04.047

भीष्म उवाच॥

bhīṣma uvāca॥

[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma; (proper noun, name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (he spoke);]

(Bhishma said;)

Bhishma said.

कलांशास्तात युज्यन्ते मुहूर्ताश्च दिनानि च। अर्धमासाश्च मासाश्च नक्षत्राणि ग्रहास्तथा ॥०४-४७-१॥

kalāṁśās tāta yujyante muhūrtāś ca dināni ca। ardhamāsāś ca māsāś ca nakṣatrāṇi grahās tathā॥04-47-1॥

[कलांशाः (kalāṁśāḥ) - fractions of a kala; तात (tāta) - O dear (addressing someone affectionately); युज्यन्ते (yujyante) - are joined; मुहूर्ताश् (muhūrtāḥ) - muhurtas (units of time); च (ca) - and; दिनानि (dināni) - days; च (ca) - and; अर्धमासाः (ardhamāsāḥ) - fortnights; च (ca) - and; मासाः (māsāḥ) - months; च (ca) - and; नक्षत्राणि (nakṣatrāṇi) - constellations; ग्रहाः (grahāḥ) - planets; तथा (tathā) - also;]

(Fractions of a kala, O dear, are joined, and muhurtas and days, and fortnights and months and constellations and planets also.)

O dear, fractions of a kala combine, as do muhurtas and days, fortnights and months, as well as constellations and planets. (04-47-1)

ऋतवश्चापि युज्यन्ते तथा संवत्सरा अपि। एवं कालविभागेन कालचक्रं प्रवर्तते ॥०४-४७-२॥

ṛtavaś cāpi yujyante tathā saṁvatsarā api। evaṁ kāla-vibhāgena kālachakraṁ pravartate ॥04-47-2॥

[ऋतवः (ṛtavaḥ) - seasons; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; युज्यन्ते (yujyante) - are joined; तथा (tathā) - likewise; संवत्सराः (saṁvatsarāḥ) - years; अपि (api) - also; एवम् (evam) - thus; कालविभागेन (kāla-vibhāgena) - by division of time; कालचक्रम् (kālachakram) - time wheel; प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - revolves;]

(Seasons and also are joined, likewise years also; thus, by the division of time, the wheel of time revolves.)

The seasons and also the years are joined together; thus, by the division of time, the wheel of time revolves. (04-47-2)

तेषां कालातिरेकेण ज्योतिषां च व्यतिक्रमात्। पञ्चमे पञ्चमे वर्षे द्वौ मासावुपजायतः ॥०४-४७-३॥

teṣāṃ kālātirekeṇa jyotiṣāṃ ca vyatikramāt. pañcame pañcame varṣe dvau māsāv upajāyataḥ ॥04-47-3॥

[तेषां (teṣāṃ) - of them; कालातिरेकेण (kālātirekeṇa) - by excess of time; ज्योतिषां (jyotiṣām) - of luminaries; च (ca) - and; व्यतिक्रमात् (vyatikramāt) - by irregularity; पञ्चमे (pañcame) - in the fifth; पञ्चमे (pañcame) - in the fifth; वर्षे (varṣe) - year; द्वौ (dvau) - two; मासौ (māsau) - months; उपजायतः (upajāyataḥ) - arise;]

(Of them, by excess of time, and by irregularity of the luminaries, in every fifth year, two months arise.)

For them, due to excess of time and the irregularity of the luminaries, two extra months arise in every fifth year. (04-47-3)

तेषामभ्यधिका मासाः पञ्च द्वादश च क्षपाः। त्रयोदशानां वर्षाणामिति मे वर्तते मतिः ॥०४-४७-४॥

teṣām abhyadhikā māsāḥ pañca dvādaśa ca kṣapāḥ. trayodaśānāṃ varṣāṇām iti me vartate matiḥ ॥04-47-4॥

[तेषाम् (teṣām) - of them; अभ्यधिका (abhyadhikā) - exceeding; मासाः (māsāḥ) - months; पञ्च (pañca) - five; द्वादश (dvādaśa) - twelve; च (ca) - and; क्षपाः (kṣapāḥ) - nights; त्रयोदशानाम् (trayodaśānām) - of thirteen; वर्षाणाम् (varṣāṇām) - years; इति (iti) - thus; मे (me) - my; वर्तते (vartate) - is; मतिः (matiḥ) - opinion;]

(Of them, exceeding months five, and twelve nights; of thirteen years thus my opinion is.)

