05.130
Pancharatra: Through Krishna Kunti advises Yudhisthira to abandon peace and take up weapons, as per Kshatriya's duty.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
praviśyātha gṛhaṃ tasyāścaraṇāvabhivādya ca । ācakhyau tatsamāsena yadvṛttaṃ kurusaṃsadi ॥5-130-1॥
He entered the house, saluted her feet, and briefly reported what had happened in the Kuru assembly.
vāsudeva uvāca॥
Vasudeva said:
uktaṁ bahuvidhaṁ vākyaṁ grahaṇīyaṁ sahetukam । ṛṣibhiśca mayā caiva na cāsau tadgṛhītavān ॥5-130-2॥
Various words were spoken, which were reasonable and should have been accepted by the sages and by me, but he did not accept them.
kālapakvamidaṃ sarvaṃ duryodhanavaśānugam । āpṛcche bhavatīṃ śīghraṃ prayāsye pāṇḍavānprati ॥5-130-3॥
Everything here has matured over time and is now under Duryodhana's control. I must quickly take my leave from you and head towards the Pandavas.
kiṁ vācyāḥ pāṇḍaveyāste bhavatyā vacanānmaya । tadbrūhi tvaṁ mahāprājñe śuśrūṣe vacanaṁ tava ॥5-130-4॥
What should I convey to the sons of Pandu on your behalf? Please tell me, O wise one, I am eager to hear your words.
kuntyuvāca॥
Kunti said:
brūyāḥ keśava rājānaṃ dharmātmānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram । bhūyāṃste hīyate dharmo mā putraka vṛthā kṛthāḥ ॥5-130-5॥
You should inform Keshava, the righteous king Yudhishthira, that his adherence to dharma is greatly diminishing, and advise him not to act in vain, dear son.
śrotriyasyeva te rājanmandakasyāvipaścitaḥ । anuvākahatā buddhirdharnamevaikamīkṣate ॥5-130-6॥
O king, your intellect, though appearing learned, is actually unwise like that of a dull person, and it perceives only one aspect of duty, being influenced by mere words.
aṅgāvekṣasva dharmaṃ tvaṃ yathā sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā । urastaḥ kṣatriyaḥ sṛṣṭo bāhuvīryopajīvitā ॥ krūrāya karmaṇe nityaṃ prajānāṃ paripālane ॥5-130-7॥
Reflect on your duty as ordained by the Creator. You, a warrior born from the chest, are meant to live by the strength of your arms, engaging in harsh deeds, and always protecting the people.
śṛṇu cātro pamām ekāṃ yā vṛddhebhyaḥ śrutā mayā । mucukundasya rājarṣer adadāt pṛthivīm imām ॥ purā vaiśravaṇaḥ prīto na cāsau tāṃ gṛhītavān ॥5-130-8॥
Listen to an analogy here, one that I heard from the elders. Long ago, Vaiśravaṇa, being pleased, offered this earth to the royal sage Mucukunda, but he did not accept it.
bāhuvīryārjitaṃ rājyamaśnīyāmiti kāmaye । tato vaiśravaṇaḥ prīto vismitaḥ samapadyata ॥5-130-9॥
I wish to enjoy the kingdom earned by my own strength. Then Vaiśravaṇa was both pleased and amazed.
mucukundastato rājā so'nvaśāsadvasundharām । bāhuvīryārjitāṃ samyakkṣatradharmanuvrataḥ ॥5-130-10॥
Then King Muchukunda ruled the earth, which he had acquired through the strength of his arms, faithfully adhering to the duties of a warrior.
yaṁ hi dharmaṁ carantīha prajā rājñā surakṣitāḥ । caturthaṁ tasya dharmasya rājā bhārata vindati ॥5-130-11॥
O Bhārata, the subjects here, protected by the king, indeed follow the duty which the king finds to be the fourth aspect of that duty.
rājā carati ceddharmaṃ devatvāyaiva kalpate । sa cedadharmaṃ carati narakāyaiva gacchati ॥5-130-12॥
A king who follows the path of righteousness is destined for divinity, while one who follows the path of unrighteousness is destined for hell.
daṇḍanītiḥ svadharmeṇa cāturvarṇyaṃ niyacchati . prayuktā svāminā samyagadharmebhyaśca yacchati ॥5-130-13॥
The policy of punishment, when applied by the master, properly controls the fourfold caste system and restrains from unrighteousness.
daṇḍanītyāṃ yadā rājā samyakkārtsnyena vartate । tadā kṛtayugaṃ nāma kālaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ pravartate ॥5-130-14॥
When the king governs with complete adherence to the principles of justice, it is said that the excellent era known as Krita Yuga prevails.
kālo vā kāraṇaṃ rājño rājā vā kālakāraṇam । iti te saṃśayo mā bhūdrājā kālasya kāraṇam ॥5-130-15॥
The king is either the cause of time or time is the cause of the king. Let there be no doubt in your mind; the king is indeed the cause of time.
rājā kṛtayugasraṣṭā tretāyā dvāparasya ca । yugasya ca caturthasya rājā bhavati kāraṇam ॥5-130-16॥
The king, being the creator of the Krita, Treta, and Dvapara Yugas, also becomes the cause of the fourth Yuga.
