05.062
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana said:
sadṛśānāṃ manuṣyeṣu sarveṣāṃ tulyajanmanām। katham ekāntatas teṣāṃ pārthānāṃ manyase jayam ॥5-62-1॥
Among men who are similar and of equal birth, how can you be certain of victory for the sons of Pritha?
sarve sma samajātīyāḥ sarve mānuṣayonayaḥ। pitāmaha vijānīṣe pārtheṣu vijayaṃ katham ॥5-62-2॥
All are of the same kind and belong to the human race. Grandfather, you know how victory can be achieved among the sons of Pritha.
nāhaṃ bhavati na droṇe na kṛpe na ca bāhlike। anyeṣu ca narendreṣu parākramya samārabhe ॥5-62-3॥
I do not rely on Drona, Kripa, or Bahlika. I begin my endeavors after conquering other kings.
ahaṁ vaikartanaḥ karṇo bhrātā duḥśāsanaśca me। pāṇḍavānsamare pañca haniṣyāmaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥5-62-4॥
I, Karṇa, the son of Vikartana, along with my brother Duḥśāsana, will defeat the five Pāṇḍavas in battle using sharp arrows.
tato rājanmahāyajñairvividhairbhūridakṣiṇaiḥ। brāhmaṇāṁstarpayiṣyāmi gobhiraśvairdhanena ca ॥5-62-5॥
Then, O king, I shall perform great sacrifices and offer various abundant gifts to satisfy the Brahmins with cows, horses, and wealth.
vidura uvāca॥
Vidura spoke:
śakunīnām ihārthāya pāśaṃ bhūmāv ayojayat। kaścit śākunikas tāta pūrveṣām iti śuśruma ॥5-62-6॥
We have heard, dear, that some bird-catcher set a trap on the ground here for catching birds, as was done by the ancients.
tasmin dvau śakunau baddhau yugapatsamapauruṣau। tāvupādāya taṃ pāśaṃ jagmatuḥ khacarāvubhau ॥5-62-7॥
In that place, two equally strong birds were caught at the same time. Both of them, taking the noose, flew away into the sky.
tau vihāyasamākrāntau dṛṣṭvā śākunikastadā। anvadhāvadanirviṇṇo yena yena sma gacchataḥ ॥5-62-8॥
The bird-catcher, seeing those two ascend into the sky, chased after them without losing hope, following whichever path they took.
tathā tamanudhāvantaṃ mṛgayuṃ śakunārthinām। āśramastho muniḥ kaściddadarśātha kṛtāhnikḥ ॥5-62-9॥
A sage residing in the hermitage noticed the hunter chasing the bird-seeker after completing his daily rituals.
tāvantarikṣagau śīghramanuyāntaṃ mahīcaram। ślokenānena kauravya papraccha sa munistadā ॥5-62-10॥
The two celestial beings swiftly followed the earthly traveler. Then, with this verse, the sage inquired, 'O descendant of Kuru.'
vicitram idam āścaryaṃ mṛgahan pratibhāti me। plavamānau hi khacarau padātir anudhāvasi ॥5-62-11॥
"This scene is astonishing and wonderful, O hunter. You are chasing the sky-flying beings on foot."
śākunika uvāca॥
The bird-catcher spoke:
pāśamekamubhāvetau sahitau harato mama। yatra vai vivadiṣyete tatra me vaśameṣyataḥ ॥5-62-12॥
Both of these nooses, when they quarrel, will come under my control.
vidura uvāca॥
Vidura spoke:
tau vivādamanuprāptau śakunau mṛtyusandhitau। vigṛhya ca sudurbuddhī pṛthivyāṃ saṃnipetatuḥ ॥5-62-13॥
The two, having engaged in a dispute and being very evil-minded, fell to the ground, influenced by omens of death.
tau yudhyamānau saṁrabdhau mṛtyupāśavaśānugau। upasṛtyāparijñāto jagrāha mṛgayustadā ॥5-62-14॥
The two warriors, caught in the throes of battle and driven by the inevitability of death, approached without being recognized, and were then captured by the hunter.
evaṃ ye jñātayo'rtheṣu mitho gacchanti vigraham। te'mitravaśamāyānti śakunāviva vigrahāt ॥5-62-15॥
Relatives who engage in mutual conflicts over matters end up falling under the control of their enemies, just like birds become vulnerable due to their conflicts.
