05.156
Core: Narration of war by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra starts.
जनमेजय उवाच॥
janamejaya uvāca॥
[जनमेजय (janamejaya) - Janamejaya; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Janamejaya said:)
Janamejaya spoke:
तथा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु कुरुक्षेत्रे द्विजर्षभ। किमकुर्वन्त कुरवः कालेनाभिप्रचोदिताः ॥५-१५६-१॥
tathā vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu kurukṣetre dvijarṣabhaḥ। kimakurvanta kuravaḥ kālenābhipracoditāḥ ॥5-156-1॥
[तथा (tathā) - thus; व्यूढेषु (vyūḍheṣu) - in the arranged; अनीकेषु (anīkeṣu) - in the armies; कुरुक्षेत्रे (kurukṣetre) - in Kurukshetra; द्विजर्षभ (dvijarṣabha) - O best of the twice-born; किम् (kim) - what; अकुर्वन्त (akurvanta) - did they do; कुरवः (kuravaḥ) - the Kauravas; कालेन (kālena) - by time; अभिप्रचोदिताः (abhipracoditāḥ) - impelled;]
(Thus, in the arranged armies at Kurukshetra, O best of the twice-born, what did the Kauravas do, impelled by time?)
O best of the twice-born, what actions did the Kauravas take in the arranged armies at Kurukshetra, driven by the force of time?
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
[वैशम्पायन (vaiśampāyana) - Vaishampayana; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Vaishampayana said:)
Vaishampayana spoke:
तथा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु यत्तेषु भरतर्षभ। धृतराष्ट्रो महाराज सञ्जयं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥५-१५६-२॥
tathā vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu yatteṣu bharatarṣabha। dhṛtarāṣṭro mahārāja sañjayaṃ vākyamabravīt ॥5-156-2॥
[तथा (tathā) - thus; व्यूढेषु (vyūḍheṣu) - in the arranged; अनीकेषु (anīkeṣu) - in the armies; यत्तेषु (yatteṣu) - in those who are attentive; भरतर्षभ (bharatarṣabha) - O best of the Bharatas; धृतराष्ट्रः (dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ) - Dhritarashtra; महाराज (mahārāja) - O great king; सञ्जयम् (sañjayam) - to Sanjaya; वाक्यम् (vākyam) - words; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - spoke;]
(Thus, in the arranged armies, in those who are attentive, O best of the Bharatas, Dhritarashtra, O great king, spoke words to Sanjaya.)
Thus, O best of the Bharatas, Dhritarashtra, the great king, spoke to Sanjaya about the arranged armies and those who are attentive.
एहि सञ्जय मे सर्वमाचक्ष्वानवशेषतः। सेनानिवेशे यद्वृत्तं कुरुपाण्डवसेनयोः ॥५-१५६-३॥
ehi sañjaya me sarvamācakṣvānavaśeṣataḥ। senāniveśe yadvṛttaṃ kurupāṇḍavasenayoḥ ॥5-156-3॥
[एहि (ehi) - come; सञ्जय (sañjaya) - Sanjaya; मे (me) - my; सर्वम् (sarvam) - everything; आचक्ष्व (ācakṣva) - tell; अनवशेषतः (anavaśeṣataḥ) - completely; सेनानिवेशे (senāniveśe) - in the army arrangement; यद् (yad) - what; वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - happened; कुरु (kuru) - Kuru; पाण्डव (pāṇḍava) - Pandava; सेनयोः (senayoḥ) - of the armies;]
(Come, Sanjaya, tell me everything completely about what happened in the army arrangement of the Kuru and Pandava armies.)
Come, Sanjaya, tell me everything in detail about what transpired in the battle formations of the Kuru and Pandava armies.
दिष्टमेव परं मन्ये पौरुषं चाप्यनर्थकम्। यदहं जानमानोऽपि युद्धदोषान्क्षयोदयान् ॥५-१५६-४॥
diṣṭameva paraṃ manye pauruṣaṃ cāpyanarthakam। yadahaṃ jānamāno'pi yuddhadoṣānkṣayodayān ॥5-156-4॥
[दिष्टम् (diṣṭam) - fate; एव (eva) - indeed; परम् (param) - supreme; मन्ये (manye) - I think; पौरुषम् (pauruṣam) - human effort; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; अनर्थकम् (anarthakam) - useless; यत् (yat) - that; अहम् (aham) - I; जानमानः (jānamānaḥ) - knowing; अपि (api) - even; युद्धदोषान् (yuddhadoṣān) - faults of war; क्षय (kṣaya) - destruction; उदयान् (udayān) - and rise;]
(Indeed, I think fate is supreme and human effort is also useless, as I, even knowing the faults of war, destruction, and rise.)
