaḥ sūtakarmaṇi। dharmajñaś cāsi vṛṣṇīnām āhaveṣv api dāruke ॥3-19-15॥
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)
sa jānaṁś caritaṁ kṛtsnaṁ vṛṣṇīnāṁ pṛtanāmukhe। apayānaṁ punaḥ saute maivaṁ kārṣīḥ kathaṁcana ॥3-19-16॥
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)
apayātaṃ hataṃ pṛṣṭhe bhītaṃ raṇapalāyinam। gadāgrajo durādharṣaḥ kiṃ māṃ vakṣyati mādhavaḥ ॥3-19-17॥
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)
keśavasya agrajaḥ vā api nīlavāsā madotkaṭaḥ। kiṃ vakṣyati mahābāhuḥ baladevaḥ samāgataḥ॥3-19-18॥
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)
kiṁ vakṣyati śiner naptā narasiṁho mahādhanuḥ। apayātaṁ raṇāt saute sāmbaś ca samitiñjayaḥ ॥3-19-19॥
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)
cārudeṣṇaś ca durdharṣas tathaiva gadasāraṇau। akrūraś ca mahābāhuḥ kiṁ māṁ vakṣyati sārathe ॥3-19-20॥
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)
śūraṃ sambhāvitaṃ santaṃ nityaṃ puruṣamāninam। striyaś ca vṛṣṇīvīrāṇāṃ kiṃ māṃ vakṣyanti saṅgatāḥ ॥3-19-21॥
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)
pradyumno'ayam upāyāti bhītaḥ tyaktvā mahāhavam। dhig enam iti vakṣyanti na tu vakṣyanti sādhv iti ॥3-19-22॥
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)
dhig-vācā parihāso'pi mama vā mad-vidhasya vā। mṛtyunābhyadhikaḥ saute sa tvaṃ mā vyapayāḥ punaḥ ॥3-19-23॥
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)
bhāraṃ hi mayi saṃnyasya yāto madhuni-hā hariḥ। yajñaṃ bharata-siṃhasya pārthasya amita-tejasaḥ ॥3-19-24॥
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)
kṛtavarmā mayā vīro niryāsyanneva vāritaḥ। śālvaṃ nivārayiṣye'haṃ tiṣṭha tvamiti sūtaja ॥3-19-25॥
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)
sa ca sambhāvayan māṁ vai nivṛtto hṛdikātmajaḥ। taṁ sametya raṇaṁ tyaktvā kiṁ vakṣyāmi mahāratham ॥3-19-26॥
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)
upayātaṃ durādharṣaṃ śaṅkhacakragadādharam। puruṣaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ kiṃ vakṣyāmi mahābhujam ॥3-19-27॥
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)
sātyakiṃ baladevaṃ ca ye ca anye'ndhakavṛṣṇayaḥ। mayā spardhanti satataṃ kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi tān aham ॥3-19-28॥
Sātyaki, Baladeva, and the other Andhaka and Vṛṣṇi clansmen always compete with me; what indeed shall I say about them? (3-19-28)
tyaktvā raṇam imaṃ saute pṛṣṭhato'bhyāhataḥ śaraiḥ। tvayāpanīto vivaśo na jīveyaṃ kathaṃcana ॥3-19-29॥
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)
sa nivarta rathena āśu punar dāruka-nandana। na ca etad evaṃ kartavyam atha āpatsu kathaṃcana ॥3-19-30॥
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)
na jīvitam ahaṃ saute bahu manye kadācana। apayāto raṇād bhītaḥ pṛṣṭhato'bhyāhataḥ śaraiḥ ॥3-19-31॥
O charioteer, I never value life much if one flees from battle in fear and is struck from behind by arrows. (3-19-31)
kadā vā sūtaputra tvaṃ jānīṣe māṃ bhayārditam। apayātaṃ raṇaṃ hitvā yathā kāpuruṣaṃ tathā ॥3-19-32॥
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)
na yuktaṃ bhavatā tyaktuṃ saṅgrāmaṃ dārukātmaja। mayi yuddhārthini bhṛśaṃ sa tvaṃ yāhi yato raṇam ॥3-19-33॥
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)