In my opinion, for them, the time exceeds by five months and twelve nights; thus, I consider it to be of thirteen years. (04-47-4)

सर्वं यथावच्चरितं यद्यदेभिः परिश्रुतम्। एवमेतद्ध्रुवं ज्ञात्वा ततो बीभत्सुरागतः ॥०४-४७-५॥

sarvaṃ yathāvat caritaṃ yad yad ebhiḥ pariśrutam। evam etad dhruvaṃ jñātvā tato bībhatsur āgataḥ॥04-47-5॥

[सर्वं (sarvam) - all; everything; यथावत् (yathāvat) - as it is; correctly; properly; चरितं (caritam) - acted; done; accomplished; यद्यत् (yad yat) - whatever; एभिः (ebhiḥ) - by these; परिश्रुतम् (pariśrutam) - heard; reported; एवम् (evam) - thus; in this way; एतत् (etat) - this; ध्रुवं (dhruvam) - certainly; surely; ज्ञात्वा (jñātvā) - having known; ततः (tataḥ) - then; from that; बीभत्सुः (bībhatsuḥ) - Bībhatsu; Arjuna; आगतः (āgataḥ) - came; has come;]

(All, as it is done, whatever by these has been heard, thus this surely having known, then Bībhatsu came.)

Having ascertained that everything happened as had been reported by these, Bībhatsu (Arjuna) then came. (4-47-5)

सर्वे चैव महात्मानः सर्वे धर्मार्थकोविदाः। येषां युधिष्ठिरो राजा कस्माद्धर्मेऽपराध्नुयुः ॥०४-४७-६॥

sarve caiva mahātmānaḥ sarve dharmārthakovidāḥ। yeṣāṃ yudhiṣṭhiro rājā kasmāddharme'parādhnuyuḥ॥04-47-6॥

[सर्वे (sarve) - all; everyone; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; महात्मानः (mahātmānaḥ) - great-souled ones; सर्वे (sarve) - all; everyone; धर्मार्थकोविदाः (dharmārthakovidāḥ) - versed in dharma and artha; knower of right and purpose; येषां (yeṣāṃ) - of whom; whose; युधिष्ठिरः (yudhiṣṭhiraḥ) - Yudhishthira; राजा (rājā) - king; कस्मात् (kasmāt) - from what; for what reason; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; अपराध्नुयुः (aparādhnuyuḥ) - would transgress; would fail;]

(All and indeed great-souled ones, all versed in dharma and artha, of whom Yudhishthira is king, for what reason in dharma would they transgress?)

All those great-souled men, all well versed in righteousness and purpose, whose king is Yudhishthira—why would they ever transgress dharma? (04-47-6)

अलुब्धाश्चैव कौन्तेयाः कृतवन्तश्च दुष्करम्। न चापि केवलं राज्यमिच्छेयुस्तेऽनुपायतः ॥०४-४७-७॥

alubdhāś caiva kaunteyāḥ kṛtavantaś ca duṣkaram। na cāpi kevalaṃ rājyam iccheyus te'nupāyataḥ॥04-47-7॥

[अलुब्धाः (alubdhāḥ) - not greedy; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; कौन्तेयाः (kaunteyāḥ) - the sons of Kunti; कृतवन्तः (kṛtavantaḥ) - have done; च (ca) - and; दुष्करम् (duṣkaram) - difficult (deed); न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; केवलम् (kevalam) - merely; राज्यम् (rājyam) - kingdom; इच्छेयुः (iccheyuḥ) - would desire; ते (te) - they; अनुपायतः (anupāyataḥ) - without (unrighteous) means;]

(Not greedy indeed and the sons of Kunti have done difficult (deeds); and not also merely kingdom would they desire without means.)

