05.026
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira spoke:
कां नु वाचं सञ्जय मे शृणोषि; युद्धैषिणीं येन युद्धाद्बिभेषि। अयुद्धं वै तात युद्धाद्गरीयः; कस्तल्लब्ध्वा जातु युध्येत सूत ॥५-२६-१॥
O Sanjaya, which of my words do you hear that desires war, by which you fear the war? Indeed, dear one, non-war is better than war; who, having realized this, would ever choose to fight, O charioteer?
अकुर्वतश्चेत्पुरुषस्य सञ्जय; सिध्येत्सङ्कल्पो मनसा यं यमिच्छेत्। न कर्म कुर्याद्विदितं ममैत; दन्यत्र युद्धाद्बहु यल्लघीयः ॥५-२६-२॥
O Sanjaya, if a person does not act, his resolve would succeed by mere thought, whatever he desires. This is known to me, that no action should be done except in battle, which is much easier.
कुतो युद्धं जातु नरः प्रजान; न्को दैवशप्तोऽभिवृणीत युद्धम्। सुखैषिणः कर्म कुर्वन्ति पार्था; धर्मादहीनं यच्च लोकस्य पथ्यम् ॥५-२६-३॥
"From where would a man, cursed by fate, ever choose war? Those desirous of happiness, like the sons of Pritha, perform actions that are devoid of righteousness but are considered beneficial to the world."
कर्मोदयं सुखमाशंसमानः; कृच्छ्रोपायं तत्त्वतः कर्म दुःखम्। सुखप्रेप्सुर्विजिघांसुश्च दुःखं; य इन्द्रियाणां प्रीतिवशानुगामी ॥ कामाभिध्या स्वशरीरं दुनोति; यया प्रयुक्तोऽनुकरोति दुःखम् ॥५-२६-४॥
Hoping for happiness from actions, one finds that actions are truly suffering when pursued with difficulty. The desire for happiness and the wish to harm lead to suffering; one who follows the senses' pleasures is led astray. Desire and contemplation torment one's own body, and through them, one engages in and imitates suffering.
यथेध्यमानस्य समिद्धतेजसो; भूयो बलं वर्धते पावकस्य। कामार्थलाभेन तथैव भूयो; न तृप्यते सर्पिषेवाग्निरिद्धः ॥ सम्पश्येमं भोगचयं महान्तं; सहास्माभिर्धृतराष्ट्रस्य राज्ञः ॥५-२६-५॥
Just as the strength of a blazing fire increases when kindled, similarly, the gain of desires and wealth never satisfies, like a fire fed with ghee. Behold this great heap of enjoyments with us, belonging to King Dhritarashtra.
नाश्रेयसामीश्वरो विग्रहाणां; नाश्रेयसां गीतशब्दं शृणोति। नाश्रेयसः सेवते माल्यगन्धा; न्न चाप्यश्रेयांस्यनुलेपनानि ॥५-२६-६॥
The lord of the non-beneficial forms listens to the song sound of the non-beneficial. The non-beneficial one enjoys flower scents and not the non-beneficial ointments.
नाश्रेयसः प्रावरानध्यवस्ते; कथं त्वस्मान्सम्प्रणुदेत्कुरुभ्यः। अत्रैव च स्यादवधूय एष; कामः शरीरे हृदयं दुनोति ॥५-२६-७॥
He does not wear auspicious coverings; how could he remove us from the Kurus? Here itself, discarding this, desire afflicts the heart in the body.
स्वयं राजा विषमस्थः परेषु; सामस्थ्यमन्विच्छति तन्न साधु। यथात्मनः पश्यति वृत्तमेव; तथा परेषामपि सोऽभ्युपैति ॥५-२६-८॥
A king in distress seeks peace from others, which is not appropriate. Just as he observes his own behavior, he judges others' actions similarly.
आसन्नमग्निं तु निदाघकाले; गम्भीरकक्षे गहने विसृज्य। यथा वृद्धं वायुवशेन शोचे; त्क्षेमं मुमुक्षुः शिशिरव्यपाये ॥५-२६-९॥
In the summer, one should leave the fire in a deep and dense place, as the old one may burn by the wind's will. Similarly, a person seeking liberation finds safety at the end of winter.