I believe that fate is ultimately supreme and human effort is futile, as I am aware of the consequences of war, both its destructive and beneficial outcomes.
तथापि निकृतिप्रज्ञं पुत्रं दुर्द्यूतदेविनम्। न शक्नोमि नियन्तुं वा कर्तुं वा हितमात्मनः ॥५-१५६-५॥
tathāpi nikṛtiprajñaṃ putraṃ durdyūtadevinam। na śaknomi niyantuṃ vā kartuṃ vā hitamātmanaḥ ॥5-156-5॥
[तथापि (tathāpi) - still; निकृतिप्रज्ञं (nikṛtiprajñaṃ) - deceitful; पुत्रं (putraṃ) - son; दुर्द्यूतदेविनम् (durdyūtadevinam) - addicted to gambling; न (na) - not; शक्नोमि (śaknomi) - I am able; नियन्तुं (niyantuṃ) - to control; वा (vā) - or; कर्तुं (kartuṃ) - to do; वा (vā) - or; हितम् (hitam) - good; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - for myself;]
(Still, I am not able to control or do good for myself regarding my deceitful son addicted to gambling.)
Still, I find myself unable to control or benefit my deceitful son who is addicted to gambling.
भवत्येव हि मे सूत बुद्धिर्दोषानुदर्शिनी। दुर्योधनं समासाद्य पुनः सा परिवर्तते ॥५-१५६-६॥
bhavatyeva hi me sūta buddhirdoṣānudarśinī। duryodhanaṃ samāsādya punaḥ sā parivartate ॥5-156-6॥
[भवति (bhavati) - becomes; एव (eva) - indeed; हि (hi) - for; मे (me) - my; सूत (sūta) - charioteer; बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - intellect; दोष (doṣa) - fault; अनुदर्शिनी (anudarśinī) - perceiving; दुर्योधनं (duryodhanam) - Duryodhana; समासाद्य (samāsādya) - approaching; पुनः (punaḥ) - again; सा (sā) - she; परिवर्तते (parivartate) - changes;]
(Indeed, my intellect perceiving faults, O charioteer, becomes so; approaching Duryodhana, again it changes.)
O charioteer, my intellect, which perceives faults, indeed becomes so; but upon approaching Duryodhana, it changes again.
एवं गते वै यद्भावि तद्भविष्यति सञ्जय। क्षत्रधर्मः किल रणे तनुत्यागोऽभिपूजितः ॥५-१५६-७॥
evaṃ gate vai yadbhāvi tadbhaviṣyati sañjaya। kṣatradharmaḥ kila raṇe tanutyāgo'bhipūjitaḥ ॥5-156-7॥
[एवम् (evam) - thus; गते (gate) - gone; वै (vai) - indeed; यत् (yat) - what; भावि (bhāvi) - will be; तत् (tad) - that; भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati) - will happen; सञ्जय (sañjaya) - Sanjaya; क्षत्रधर्मः (kṣatradharmaḥ) - the duty of a warrior; किल (kila) - indeed; रणे (raṇe) - in battle; तनुत्यागः (tanutyāgaḥ) - sacrifice of the body; अभिपूजितः (abhipūjitaḥ) - is honored;]
(Thus, indeed, what will be, will happen, O Sanjaya. The duty of a warrior, indeed, in battle, the sacrifice of the body is honored.)