The sons of Kunti are not greedy and have performed difficult deeds; nor would they desire merely the kingdom by unrighteous means. (04-47-7)

तदैव ते हि विक्रान्तुमीषुः कौरवनन्दनाः। धर्मपाशनिबद्धास्तु न चेलुः क्षत्रियव्रतात् ॥०४-४७-८॥

tadaiva te hi vikrāntum īṣuḥ kauravanandanāḥ। dharmapāśanibaddhās tu na celuḥ kṣatriyavratāt॥04-47-8॥

[तदैव (tadaiva) - at that very moment; ते (te) - they; हि (hi) - indeed; विक्रान्तुम् (vikrāntum) - to advance; to act heroically; ईषुः (īṣuḥ) - they desired; कौरवनन्दनाः (kauravanandanāḥ) - the scions of the Kauravas; धर्मपाशनिबद्धाः (dharmapāśanibaddhāḥ) - bound by the fetter (bond) of dharma; तु (tu) - but; न (na) - not; चेलुः (celuḥ) - they moved; they deviated; क्षत्रियव्रतात् (kṣatriyavratāt) - from the vow of the warrior (kṣatriya);]

(At that very moment, they indeed desired to advance, O scions of the Kauravas. But bound by the fetter of dharma, they did not deviate from the vow of the kṣatriya.)

At that very moment, the sons of the Kauravas indeed wished to charge forward, but bound by the bonds of dharma, they did not waver from the kṣatriya's vow. (04-47-8)

यच्चानृत इति ख्यायेद्यच्च गच्छेत्पराभवम्। वृणुयुर्मरणं पार्था नानृतत्वं कथञ्चन ॥०४-४७-९॥

yaccānṛta iti khyāyedyacca gacchetparābhavam। vṛṇuyur maraṇaṁ pārthā nānṛtatvaṁ kathañcana ॥04-47-9॥

[यत् (yat) - which; च (ca) - and; अनृत (anṛta) - falsehood; इति (iti) - thus; ख्यायेत् (khyāyet) - should be regarded; यत् (yat) - which; च (ca) - and; गच्छेत् (gacchet) - might lead; पराभवम् (parābhavam) - ruin; वृणुयुः (vṛṇuyuḥ) - they should choose; मरणम् (maraṇam) - death; पार्थाः (pārthāḥ) - O sons of Pṛthā; न (na) - not; अनृतत्वम् (anṛtatvam) - falsehood; कथञ्चन (kathañcana) - by any means;]

(Which and as falsehood thus should be regarded, which and might lead to ruin, they should choose death, O Pārthas, not falsehood by any means.)

O sons of Pṛthā, that which is regarded as falsehood, and that which would lead to ruin—all these, it is better to choose death than falsehood under any circumstances. (04-47-9)

प्राप्ते तु काले प्राप्तव्यं नोत्सृजेयुर्नरर्षभाः। अपि वज्रभृता गुप्तं तथावीर्या हि पाण्डवाः ॥०४-४७-१०॥

prāpte tu kāle prāptavyaṁ notsṛjeyur nararṣabhāḥ। api vajrabhṛtā guptaṁ tathā vīryā hi pāṇḍavāḥ॥04-47-10॥

[प्राप्ते (prāpte) - having arrived; (at) तु (tu) - but; काले (kāle) - time; प्राप्तव्यं (prāptavyam) - to be obtained; न (na) - not; उत्सृजेयुः (utsṛjeyuḥ) - should let go; नरर्षभाः (nararṣabhāḥ) - bulls among men; अपि (api) - even; वज्रभृता (vajrabhṛtā) - by the bearer of the thunderbolt; गुप्तं (guptam) - protected; तथा (tathā) - in that way; वीर्याः (vīryāḥ) - having the strength; हि (hi) - indeed; पाण्डवाः (pāṇḍavāḥ) - the Pāṇḍavas;]

(But having arrived at the time, what is to be obtained, the bulls among men should not let go. Even if protected by the bearer of the thunderbolt in that way, indeed, the Pāṇḍavas have strength.)