sambhojanaṁ saṅkathanaṁ sampraśno'tha samāgamaḥ। etāni jñātikāryāṇi na virodhaḥ kadācana ॥5-62-16॥
Sharing meals, engaging in conversations, making inquiries, and meeting are the duties of relatives; there is never any opposition to these activities.
yasmin kāle sumanasaḥ sarve vṛddhān upāsate। siṃhaguptam ivāraṇyam apradhṛṣyā bhavanti te ॥5-62-17॥
When all the virtuous people serve the elders, they become as unassailable as a forest guarded by lions.
ye'rthaṃ santatam āsādya dīnā iva samāsate। śriyaṃ te samprayacchanti dviṣadbhyo bharatarṣabha ॥5-62-18॥
O best of the Bharatas, those who constantly acquire wealth but sit like miserable ones end up bestowing their prosperity to their enemies.
dhūmāyante vyapetāni jvalanti sahitāni ca। dhṛtarāṣṭrolmukānīva jñātayo bharatarṣabha ॥5-62-19॥
The dispersed smoke and blazing torches resemble the relatives of Dhritarashtra, O best of the Bharatas.
idam anyat pravakṣyāmi yathā dṛṣṭaṃ girau mayā। śrutvā tad api kauravya yathā śreyas tathā kuru ॥5-62-20॥
I will now tell you another thing as I saw it on the mountain. After hearing it, O Kauravya, act in a way that is better.
vayaṁ kirātaiḥ sahitā gacchāmo girimuttaram। brāhmaṇairdevakalpaiśca vidyājambhakavātikaiḥ ॥5-62-21॥
We are going to the northern mountain along with the Kiratas, accompanied by Brahmins who are like gods and the Vidyājambhaka Vātikas.
kuñjabhūtaṃ giriṃ sarvamabhito gandhamādanam। dīpyamānauṣadhigaṇaṃ siddhagandharvasevitam ॥5-62-22॥
The Gandhamadana mountain, lush with dense thickets and glowing with medicinal herbs, is a place frequented by Siddhas and Gandharvas.
tatra paśyāmahe sarve madhu pītam amākṣikam। maruprapāte viṣame niviṣṭaṃ kumbhasaṃmitam ॥5-62-23॥
There we all observe a pot-sized honeycomb, drunk by bees, unevenly placed in the desert.
āśīviṣai rakṣyamāṇaṃ kuberadayitaṃ bhṛśam। yatprāśya puruṣo martyo amaratvaṃ nigacchati ॥5-62-24॥
Protected by serpents, Kubera's beloved fruit, when consumed, grants a mortal man immortality.
acakṣurlabhate cakṣurvṛddho bhavati vai yuvā। iti te kathayanti sma brāhmaṇā jambhasādhakāḥ ॥5-62-25॥
The Brahmins, known for achieving the impossible, say that one without eyes can gain sight and an old man can indeed become young.
tataḥ kirātāstad dṛṣṭvā prārthayanto mahīpate। vineśurviṣame tasminsasarpe girigahvare ॥5-62-26॥
Then the hunters, upon seeing that, prayed to the king and perished in the uneven mountain cave filled with snakes.
tathaiva tava putro'yaṁ pṛthivīmeka icchati। madhu paśyati saṁmohātprapātaṁ nānupaśyati ॥5-62-27॥
Similarly, your son desires the earth alone. He sees the sweetness but, due to delusion, does not perceive the impending danger.
duryodhano yoddhumanāḥ samare savyasācinā। na ca paśyāmi tejo'sya vikramaṃ vā tathāvidham ॥5-62-28॥
Duryodhana, who is eager to fight in the battle with Arjuna, does not seem to possess the brilliance or prowess as expected.
ekena rathamāsthāya pṛthivī yena nirjitā। pratīkṣamāṇo yo vīraḥ kṣamate vīkṣitaṃ tava ॥5-62-29॥
A hero, having mounted a chariot, conquered the earth. He waits patiently and forgives what he sees of you.
drupado matsyarājaśca saṅkruddhaśca dhanañjayaḥ। na śeṣayeyuḥ samare vāyuyuktā ivāgnayaḥ ॥5-62-30॥
Drupada, the king of the Matsyas, and the furious Dhananjaya would leave nothing behind in the battle, akin to fires fueled by the wind.
aṅke kuruṣva rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭra yudhiṣṭhiram। yudhyatorhi dvayoryuddhe naikāntena bhavejjayaḥ ॥5-62-31॥
Place King Dhritarashtra and Yudhishthira in your lap, for in the battle between the two, victory is not assured.
