05.137
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
evamuktastu vimanāstiryagdṛṣṭiradhomukhaḥ । saṃhatya ca bhruvormadhyaṃ na kiñcidvyājahāra ha ॥5-137-1॥
Having been thus addressed, he was dejected, glanced sideways, and with his head down, joining his eyebrows, he did not say anything at all.
taṁ vai vimanasaṁ dṛṣṭvā samprekṣyānyonyamantikāt । punarevottaraṁ vākyamuktavantau nararṣabhau ॥5-137-2॥
Seeing him disheartened, the two best among men looked at each other nearby and again spoke a reply.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said:
śuśrūṣumanasūyaṃ ca brahmaṇyaṃ satyasaṅgaram । pratiyotsyāmahe pārthamatō duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ॥5-137-3॥
Desiring to serve without envy and being devoted to Brahman, truthful in battle, we will fight against Arjuna. Therefore, what indeed could be more painful?
droṇa uvāca॥
Drona said:
aśvatthāmni yathā putre bhūyo mama dhanañjaye । bahumānaḥ paro rājansannatiśca kapidhvaje ॥5-137-4॥
O king, my respect and reverence for Dhananjaya, the one with the monkey banner, are even greater than for Ashvatthama, as they are for my own son.
taṃ cetputrātpriyataraṃ pratiyotsye dhanañjayam । kṣatradharmamanuṣṭhāya dhigastu kṣatrajīvikām ॥5-137-5॥
If I must fight Arjuna, who is dearer to me than my own son, by following the warrior's duty, then shame on the life of a warrior.
yasya loke samo nāsti kaścidanyo dhanurdharaḥ । matprasādāts bībhatsuḥ śreyānanyairdhanurdharaiḥ ॥5-137-6॥
In the world, there is no archer equal to him; by my grace, Bibhatsu (Arjuna) surpasses all other archers.
mitradhṛugduṣṭabhāvaśca nāstiko'thānṛjuḥ śaṭhaḥ । na satsu labhate pūjāṃ yajñe mūrkha ivāgataḥ ॥5-137-7॥
A betrayer of friends, who is evil-minded, atheist, dishonest, and deceitful, does not receive respect among the virtuous, just as a fool does not gain honor when he arrives at a sacrifice.
vāryamāṇo'pi pāpebhyaḥ pāpātmā pāpam icchati । codyamāno'pi pāpena śubhātmā śubham icchati ॥5-137-8॥
Even when restrained from sins, a sinful person desires sin, while a virtuous person, even when urged by sin, desires virtue.
mithyopacaritā hyete vartamānā hyanu priye । ahitatvāya kalpante doṣā bharatasattama ॥5-137-9॥
O best of the Bharatas, these faults, which are indeed falsely conducted and exist after the beloved, are intended for harm.
tvam uktaḥ kuruvṛddhena mayā ca vidureṇa ca । vāsudevena ca tathā śreyo naivābhipadyase ॥5-137-10॥
You have been advised by the elder of the Kurus, by me, by Vidura, and also by Vāsudeva, yet you do not follow the path of righteousness.
asti me balamityeva sahasā tvaṃ titīrṣasi । sagrāhanakramakaraṃ gaṅgāvegamivoṣṇage ॥5-137-11॥
You claim to have strength, yet you suddenly wish to cross the Ganges' current, filled with crocodiles, as if it were the hot season.
vāsa eva yathā hi tvaṃ prāvṛṇvāno'dya manyase । srajaṃ tyaktāmiva prāpya lobhādyaudhiṣṭhirīṃ śriyam ॥5-137-12॥
Just as you think today, wearing clothes, having obtained the abandoned garland out of greed, the prosperity of Yudhishthira.
draupadīsahitaṃ pārthaṃ sāyudhairbhrātṛbhirvṛtam । vanasthamapi rājyasthaḥ pāṇḍavaṃ ko'tijīvati ॥5-137-13॥
Who can survive the Pandava, who, even while dwelling in the forest with Draupadi and surrounded by his brothers with weapons, appears like a king?
nideśe yasya rājānaḥ sarve tiṣṭhanti kiṅkarāḥ । tamailavilamāsādya dharmarājo vyarājata ॥5-137-14॥
Dharmaraja, having approached Ailavila, shone in whose command all kings stand as servants.
kuberasadanaṃ prāpya tato ratnānyavāpya ca । sphītamākramya te rāṣṭraṃ rājyamicchanti pāṇḍavāḥ ॥5-137-15॥
The Pandavas, after reaching Kubera's abode and acquiring gems, aspire to rule the prosperous kingdom.
dattaṃ hutam adhītaṃ ca brāhmaṇās tarpitā dhanaiḥ । āvayor gatam āyuś ca kṛtakṛtyau ca viddhi nau ॥5-137-16॥
Know that we have given, offered sacrifices, studied, and satisfied the Brahmins with wealth; our life is gone, and we have accomplished our duties.
tvaṁ tu hitvā sukhaṁ rājyaṁ mitrāṇi ca dhanāni ca । vigrahaṁ pāṇḍavaiḥ kṛtvā mahadvyasanamāpsyasi ॥5-137-17॥
However, by forsaking happiness, your kingdom, friends, and wealth, and engaging in conflict with the Pandavas, you will bring upon yourself a great disaster.
drau·padī yasya cā·śāste vijayaṃ satya·vādinī । tapo·ghora·vratā devī na tvaṃ jeṣyasi pāṇḍavam ॥5-137-18॥
Draupadi, the truth-speaking goddess with a terrible vow of austerity, desires victory. You will not conquer the Pandava.
mantrī janārdano yasya bhrātā yasya dhanañjayaḥ । sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ kathaṃ jeṣyasi pāṇḍavam ॥5-137-19॥
How will you conquer the Pandava, whose minister is Krishna and brother is Arjuna, the best among all warriors?
sahāyā brāhmaṇā yasya dhṛtimanto jitendriyāḥ । tamugratapasaṃ vīraṃ kathaṃ jeṣyasi pāṇḍavam ॥5-137-20॥
How do you plan to defeat the Pāṇḍava, who is supported by brāhmaṇas that are steadfast and self-controlled, and who himself is heroic and practices severe austerities?
punaruktaṃ ca vakṣyāmi yatkāryaṃ bhūtimicchatā । suhṛdā majjamāneṣu suhṛtsu vyasanārṇave ॥5-137-21॥
I will reiterate what should be done by someone seeking prosperity, especially by a friend, when friends are drowning in the ocean of troubles.
alaṁ yuddhena tairvīraiḥ śāmya tvaṁ kuruvṛddhaye । mā gamaḥ sasutāmātyaḥ sabalaśca parābhavam ॥5-137-22॥
Enough of war with those heroes; you should cease for the prosperity of the Kuru dynasty. Do not proceed with your sons, ministers, and army towards defeat.