But when the time for gaining what is to be gained arrives, the foremost of men should not let it go. Even if what is sought is protected by the bearer of the thunderbolt, the Pāṇḍavas indeed have the strength. (04-47-10)

प्रतियुध्याम समरे सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम्। तस्माद्यदत्र कल्याणं लोके सद्भिरनुष्ठितम् ॥ तत्संविधीयतां क्षिप्रं मा नो ह्यर्थोऽतिगात्परान् ॥०४-४७-११॥

pratiyudhyāma samare sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varam। tasmādyadatra kalyāṇaṃ loke sadbhiranuṣṭhitam ॥ tatsaṃvidhīyatāṃ kṣipraṃ mā no hyartho'tigātparān ॥04-47-11॥

[प्रतियुध्याम (pratiyudhyāma) - let us fight against; समरे (samare) - in battle; सर्वशस्त्रभृतां (sarvaśastrabhṛtām) - of all bearers of arms; वरम् (varam) - the best; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; यत् (yat) - which; अत्र (atra) - here; कल्याणम् (kalyāṇam) - auspicious; लोके (loke) - in the world; सद्भिः (sadbhiḥ) - by good men; अनुष्ठितम् (anuṣṭhitam) - fulfilled; तत् (tat) - that; संविधीयताम् (saṃvidhīyatām) - let it be arranged; क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - quickly; मा (mā) - do not; नः (naḥ) - our; हि (hi) - indeed; अर्थः (arthaḥ) - purpose; अतिगात् (atigāt) - should surpass; परान् (parān) - others;]

(Let us fight against in battle the best of all bearers of arms. Therefore, that which here is auspicious in the world, fulfilled by good men, let that be arranged quickly. Do not let our purpose indeed surpass (be overtaken by) others. (04-47-11))

Let us fight in battle the foremost among all warriors. Therefore, let that which is regarded as auspicious in this world and practiced by the virtuous be promptly arranged, so that our aim is not overtaken by others. (04-47-11)

न हि पश्यामि सङ्ग्रामे कदाचिदपि कौरव। एकान्तसिद्धिं राजेन्द्र सम्प्राप्तश्च धनञ्जयः ॥०४-४७-१२॥

na hi paśyāmi saṅgrāme kadācidapi kaurava। ekāntasiddhiṃ rājendra samprāptaśca dhanañjayaḥ ॥04-47-12॥

[न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; पश्यामि (paśyāmi) - I see; सङ्ग्रामे (saṅgrāme) - in battle; कदाचिदपि (kadācidapi) - ever at all; कौरव (kaurava) - O Kaurava; एकान्तसिद्धिं (ekāntasiddhiṃ) - complete victory; राजेन्द्र (rājendra) - O king; सम्प्राप्तश्च (samprāptaśca) - and has attained; धनञ्जयः (dhanañjayaḥ) - Dhananjaya (Arjuna);]

(Not indeed I see in battle ever at all, O Kaurava, complete victory, O king, and Dhananjaya has attained.)

I do not see, O Kaurava, any possibility of complete victory in battle at any time, O king, and Dhananjaya has attained it. (04-47-12)

सम्प्रवृत्ते तु सङ्ग्रामे भावाभावौ जयाजयौ। अवश्यमेकं स्पृशतो दृष्टमेतदसंशयम् ॥०४-४७-१३॥

sampravṛtte tu saṅgrāme bhāvābhāvau jayājayau। avaśyamekaṃ spṛśato dṛṣṭametadasaṃśayam ॥04-47-13॥

[सम्प्रवृत्ते (sampravṛtte) - having commenced; began; तु (tu) - but; सङ्ग्रामे (saṅgrāme) - in battle; भावाभावौ (bhāvābhāvau) - existence and non-existence; being and non-being; जयाजयौ (jayājayau) - victory and defeat; अवश्यम् (avaśyam) - certainly; inevitably; एकं (ekaṃ) - one (of the two); स्पृशतः (spṛśataḥ) - to the one who confronts; encountering; दृष्टम् (dṛṣṭam) - seen; known; एतत् (etat) - this; असंशयम् (asaṃśayam) - without doubt;]

(But when battle has commenced, existence and non-existence, victory and defeat—certainly one is encountered (by) the participant; this is seen, without doubt.)