प्राप्तैश्वर्यो धृतराष्ट्रोऽद्य राजा; लालप्यते सञ्जय कस्य हेतोः। प्रगृह्य दुर्बुद्धिमनार्जवे रतं; पुत्रं मन्दं मूढममन्त्रिणं तु ॥५-२६-१०॥
Today, King Dhritarashtra, having gained wealth, laments to Sanjaya, questioning the reason. He reflects on his son, who is engaged in dishonesty, is foolish, deluded, and lacks counsel.
अनाप्तः सन्नाप्ततमस्य वाचं; सुयोधनो विदुरस्यावमन्य। सुतस्य राजा धृतराष्ट्रः प्रियैषी; सम्बुध्यमानो विशतेऽधर्ममेव ॥५-२६-११॥
Despite being aware and a well-wisher, King Dhritarashtra's son, Suyodhana, disregards the trustworthy words of Vidura and indeed embraces unrighteousness.
मेधाविनं ह्यर्थकामं कुरूणां; बहुश्रुतं वाग्मिनं शीलवन्तम्। सूत राजा धृतराष्ट्रः कुरुभ्यो; न सोऽस्मरद्विदुरं पुत्रकाम्यात् ॥५-२६-१२॥
King Dhritarashtra, despite being wise, desirous of wealth, well-learned, eloquent, and virtuous, did not remember Vidura from the Kurus because of his desire for a son.
मानघ्नस्य आत्मकामस्य चेर्ष्योः; संरम्भिणश्चार्थधर्मातिगस्य। दुर्भाषिणो मन्युवशानुगस्य; कामात्मनो दुर्हृदो भावनस्य ॥५-२६-१३॥
This verse describes a person who destroys honor, is self-centered, envious, angry, transgresses the principles of wealth and duty, speaks harshly, is driven by anger, whose soul is consumed by desire, is wicked-hearted, and is contemplative.
अनेयस्याश्रेयसो दीर्घमन्यो; र्मित्रद्रुहः सञ्जय पापबुद्धेः। सुतस्य राजा धृतराष्ट्रः प्रियैषी; प्रपश्यमानः प्रजहाद्धर्मकामौ ॥५-२६-१४॥
King Dhritarashtra, foreseeing the misfortune brought by his son, who was long-minded and an enemy of friends, abandoned righteousness and desire, despite being a well-wisher.
तदैव मे सञ्जय दीव्यतोऽभू; न्नो चेत्कुरूनागतः स्यादभावः। काव्यां वाचं विदुरो भाषमाणो; न विन्दते धृतराष्ट्रात्प्रशंसाम् ॥५-२६-१५॥
At that very moment, Sanjaya, while engaged in a game of dice, if the Kurus had not come, there would have been nothing. Vidura, speaking poetically, does not receive any praise from Dhritarashtra.
क्षत्तुर्यदा अन्ववर्तन्त बुद्धिं; कृच्छ्रं कुरून्न तदाभ्याजगाम। यावत्प्रज्ञामन्ववर्तन्त तस्य; तावत्तेषां राष्ट्रवृद्धिर्बभूव ॥५-२६-१६॥
When the minister adhered to intelligence, the Kurus did not face difficulties. As long as they followed his wisdom, their kingdom prospered.
तदर्थलुब्धस्य निबोध मेऽद्य; ये मन्त्रिणो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सूत। दुःशासनः शकुनिः सूतपुत्रो; गावल्गणे पश्य संमोहमस्य ॥५-२६-१७॥
Today, understand my words, O Gavalgana, about the ministers of Dhritarashtra who are greedy for their own purposes: Duhshasana, Shakuni, and the son of a charioteer; see how confused he is.
सोऽहं न पश्यामि परीक्षमाणः; कथं स्वस्ति स्यात्कुरुसृञ्जयानाम्। आत्तैश्वर्यो धृतराष्ट्रः परेभ्यः; प्रव्राजिते विदुरे दीर्घदृष्टौ ॥५-२६-१८॥
He is examining and does not see how there can be welfare for the Kurus and Sṛñjayas. Dhritarashtra, having gained sovereignty from others, has exiled the far-sighted Vidura.
