05.048
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
samaveteṣu sarveṣu teṣu rājasu bhārata। duryodhanamidaṃ vākyaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo'bravīt ॥5-48-1॥
In the assembly of all the gathered kings, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, addressed Duryodhana with these words, O Bharata.
bṛhaspatiścośanā ca brahmāṇaṃ paryupasthitau। marutaśca sahendreṇa vasavaśca sahāśvinau ॥5-48-2॥
Bṛhaspati and Uśanā attended upon Brahmā, along with the Maruts with Indra and the Vasus with the Aśvins.
ādityāścaiva sādhyāśca ye ca saptaṛṣayo divi। viśvāvasuśca gandharvaḥ śubhāścāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ ॥5-48-3॥
The Adityas, the Sadhyas, the seven sages in heaven, Viśvāvasu the Gandharva, and the auspicious groups of Apsaras are all present.
namaskṛtvopajagmuste lokavṛddhaṃ pitāmaham। parivārya ca viśveśaṃ paryāsata divaukasaḥ ॥5-48-4॥
After offering their salutations, they approached the revered elder and grandfather of the worlds. The celestials then surrounded and sat around the lord of the universe.
teṣāṃ manaśca tejaścāpyādādānau divaukasām। pūrvadevau vyatikrāntau naranārāyaṇāvṛṣī ॥5-48-5॥
Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the ancient sages, received the mind and splendor of the gods, surpassing them.
bṛhaspatiśca papraccha brāhmaṇaṃ kāvimāviti। bhavantaṃ nopatiṣṭhete tau naḥ śaṃsa pitāmaha ॥5-48-6॥
Bṛhaspati inquired of the Brahmin sage, "Do they not come to you? Please tell us, O grandfather."
brahmovāca॥
Brahma spoke:
yāvetau pṛthivīṃ dyāṃ ca bhāsayantau tapasvinau। jvalantau rocamānau ca vyāpyātītau mahābalau ॥5-48-7॥
These two mighty ascetics illuminate both the earth and the sky, shining brightly and radiantly, and their presence is all-pervading.
naranārāyaṇāvetau lokāllokaṃ samāsthitau। ūrjitau svena tapasā mahāsattvaparākramau ॥5-48-8॥
Nara and Narayana, these two sages, are established across worlds, empowered by their own penance, and possess immense strength and courage.
etau hi karmaṇā lokān nandayām āsatur dhruvau। asurāṇām abhāvāya deva-gandharva-pūjitau ॥5-48-9॥
These two steadfast beings, through their actions, brought joy to the worlds and were revered by gods and celestial beings for the destruction of the demons.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
jagāma śakras tac chrutvā yatra tau tepatus tapaḥ। sārdhaṃ devagaṇaiḥ sarvair bṛhaspatipurogamaiḥ ॥5-48-10॥
Upon hearing the news, Indra, accompanied by all the groups of gods led by Brihaspati, went to the place where the two were performing their penance.
tadā devāsure ghore bhaye jāte divaukasām। ayācata mahātmānau naranārāyaṇau varam ॥5-48-11॥
At that time, when a dreadful fear arose among the gods and demons, the great souls Nara and Narayana requested a boon from the inhabitants of heaven.
tāvabrūtāṃ vṛṇīṣveti tadā bharatasattama। athaitāvabravīcchakraḥ sāhyaṃ naḥ kriyatāmiti ॥5-48-12॥
Those two addressed, "Choose," at that time, O best of the Bharatas. Then Indra said to those two, "Let assistance be rendered to us."
tatastau śakramabrūtāṃ kariṣyāvo yadicchasi। tābhyāṃ ca sahitaḥ śakro vijigye daityadānavān ॥5-48-13॥
Then those two said to Indra, "We will do what you wish." With their help, Indra defeated the demons and giants.
nara indrasya saṅgrāme hatvā śatrūnparantapaḥ। paulomānkālakhañjāṃśca sahasrāṇi śatāni ca ॥5-48-14॥
The warrior, who is a terror to his enemies, defeated the foes of Indra in battle, along with the Paulomas and Kalakhanjas, in their thousands and hundreds.
eṣa bhrānte rathe tiṣṭhanbhallenāpaharacchiraḥ। jambhasya grasamānasya yajñamarjuna āhave ॥5-48-15॥
Arjuna, while standing on the chaotic chariot, severed the head of Jambha with an arrow as he was consuming the sacrifice during the battle.
eṣa pāre samudrasya hiraṇyapuramārujat। hatvā ṣaṣṭisahasrāṇi nivātakavacānraṇe ॥5-48-16॥
He crossed to the other side of the ocean and ascended Hiranyapura, after defeating sixty thousand Nivatakavachas in battle.