Thus, O Sanjaya, what is destined will happen. The duty of a warrior is indeed honored in battle through the sacrifice of one's body.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
sañjaya uvāca॥
[सञ्जय (sañjaya) - Sanjaya; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Sanjaya said:)
Sanjaya spoke:
त्वद्युक्तोऽयमनुप्रश्नो महाराज यथार्हसि। न तु दुर्योधने दोषमिममासक्तुमर्हसि ॥ शृणुष्वानवशेषेण वदतो मम पार्थिव ॥५-१५६-८॥
tvadyukto'yamanupraśno mahārāja yathārhasi। na tu duryodhane doṣamimamāsaktumarhasi ॥ śṛṇuṣvānaśeṣeṇa vadato mama pārthiva ॥5-156-8॥
[त्वत् (tvat) - your; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - appropriate; अयम् (ayam) - this; अनुप्रश्नः (anupraśnaḥ) - question; महाराज (mahārāja) - O great king; यथा (yathā) - as; अर्हसि (arhasi) - you deserve; न (na) - not; तु (tu) - but; दुर्योधने (duryodhane) - in Duryodhana; दोषम् (doṣam) - fault; इमम् (imam) - this; आसक्तुम् (āsaktum) - to attach; अर्हसि (arhasi) - you should; शृणुष्व (śṛṇuṣva) - listen; अनवशेषेण (anavaśeṣeṇa) - completely; वदतः (vadataḥ) - speaking; मम (mama) - my; पार्थिव (pārthiva) - O prince;]
(This question of yours is appropriate, O great king, as you deserve. But you should not attach this fault to Duryodhana. Listen completely to what I am saying, O prince.)
Your question is appropriate, O great king, as you deserve. However, you should not blame Duryodhana for this fault. Listen carefully to what I have to say, O prince.
य आत्मनो दुश्चरितादशुभं प्राप्नुयान्नरः। एनसा न स दैवं वा कालं वा गन्तुमर्हति ॥५-१५६-९॥
ya ātmanaḥ duścaritādaśubhaṃ prāpnuyānnaraḥ। enasā na sa daivaṃ vā kālaṃ vā gantumarhati ॥5-156-9॥
[यः (yaḥ) - who; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself; दुश्चरितात् (duścaritāt) - from bad conduct; अशुभम् (aśubham) - inauspicious; प्राप्नुयात् (prāpnuyāt) - may obtain; नरः (naraḥ) - man; एनसा (enasā) - by sin; न (na) - not; सः (saḥ) - he; दैवम् (daivam) - fate; वा (vā) - or; कालम् (kālam) - time; वा (vā) - or; गन्तुम् (gantum) - to go; अर्हति (arhati) - deserves;]
(A man who obtains inauspiciousness from his own bad conduct, by sin, he does not deserve to go to fate or time.)
A man who suffers misfortune due to his own misdeeds does not deserve to blame fate or time for his condition.
महाराज मनुष्येषु निन्द्यं यः सर्वमाचरेत्। स वध्यः सर्वलोकस्य निन्दितानि समाचरन् ॥५-१५६-१०॥
mahārāja manuṣyeṣu nindyaṃ yaḥ sarvamācaret। sa vadhyaḥ sarvalokasya ninditāni samācaran ॥5-156-10॥
[महाराज (mahārāja) - O king; मनुष्येषु (manuṣyeṣu) - among men; निन्द्यम् (nindyam) - blameworthy; यः (yaḥ) - who; सर्वम् (sarvam) - everything; आचरेत् (ācaret) - would do; सः (saḥ) - he; वध्यः (vadhyaḥ) - deserves to be punished; सर्वलोकस्य (sarvalokasya) - of all the world; निन्दितानि (ninditāni) - blameworthy acts; समाचरन् (samācaran) - performing;]
(O king, among men, he who would do everything blameworthy, deserves to be punished, performing blameworthy acts of all the world.)
O king, a man who engages in all blameworthy acts among people deserves to be punished, as he performs acts condemned by the entire world.
निकारा मनुजश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवैस्त्वत्प्रतीक्षया। अनुभूताः सहामात्यैर्निकृतैरधिदेवने ॥५-१५६-११॥
nikārā manujaśreṣṭha pāṇḍavaistvatpratīkṣayā। anubhūtāḥ sahāmātyairnikṛtairadhidevane ॥5-156-11॥
[निकारा (nikārā) - obstacles; मनुजश्रेष्ठ (manujaśreṣṭha) - O best of men; पाण्डवैः (pāṇḍavaiḥ) - by the Pandavas; त्वत्प्रतीक्षया (tvatpratīkṣayā) - waiting for you; अनुभूताः (anubhūtāḥ) - experienced; सहामात्यैः (sahāmātyaiḥ) - with ministers; निकृतैः (nikṛtaiḥ) - by deceptions; अधिदेवने (adhidevane) - in the divine assembly;]
(Obstacles, O best of men, were experienced by the Pandavas, waiting for you, with ministers, by deceptions, in the divine assembly.)
O best of men, the Pandavas, while waiting for you, faced obstacles and deceptions in the divine assembly along with their ministers.