But once battle has begun, either existence or non-existence, victory or defeat, is surely encountered; this has always been observed, there is no doubt about it. (04-47-13)

तस्माद्युद्धावचरिकं कर्म वा धर्मसंहितम्। क्रियतामाशु राजेन्द्र सम्प्राप्तो हि धनञ्जयः ॥०४-४७-१४॥

tasmādyuddhāvacarikaṁ karma vā dharmasaṁhitam। kriyatāmāśu rājendra samprāpto hi dhanañjayaḥ॥ 04-47-14॥

[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; युद्ध-अवचरिकम् (yuddha-avacarikaṁ) - pertaining to battle; कर्म (karma) - action; वा (vā) - or; धर्म-संहितम् (dharma-saṁhitam) - together with dharma; क्रियताम् (kriyatām) - let it be done; आशु (āśu) - quickly; राजेन्द्र (rājendra) - O king; सम्प्राप्तः (samprāptaḥ) - has arrived; हि (hi) - indeed; धनञ्जयः (dhanañjayaḥ) - Dhanañjaya (Arjuna);]

(Therefore, action pertaining to battle or joined with dharma, let it be done quickly, O king, for indeed Dhanañjaya has arrived.)

Therefore, O king, let the action related to battle or established in dharma be performed quickly, for Dhanañjaya has arrived. (04-47-14)

दुर्योधन उवाच॥

duryodhana uvāca॥

[दुर्योधन (duryodhana) - Duryodhana; (proper noun); उवाच (uvāca) - said; spoke;]

(Duryodhana said;)

Duryodhana said.

नाहं राज्यं प्रदास्यामि पाण्डवानां पितामह। युद्धावचारिकं यत्तु तच्छीघ्रं संविधीयताम् ॥०४-४७-१५॥

nāhaṃ rājyaṃ pradāsyāmi pāṇḍavānāṃ pitāmaha। yuddhāvacārikaṃ yattu tacchīghraṃ saṃvidhīyatām ॥04-47-15॥

[न (na) - not; अहम् (aham) - I; राज्यम् (rājyaṃ) - kingdom; प्रदास्यामि (pradāsyāmi) - I shall give; पाण्डवानाम् (pāṇḍavānām) - of the Pāṇḍavas; पितामह (pitāmaha) - O grandfather; युद्धावचारिकम् (yuddhāvacārikaṃ) - concerning the progress of war; यत् (yat) - which; तु (tu) - but; तत् (tat) - that; शीघ्रम् (śīghram) - quickly; संविधीयताम् (saṃvidhīyatām) - let (it) be arranged;]

(Not I kingdom I shall give of the Pāṇḍavas, O grandfather. Concerning the progress of war which but that quickly let it be arranged.)

O grandfather, I will not give the kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas. But let that, which concerns the conduct of the war, be arranged quickly. (04-47-15)

भीष्म उवाच॥

bhīṣma uvāca॥

[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhishma; (a proper noun, name of a character); उवाच (uvāca) - said;]

(Bhishma said;)

Bhishma said.

अत्र या मामकी बुद्धिः श्रूयतां यदि रोचते। क्षिप्रं बलचतुर्भागं गृह्य गच्छ पुरं प्रति ॥ ततोऽपरश्चतुर्भागो गाः समादाय गच्छतु ॥०४-४७-१६॥

atra yā māmaki buddhiḥ śrūyatāṃ yadi rocate। kṣipraṃ balacaturbhāgaṃ gṛhya gaccha puraṃ prati॥ tato'paraś caturbhāgo gāḥ samādāya gacchatu॥04-47-16॥

[अत्र (atra) - here; या (yā) - which; मामकी (māmaki) - my; बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - mind; intention; श्रूयताम् (śrūyatām) - let it be heard; यदि (yadi) - if; रोचते (rocate) - pleases; क्षिप्रं (kṣipraṃ) - quickly; बलचतुर्भागं (balacaturbhāgaṃ) - one fourth part of [the] army; गृह्य (gṛhya) - taking; गच्छ (gaccha) - go; पुरं (puraṃ) - to the city; प्रति (prati) - towards; ततः (tataḥ) - then; अपरे (apare) - another; चतुर्भागः (caturbhāgaḥ) - a fourth part; गाः (gāḥ) - cows; समादाय (samādāya) - having taken; गच्छतु (gacchatu) - let him go;]

(Here, which my mind (intention), let it be heard if it pleases. Quickly, taking a fourth part of the army, go towards the city. Then another fourth part, having taken the cows, let him go.)