आशंसते वै धृतराष्ट्रः सपुत्रो; महाराज्यमसपत्नं पृथिव्याम्। तस्मिञ्शमः केवलं नोपलभ्यो; अत्यासन्नं मद्गतं मन्यतेऽर्थम् ॥५-२६-१९॥
Dhritarashtra, with his sons, desires an unrivaled great kingdom on earth. In this, peace is not attainable; he believes the purpose concerning me is imminent.
यत्तत्कर्णो मन्यते पारणीयं; युद्धे गृहीतायुधमर्जुनेन। आसंश्च युद्धानि पुरा महान्ति; कथं कर्णो नाभवद्द्वीप एषाम् ॥५-२६-२०॥
Karna, who thinks he can overcome, took up arms in battle against Arjuna. There were great battles in the past; how did Karna not become a refuge for these?
कर्णश्च जानाति सुयोधनश्च; द्रोणश्च जानाति पितामहश्च। अन्ये च ये कुरवस्तत्र सन्ति; यथार्जुनान्नास्त्यपरो धनुर्धरः ॥५-२६-२१॥
Karna, Suyodhana, Drona, and the grandfather know this; and others among the Kurus present there also know that there is no archer greater than Arjuna.
जानन्त्येते कुरवः सर्व एव; ये चाप्यन्ये भूमिपालाः समेताः। दुर्योधनं चापराधे चरन्त; मरिंदमे फल्गुनेऽविद्यमाने ॥५-२६-२२॥
All these Kurus and other assembled kings know that Duryodhana is acting wrongly, O slayer of enemies, O Arjuna, in your absence.
तेनार्थबद्धं मन्यते धार्तराष्ट्रः; शक्यं हर्तुं पाण्डवानां ममत्वम्। किरीटिना तालमात्रायुधेन; तद्वेदिना संयुगं तत्र गत्वा ॥५-२६-२३॥
Dhritarashtra's son believes that it is possible to take away the Pandavas' affection by Arjuna, who wields a weapon the size of a palm tree, and having gone there, knows the battle.
गाण्डीवविस्फारितशब्दमाजा; वशृण्वाना धार्तराष्ट्रा ध्रियन्ते। क्रुद्धस्य चेद्भीमसेनस्य वेगा; त्सुयोधनो मन्यते सिद्धमर्थम् ॥५-२६-२४॥
The sons of Dhritarashtra are enduring the sound of Gandiva's twang and the illusion. Suyodhana believes that the purpose has been accomplished by the force of the enraged Bhimasena.
इन्द्रोऽप्येतन्नोत्सहेत्तात हर्तु; मैश्वर्यं नो जीवति भीमसेने। धनञ्जये नकुले चैव सूत; तथा वीरे सहदेवे मदीये ॥५-२६-२५॥
O father, even Indra would not be able to take away our prosperity while Bhīmasena, Dhanañjaya, Nakula, and the heroic Sahadeva, who are my own, are alive, O charioteer.
स चेदेतां प्रतिपद्येत बुद्धिं; वृद्धो राजा सह पुत्रेण सूत। एवं रणे पाण्डवकोपदग्धा; न नश्येयुः सञ्जय धार्तराष्ट्राः ॥५-२६-२६॥
If the old king, along with his son, were to adopt this wisdom, then, O charioteer, the Dhartarashtras, inflamed by the Pandavas in battle, would not meet their end, O Sanjaya.
जानासि त्वं क्लेशमस्मासु वृत्तं; त्वां पूजयन्सञ्जयाहं क्षमेयम्। यच्चास्माकं कौरवैर्भूतपूर्वं; या नो वृत्तिर्धार्तराष्ट्रे तदासीत् ॥५-२६-२७॥
You are aware of the suffering that has happened to us; by worshipping you, O Sanjaya, I may find it in my heart to forgive. Our past conduct with the Kauravas was what it was in the Dhartarashtra.
अद्यापि तत्तत्र तथैव वर्ततां; शान्तिं गमिष्यामि यथा त्वमात्थ। इन्द्रप्रस्थे भवतु ममैव राज्यं; सुयोधनो यच्छतु भारताग्र्यः ॥५-२६-२८॥
Even today, let it remain as it is there; I will find peace as you have said. Let my kingdom be in Indraprastha; let Suyodhana, the foremost of the Bharatas, grant it.