हयानां च गजानां च राज्ञां चामिततेजसाम्। वैशसं समरे वृत्तं यत्तन्मे शृणु सर्वशः ॥५-१५६-१२॥
hayānāṃ ca gajānāṃ ca rājñāṃ cāmitatejasām। vaiśasaṃ samare vṛttaṃ yattanme śṛṇu sarvaśaḥ ॥5-156-12॥
[हयानाम् (hayānām) - of horses; च (ca) - and; गजानाम् (gajānām) - of elephants; च (ca) - and; राज्ञाम् (rājñām) - of kings; च (ca) - and; अमिततेजसाम् (amitatejasām) - of immeasurable splendor; वैशसम् (vaiśasam) - destruction; समरे (samare) - in battle; वृत्तम् (vṛttam) - occurred; यत् (yat) - which; तत् (tat) - that; मे (me) - to me; शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen; सर्वशः (sarvaśaḥ) - completely;]
(The destruction of horses, elephants, and kings of immeasurable splendor that occurred in battle, listen to that from me completely.)
Listen to the complete account from me of the destruction that befell the horses, elephants, and kings of immeasurable splendor in the battle.
स्थिरो भूत्वा महाराज सर्वलोकक्षयोदयम्। यथाभूतं महायुद्धे श्रुत्वा मा विमना भव ॥५-१५६-१३॥
sthiro bhūtvā mahārāja sarvalokakṣayodayam। yathābhūtaṃ mahāyuddhe śrutvā mā vimanā bhava ॥5-156-13॥
[स्थिरः (sthiraḥ) - steady; भूत्वा (bhūtvā) - having become; महाराज (mahārāja) - O great king; सर्वलोक (sarvaloka) - all worlds; क्षय (kṣaya) - destruction; उदयम् (udayam) - rise; यथाभूतम् (yathābhūtam) - as it was; महायुद्धे (mahāyuddhe) - in the great war; श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard; मा (mā) - do not; विमनाः (vimanāḥ) - disheartened; भव (bhava) - be;]
(Having become steady, O great king, do not be disheartened after hearing about the destruction and rise of all worlds as it was in the great war.)
O great king, remain steady and do not lose heart after hearing about the destruction and emergence of all worlds as it occurred in the great war.
न ह्येव कर्ता पुरुषः कर्मणोः शुभपापयोः। अस्वतन्त्रो हि पुरुषः कार्यते दारुयन्त्रवत् ॥५-१५६-१४॥
na hyeva kartā puruṣaḥ karmaṇoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ। asvatantro hi puruṣaḥ kāryate dāruyantravat ॥5-156-14॥
[न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; एव (eva) - certainly; कर्ता (kartā) - doer; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - man; कर्मणोः (karmaṇoḥ) - of actions; शुभपापयोः (śubhapāpayoḥ) - of good and bad; अस्वतन्त्रो (asvatantro) - not independent; हि (hi) - indeed; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - man; कार्यते (kāryate) - is made to act; दारुयन्त्रवत् (dāruyantravat) - like a wooden puppet;]
(Indeed, man is not the doer of actions, whether good or bad. Man is not independent; he is made to act like a wooden puppet.)
Man is not truly the doer of his actions, whether they are good or bad. He is not independent, as he is compelled to act like a puppet controlled by strings.
केचिदीश्वरनिर्दिष्टाः केचिदेव यदृच्छया। पूर्वकर्मभिरप्यन्ये त्रैधमेतद्विकृष्यते ॥५-१५६-१५॥
kecid īśvara nirdiṣṭāḥ kecid eva yadṛcchayā। pūrvakarmabhir apy anye traidham etad vikṛṣyate ॥5-156-15॥
[केचित् (kecit) - some; ईश्वर (īśvara) - God; निर्दिष्टाः (nirdiṣṭāḥ) - ordained; केचित् (kecit) - some; एव (eva) - indeed; यदृच्छया (yadṛcchayā) - by chance; पूर्वकर्मभिः (pūrvakarmabhiḥ) - by past actions; अपि (api) - also; अन्ये (anye) - others; त्रैधम् (traidham) - in three ways; एतत् (etat) - this; विकृष्यते (vikṛṣyate) - is drawn;]
(Some are ordained by God, some indeed by chance, others also by past actions; this is drawn in three ways.)
Some are guided by divine will, some by mere chance, and others by their past deeds; thus, this unfolds in three distinct manners.