Here is my idea; let it be heard if it pleases you. Let one fourth of the army quickly go towards the city. Then let another fourth take the cows and depart. (4-47-16)

वयं त्वर्धेन सैन्येन प्रतियोत्स्याम पाण्डवम्। मत्स्यं वा पुनरायातमथ वापि शतक्रतुम् ॥०४-४७-१७॥

vayaṃ tv ardhenai sanyena pratiyotsyāma pāṇḍavam। matsyaṃ vā punar āyātam atha vāpi śatakratum॥04-47-17॥

[वयम् (vayam) - we; तु (tu) - but; अर्धेन (ardhena) - with half; सैन्येन (sainyena) - with army; प्रतियोत्स्याम (pratiyotsyāma) - we shall oppose; we will fight against; पाण्डवम् (pāṇḍavam) - (the) Pāṇḍava; मत्स्यं (matsyam) - Matsya (kingdom/king); वा (vā) - or; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; आयातम् (āyātam) - having come; returned; अथ (atha) - or; or else; वा अपि (vā api) - or even; शतक्रतुम् (śatakratum) - Indra (epithet);]

(We but with half (the) army shall oppose (the) Pāṇḍava; or (the) Matsya, again returned, or even Indra.)

But we, with just half our army, shall oppose the Pāṇḍava; or we shall face the Matsya king if he returns, or even Indra himself. (04-47-17)

आचार्यो मध्यतस्तिष्ठत्वश्वत्थामा तु सव्यतः। कृपः शारद्वतो धीमान्पार्श्वं रक्षतु दक्षिणम् ॥०४-४७-१८॥

ācāryo madhyatastiṣṭhatvaśvatthāmā tu savyataḥ। kṛpaḥ śāradvato dhīmānpārśvaṃ rakṣatu dakṣiṇam ॥04-47-18॥

[आचार्यः (ācāryaḥ) - teacher; मध्यतः (madhyataḥ) - in the center; तिṣ्ठतु (tiṣṭhatu) - let him stand; अश्वत्थामा (aśvatthāmā) - Aśvatthāman; तु (tu) - but; सव्यतः (savyataḥ) - on the left; कृपः (kṛpaḥ) - Kṛpa; शारद्वतः (śāradvataḥ) - (son) of Śāradvat; धीमान् (dhīmān) - wise; पार्श्वम् (pārśvam) - side; रक्षतु (rakṣatu) - let him protect; दक्षिणम् (dakṣiṇam) - the right;]

(Teacher in the center let him stand, Aśvatthāman but on the left; Kṛpa, son of Śāradvat, wise, side let him protect the right.)

Let the teacher stand in the center; but let Aśvatthāman (stand) on the left. Let the wise Kṛpa, son of Śāradvat, protect the right side. (04-47-18)

अग्रतः सूतपुत्रस्तु कर्णस्तिष्ठतु दंशितः। अहं सर्वस्य सैन्यस्य पश्चात्स्थास्यामि पालयन् ॥०४-४७-१९॥

agrataḥ sūtaputras tu karṇas tiṣṭhatu daṃśitaḥ। ahaṃ sarvasya sainyasya paścāt sthāsyāmi pālayan ॥04-47-19॥

[अग्रतः (agrataḥ) - at the front; सूतपुत्रः (sūtaputraḥ) - the son of the charioteer; तु (tu) - but; कर्णः (karṇaḥ) - Karṇa; तिष्ठतु (tiṣṭhatu) - should stand; दंशितः (daṃśitaḥ) - armed; अहं (ahaṃ) - I; सर्वस्य (sarvasya) - of all; सैन्यस्य (sainyasya) - the army; पश्चात् (paścāt) - at the rear; स्थास्यामि (sthāsyāmi) - I shall remain; पालयन् (pālayan) - protecting;]

(At the front, the son of the charioteer, Karṇa, but, should stand armed; I of all the army at the rear shall remain protecting.)

Let the son of the charioteer, Karṇa, stand armed at the front; I shall stay at the rear of the entire army, protecting it. (04-47-19)