eṣa devānsahendreṇa jitvā parapurañjayaḥ। atarpayanmahābāhurarjuno jātavedasam ॥ nārāyaṇastathaivātra bhūyaso'nyāñjaghāna ha ॥5-48-17॥
This mighty-armed Arjuna, the conqueror of enemy cities, having conquered the gods with Indra, satisfied Agni. Similarly, Narayana here killed many others indeed.
evametau mahāvīryau tau paśyata samāgatau। vāsudevārjunau vīrau samavetau mahārathau ॥5-48-18॥
Behold these two mighty warriors, Vasudeva and Arjuna, who have come together as great charioteers.
naranārāyaṇau devau pūrvadevāviti śrutiḥ। ajeyau mānuṣe loke sendrairapi surāsuraiḥ ॥5-48-19॥
Nara and Narayana are revered as ancient gods, known to be invincible in the human world, even by gods and demons along with Indra.
eṣa nārāyaṇaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ phalgunastu naraḥ smṛtaḥ। nārāyaṇo naraścaiva sattvamekaṃ dvidhākṛtam ॥5-48-20॥
This Narayana is Krishna, and Arjuna is remembered as a man. Narayana and man are indeed one essence divided into two.
etau hi karmaṇā lokānaśnuvāte'kṣayāndhruvān। tatra tatraiva jāyete yuddhakāle punaḥ punaḥ ॥5-48-21॥
These two, by their actions, attain the eternal and imperishable worlds. In those worlds, they are reborn at the time of war, repeatedly.
tasmātkarmaiva kartavyamiti hovāca nāradaḥ। etaddhi sarvamācaṣṭa vṛṣṇicakrasya vedavit ॥5-48-22॥
Therefore, Nārada said that action must indeed be performed. The knower of the Vedas explained all this to the Vṛṣṇi circle.
śaṅkhacakragadāhastaṃ yadā drakṣyasi keśavam। paryādadānaṃ cāstrāṇi bhīmadhanvānamarjunam ॥5-48-23॥
When you see Keshava holding the conch, discus, and mace, and Arjuna, the mighty archer, wielding his weapons.
sanātanau mahātmānau kṛṣṇāvekarathe sthitau। duryodhana tadā tāta smartāsi vacanaṃ mama ॥5-48-24॥
The eternal great souls, Krishna and Arjuna, stood together on one chariot. Duryodhana, at that time, dear one, you should remember my words.
no cedayamabhāvaḥ syātkurūṇāṃ pratyupasthitaḥ। arthācca tāta dharmācca tava buddhirupaplutā ॥5-48-25॥
If this situation had not arisen among the Kurus, dear, your judgment would have been clouded by both wealth and duty.
na cedgrahīṣyase vākyaṃ śrotāsi subahūn hatān। tavaiva hi mataṃ sarve kuravaḥ paryupāsate ॥5-48-26॥
If you do not heed the advice, you will hear of many deaths. Indeed, all the Kurus are acting according to your opinion.
trayāṇāmeva ca mataṃ tattvameko'numanyase। rāmeṇa caiva śaptasya karṇasya bharatarṣabha ॥5-48-27॥
O bull among the Bharatas, you approve only one of the three truths, which is the opinion of the cursed Karna by Rama.
durjāteḥ sūtaputrasya śakuneḥ saubalasya ca। tathā kṣudrasya pāpasya bhrāturduḥśāsanasya ca ॥5-48-28॥
This refers to the ill-born, the charioteer's son, Shakuni, the son of Subala, and also to the mean and sinful brother Duhshasana.
karṇa uvāca॥
Karna said:
naivamāyuṣmatā vācyaṃ yanmāmāttha pitāmaha। kṣatradharme sthito hyasmi svadharmādanapeyivān ॥5-48-29॥
O venerable one, what you have said to me, O grandfather, is not appropriate. I am firmly established in the duty of a warrior and do not deviate from my own duty.
kiṁ cānyanmayi durvṛttaṁ yena māṁ parigarhase। na hi me vṛjinaṁ kiñciddhārtarāṣṭrā viduḥ kvacit ॥5-48-30॥
What other misconduct do I have that you blame me for? Indeed, the sons of Dhritarashtra do not know of any sin of mine at any time.
rājño hi dhṛtarāṣṭrasya sarvaṃ kāryaṃ priyaṃ mayā। tathā duryodhanasyāpi sa hi rājye samāhitaḥ ॥5-48-31॥
Indeed, I am devoted to fulfilling all the duties of King Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana, as he is truly engaged in the kingdom.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana spoke:
karṇasya tu vacaḥ śrutvā bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavaḥ punaḥ। dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahārājamābhāṣyedaṃ vaco'bravīt ॥5-48-32॥
Upon hearing Karna's words, Bhishma, the son of Shantanu, once again spoke to King Dhritarashtra.