kṛtasya kāraṇādrājā svargamatyantamaśnute । tretāyāḥ kāraṇādrājā svargaṃ nātyantamaśnute ॥ pravartanāddvāparasya yathābhāgamupāśnute ॥5-130-17॥
Because of the virtues of the Krita Yuga, a king attains eternal heaven. In the Treta Yuga, a king does not attain eternal heaven. In the Dvapara Yuga, he attains heaven according to his share.
tato vasati duṣkarmā narake śāśvatīḥ samāḥ । rājadoṣeṇa hi jagatspṛśyate jagataḥ sa ca ॥5-130-18॥
Then the evil-doer resides in hell for countless years. It is indeed by the king's fault that the world is affected, and he is part of the world.
rājadharmānavekṣasva pitṛpaitāmahocitān । naitad rājarṣivṛttaṃ hi yatra tvaṃ sthātum icchasi ॥5-130-19॥
Reflect on the royal duties that are appropriate to your father and ancestors. This is not the conduct of a royal sage, where you wish to position yourself.
na hi vaiklavyasaṁsṛṣṭa ānṛśaṁsye vyavasthitaḥ । prajāpālanasambhūtaṁ kiñcitprāpa phalaṁ nṛpaḥ ॥5-130-20॥
The king, who was not confused and was kind, received some benefit from protecting his subjects.
na hy etām āśiṣaṃ pāṇḍur na cāhaṃ na pitāmahaḥ । prayuktavantaḥ pūrvaṃ te yayā carasi medhayā ॥5-130-21॥
Neither Pandu, nor I, nor the grandfather ever made such a wish before, by which you now act with wisdom.
yajño dānaṃ tapaḥ śauryaṃ prajāsantānameva ca । māhātmyaṃ balamojaśca nityamāśaṃsitaṃ mayā ॥5-130-22॥
Sacrifice, charity, austerity, heroism, progeny, greatness, strength, and vigor are always desired by me.
nityaṁ svāhā svadhā nityaṁ dadurmānuṣadevatāḥ । dīrghamāyurdhanaṁ putrānsamyagārādhitāḥ śubhāḥ ॥5-130-23॥
The human deities, when properly worshipped with constant oblations and offerings, granted long life, wealth, and sons, bringing auspiciousness.
putreṣvāśāsate nityaṃ pitaro daivatāni ca । dānamadhyayanaṃ yajñaṃ prajānāṃ paripālanam ॥5-130-24॥
Fathers and gods always place their hopes in their sons, in acts of charity, study, sacrifice, and the protection of their people.
etaddharmamadharmaṃ vā janmanaivābhyajāyathāḥ । te stha vaidyāḥ kule jātā avṛttyā tāta pīḍitāḥ ॥5-130-25॥
You were born into this duty or non-duty by birth. You are physicians born into a family, afflicted without a livelihood, O father.
yattu dānapatiṃ śūraṃ kṣudhitāḥ pṛthivīcarāḥ । prāpya tṛptāḥ pratiṣṭhante dharmaḥ ko'bhyadhikastataḥ ॥5-130-26॥
But when the hungry wanderers of the earth find a heroic lord of gifts and leave satisfied, what righteousness is greater than that?
dānenānyaṃ balenānyaṃ tathā sūnṛtayāparam । sarvataḥ pratigṛhṇīyādrājyaṃ prāpyeha dhārmikaḥ ॥5-130-27॥
A righteous person, having obtained the kingdom here, should accept others through charity, strength, and gentleness from all sides.
brāhmaṇaḥ pracaredbhaikṣaṃ kṣatriyaḥ paripālayet । vaiśyo dhanārjanaṃ kuryācchūdraḥ paricarecca tān ॥5-130-28॥
A Brahmin should seek alms, a Kshatriya should protect, a Vaishya should earn wealth, and a Shudra should serve them.
bhaikṣaṃ vipratiṣiddhaṃ te kṛṣirnaivopapadyate । kṣatriyo'si kṣatāttrātā bāhuvīryopajīvitā ॥5-130-29॥
Alms are prohibited for you, and agriculture is not suitable. As a warrior, you are a protector from harm, living by the strength of your arms.
pitryamaṁśaṁ mahābāho nimagnaṁ punaruddhara । sāmnā dānena bhedena daṇḍenātha nayena ca ॥5-130-30॥
O mighty-armed one, retrieve the submerged ancestral portion using conciliation, gifts, division, punishment, and finally, policy.
ito duḥkhataraṃ kiṃ nu yadahaṃ hīnabāndhavā . parapiṇḍamudīkṣāmi tvāṃ sūtvāmitranandana ॥5-130-31॥
What could be more miserable than this, that I, deprived of my relatives, have to look upon others' food, O charioteer, O delight of friends?
yudhyasva rājadharmeṇa mā nimajjīḥ pitāmahān । mā gamaḥ kṣīṇapuṇyastvaṃ sānujḥ pāpikāṃ gatim ॥5-130-32॥
Fight according to the royal duty and do not let your ancestors down. Do not proceed, as you and your brother, whose merits are depleted, should not tread the sinful path.
