05.151
Pancharatra-core: Keshava urges Yudhisthira to fight the war against evil Duryodhana.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaishampayana spoke:
vāsudevasya tadvākyamanusmṛtya yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। punaḥ papraccha vārṣṇeyaṃ kathaṃ mando'bravīdidam ॥5-151-1॥
Yudhishthira, recalling Vasudeva's words, inquired once more to the Vrishni descendant about how the slow-witted one expressed this.
asminn abhyāgate kāle kiṃ ca naḥ kṣamam acyuta। kathaṃ ca vartamānā vai svadharmān na cyavemahi ॥5-151-2॥
O Acyuta, at this time of arrival, what is appropriate for us? And how can we ensure that we do not deviate from our duties?
duryodhanasya karṇasya śakuneḥ saubalasya ca। vāsudeva matajño'si mama sabhrātṛkasya ca ॥5-151-3॥
Vasudeva, you understand the thoughts of Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni, and Saubala, as well as mine and my brothers'.
vidurasya api te vākyaṃ śrutaṃ bhīṣmasya ca ubhayoḥ। kuntyāś ca vipulaprajña prajñā kārtsnyena te śrutā ॥5-151-4॥
You have completely heard the words of Vidura and Bhishma, as well as the profound wisdom of Kunti.
sarvam etad atikramya vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ। yan naḥ kṣamaṃ mahābāho tad bravīhy avicārayan ॥5-151-5॥
O mighty-armed one, after surpassing and considering everything repeatedly, please tell us what is appropriate without any hesitation.
śrutvaitaddharmarājasya dharmārthasahitaṃ vacaḥ। meghadundubhinirghoṣaḥ kṛṣṇo vacanamabravīt ॥5-151-6॥
Upon hearing the righteous and meaningful words of Dharmaraja, Krishna, whose voice was as resonant as a thunderous cloud, responded.
uktavān asmi yad vākyaṃ dharmārthasahitaṃ hitam। na tu tan nikṛtiprajñe kauravye pratitiṣṭhati ॥5-151-7॥
I have spoken words that are righteous and purposeful, beneficial indeed. However, they do not hold ground with the deceitful-minded Kaurava.
na ca bhīṣmasya durmedhāḥ śṛṇoti vidurasya vā। mama vā bhāṣitaṃ kiñcitsarvamevātivartate ॥5-151-8॥
The evil-minded person ignores the words of Bhishma, Vidura, and myself, disregarding everything completely.
na sa kāmayate dharmaṃ na sa kāmayate yaśaḥ। jitaṃ sa manyate sarvaṃ durātmā karṇamāśritaḥ ॥5-151-9॥
He neither desires virtue nor fame. The wicked soul, relying on Karna, believes he has conquered all.
bandham ājñāpayām āsa mama cāpi suyodhanaḥ। na ca taṃ labdhavān kāmaṃ durātmā śāsanātigaḥ ॥5-151-10॥
Suyodhana ordered my capture, but the wicked one, being disobedient, did not achieve his desire.
na ca bhīṣmo na ca droṇo yuktaṃ tatrāhaturvacaḥ। sarve tamanuvartante ṛte viduramacyuta ॥5-151-11॥
Neither Bhishma nor Drona found it appropriate to speak there. Everyone followed him except Vidura, O Acyuta.
śakuniḥ saubalaścaiva karṇaduḥśāsanāvapi। tvayyayuktānyabhāṣanta mūḍhā mūḍhamamarṣaṇam ॥5-151-12॥
Shakuni, the son of Subala, along with Karna and Duhshasana, spoke improperly to you, driven by foolish impatience.
kiṁ ca tena mayoktena yānyabhāṣanta kauravāḥ। saṅkṣepena durātmāsau na yuktaṁ tvayi vartate ॥5-151-13॥
What I have spoken, and what the Kauravas have said, in brief, that wicked soul does not suit you.