yadayaṁ katthate nityaṁ hantāhaṁ pāṇḍavāniti। nāyaṁ kalāpi sampūrṇā pāṇḍavānāṁ mahātmanām ॥5-48-33॥
When he always boasts, "I am the slayer of the Pandavas," he is not even a fraction of the greatness of the Pandavas.
anayo yo'yamāgantā putrāṇāṃ te durātmanām। tadasya karma jānīhi sūtaputrasya durmateḥ ॥5-48-34॥
Among these two, who is this visitor of your wicked sons? Understand that this is the act of the charioteer's son, who has an evil mind.
enam āśritya putras te mandabuddhiḥ suyodhanaḥ। avamanyata tān vīrān devaputrān ariṃdamān ॥5-48-35॥
Relying on this person, your foolish son Suyodhana showed disrespect towards those heroic sons of gods, who are subduers of enemies.
kiṁ cāpyanena tatkarma kṛtaṁ pūrvaṁ suduṣkaram। tairyathā pāṇḍavaiḥ sarvairekaikena kṛtaṁ purā ॥5-48-36॥
What is more, that very difficult task was accomplished by him in the past, just as it was done individually by all the Pandavas.
dṛṣṭvā virāṭanagare bhrātaraṃ nihataṃ priyam। dhanañjayena vikramya kimanena tadā kṛtam ॥5-48-37॥
Upon witnessing his beloved brother killed in the city of Virata by Dhananjaya, what actions did he take at that time?
sahitān hi kurūn sarvān abhiyāto dhanañjayaḥ। pramathya cācchinad gāvaḥ kim ayaṃ proṣitas tadā ॥
Dhananjaya indeed approached all the Kurus together; having crushed and cut off the cows, what happened then when he was absent?
gandharvairghoṣayātrāyāṃ hriyate yatsutastava। kva tadā sūtaputro'bhūdy idānīṃ vṛṣāyate ॥5-48-39॥
In the festive procession, your son is being taken away by the Gandharvas. Where was the charioteer's son then, who is now being praised?
nanu tatrāpi pārthena bhīmena ca mahātmanā। yamābhyāmeva cāgamya gandharvāste parājitāḥ ॥5-48-40॥
Indeed, even there, the Gandharvas were defeated by Arjuna, Bhima, and the great soul, along with the two Yamas.
etāny asya mṛṣoktāni bahūni bharatarṣabha। vikatthanasya bhadraṃ te sadā dharmārthalopinaḥ ॥5-48-41॥
These are many false words of his, O best of Bharatas. May welfare always be yours, from the boaster who neglects duty and wealth.
bhīṣmasya tu vacaḥ śrutvā bhāradvājo mahāmanāḥ। dhṛtarāṣṭramuvācedaṃ rājamadhye'bhipūjayan ॥5-48-42॥
Upon hearing Bhishma's words, the wise Bharadvaja addressed Dhritarashtra, showing him respect among the assembled kings.
yadāha bharataśreṣṭho bhīṣmastatkriyatāṃ nṛpa। na kāmamarthalipsūnāṃ vacanaṃ kartumarhasi ॥5-48-43॥
O King, you should follow what Bhishma, the best of the Bharatas, has advised. Do not heed the words of those who are driven by desire for wealth.
purā yuddhātsādhu manye pāṇḍavaiḥ saha saṅgamam। yadvākyamarjunenoktaṃ sañjayena niveditam ॥5-48-44॥
I believe that the meeting with the Pandavas after the battle was favorable, as the statement made by Arjuna was conveyed by Sanjaya.
sarvaṁ tadabhijānāmi kariṣyati ca pāṇḍavaḥ। na hyasya triṣu lokeṣu sadṛśo'sti dhanurdharaḥ ॥5-48-45॥
I am aware of everything, and Pāṇḍava will accomplish it. Truly, there is no archer like him in all the three worlds.
anādṛtya tu tadvākyamarthavaddroṇabhīṣmayoḥ। tataḥ sa sañjayaṃ rājā paryapṛcchata pāṇḍavam ॥5-48-46॥
Ignoring the meaningful advice of Drona and Bhishma, the king then asked Sanjaya about the Pandavas.
tadaiva kuravaḥ sarve nirāśā jīvite'bhavan। bhīṣmadroṇau yadā rājā na samyaganubhāṣate ॥5-48-47॥
At that very moment, all the Kurus lost hope in life because the king failed to properly address Bhishma and Drona.