na pārthiveṣu sarveṣu ya ime tava sainikāḥ। yatpāpaṃ yanna kalyāṇaṃ sarvaṃ tasminpratiṣṭhitam ॥5-151-14॥
Among all the earthly beings, your soldiers are not the ones in whom all sins and inauspiciousness are established.
na cāpi vayamatyarthaṃ parityāgena karhicit। kauravaiḥ śamamicchāmas-tatra yuddhamanantaram ॥5-151-15॥
We do not wish for peace with the Kauravas at any cost; rather, we seek it after the war.
tacchrutvā pārthivāḥ sarve vāsudevasya bhāṣitam। abruvanto mukhaṃ rājñaḥ samudaikṣanta bhārata ॥5-151-16॥
Upon hearing Vasudeva's words, all the kings turned their gaze towards the king's face, O Bharata.
yudhiṣṭhirastvabhiprāyamupalabhya mahīkṣitām। yogamājñāpayāmāsa bhīmārjunayamaiḥ saha ॥5-151-17॥
Yudhishthira, realizing the intentions of the kings, commanded Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins to unite.
tataḥ kilakilābhūtamanīkaṃ pāṇḍavasya ha। ājñāpite tadā yoge samahṛṣyanta sainikāḥ ॥5-151-18॥
Then, the troops of the Pandava were filled with joy when the preparations were ordered, and the soldiers rejoiced.
avadhyānāṃ vadhaṃ paśyandharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। niṣṭananbhīmasenaṃ ca vijayaṃ cedamabravīt ॥5-151-19॥
Witnessing the slaughter of those who should not be killed, Yudhishthira, the king of righteousness, sighed and spoke to Bhimasena and Arjuna.
yadarthaṃ vanavāsaśca prāptaṃ duḥkhaṃ ca yanmayā। so'yamasmānupai tyeva paro'narthaḥ prayatnataḥ ॥5-151-20॥
The purpose for which I endured the forest dwelling and suffering now indeed approaches us as another misfortune despite all efforts.
yasmin yatnaḥ kṛto'smābhiḥ sa no hīnaḥ prayatnataḥ। akṛte tu prayatne'smānupāvṛttaḥ kalir mahān ॥5-151-21॥
The effort we made was not lacking, but where effort was absent, the great Kali has come upon us.
kathaṁ hyavadhyaiḥ saṅgrāmaḥ kāryaḥ saha bhaviṣyati. kathaṁ hatvā gurūnvṛddhānvijayo no bhaviṣyati ॥5-151-22॥
How can a battle be fought with those who are invincible? How can we achieve victory by killing our teachers and elders?
tacchrutvā dharmarājasya savyasācī parantapaḥ। yaduktaṃ vāsudevena śrāvayāmāsa tadvacaḥ ॥5-151-23॥
Upon hearing this, Arjuna, the mighty warrior, conveyed the message spoken by Lord Krishna to King Yudhishthira.
uktavān devakīputraḥ kuntyāś ca vidurasya ca। vacanaṃ tattvayā rājan nikhilenāvadhāritam ॥5-151-24॥
The son of Devaki, Krishna, addressed the words of Kunti and Vidura, saying: O King, you have completely understood the message.
na ca tau vakṣyato'dharmamiti me naiṣṭhikī matiḥ। na cāpi yuktaṃ kaunteya nivartitumayudhyataḥ ॥5-151-25॥
I firmly believe that they will not speak anything unrighteous. Moreover, O son of Kunti, it is not appropriate to retreat from the battle.
tacchrutvā vāsudevo'pi savyasācivacastadā। smayamāno'bravītpārthamevametaditi bruvan ॥5-151-26॥
Upon hearing those words from Savyasaci, Vasudeva, with a smile, said to Partha, "Indeed, it is so," affirming thus.
tataste dhṛtasaṅkalpā yuddhāya sahasainikāḥ। pāṇḍaveyā mahārāja tāṃ rātriṃ sukhamāvasan ॥5-151-27॥
Then, O great king, the sons of Pandu, firm in their resolve and accompanied by their soldiers, spent that night happily.
