05.165
Pancharatra-core: Bhishma insults Karna as a half-charioteer while describing warriors. Because of this Karna refuses to engage, as long as Bhishma is the commander in chief.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said:
अचलो वृषकश्चैव भ्रातरौ सहितावुभौ। रथौ तव दुराधर्षौ शत्रून्विध्वंसयिष्यतः ॥५-१६५-१॥
Acala and Vṛṣaka, the two brothers, together with your invincible chariots, will destroy the enemies.
बलवन्तौ नरव्याघ्रौ दृढक्रोधौ प्रहारिणौ। गान्धारमुख्यौ तरुणौ दर्शनीयौ महाबलौ ॥५-१६५-२॥
The two strong and young warriors, who are like tigers among men, firm in their anger and skilled in striking, are the chiefs of Gandhara, handsome and very powerful.
सखा ते दयितो नित्यं य एष रणकर्कशः। प्रोत्साहयति राजंस्त्वां विग्रहे पाण्डवैः सह ॥५-१६५-३॥
Your beloved friend, who is always battle-hardened, encourages you, O king, to engage in conflict with the Pandavas.
परुषः कत्थनो नीचः कर्णो वैकर्तनस्तव। मन्त्री नेता च बन्धुश्च मानी चात्यन्तमुच्छ्रितः ॥५-१६५-४॥
Karṇa, the son of Vikartana, is harsh, boastful, and lowly. He is your advisor, leader, and relative, and is extremely proud and exalted.
एष नैव रथः पूर्णो नाप्येवातिरथो नृप। वियुक्तः कवचेनैष सहजेन विचेतनः ॥ कुण्डलाभ्यां च दिव्याभ्यां वियुक्तः सततं घृणी ॥५-१६५-५॥
This chariot is neither complete nor does it belong to a great charioteer, O king. It is without armor and naturally unconscious, and is always compassionate, lacking the divine earrings.
अभिशापाच्च रामस्य ब्राह्मणस्य च भाषणात्। करणानां वियोगाच्च तेन मेऽर्धरथो मतः ॥ नैष फल्गुनमासाद्य पुनर्जीवन्विमोक्ष्यते ॥५-१६५-६॥
Due to the curse and the words of Rāma and the Brāhmaṇa, and the separation from actions, I am deemed a half-charioteer by him. This will not be freed again after reaching Phalguna alive.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
ततोऽब्रवीन्महाबाहुर्द्रोणः शस्त्रभृतां वरः। एवमेतद्यथात्थ त्वं न मिथ्यास्तीति किञ्चन ॥५-१६५-७॥
Then the mighty-armed Droṇa, the best among warriors, affirmed: "Indeed, as you have stated, nothing is untrue."
रणे रणेऽतिमानी च विमुखश्चैव दृश्यते। घृणी कर्णः प्रमादी च तेन मेऽर्धरथो मतः ॥५-१६५-८॥
In every battle, Karna, though very proud, is seen to turn away. He is compassionate and careless, and thus I consider him only half a chariot-warrior.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु राधेयः क्रोधादुत्फुल्ललोचनः। उवाच भीष्मं राजेन्द्र तुदन्वाग्भिः प्रतोदवत् ॥५-१६५-९॥
Upon hearing this, Radheya, his eyes wide with anger, addressed Bhishma, O king, with words that pierced like a goad.
पितामह यथेष्टं मां वाक्षरैरुपकृन्तसि। अनागसं सदा द्वेषादेवमेव पदे पदे ॥ मर्षयामि च तत्सर्वं दुर्योधनकृतेन वै ॥५-१६५-१०॥
Grandfather, you criticize me harshly as you wish, always out of hatred, at every step. I endure all this because of Duryodhana.
त्वं तु मां मन्यसेऽशक्तं यथा कापुरुषं तथा। भवानर्धरथो मह्यं मतो नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥५-१६५-११॥
You think of me as incapable, like a coward, but I see you as only half a warrior. There is no doubt about this.
सर्वस्य जगतश्चैव गाङ्गेय न मृषा वदे। कुरूणामहितो नित्यं न च राजावबुध्यते ॥५-१६५-१२॥
O son of Ganga, I speak nothing false about the entire world. The king, always an enemy of the Kurus, does not understand.
को हि नाम समानेषु राजसूदात्तकर्मसु। तेजोवधमिमं कुर्याद्विभेदयिषुराहवे ॥ यथा त्वं गुणनिर्देशादपराधं चिकीर्षसि ॥५-१६५-१३॥
Who indeed, in equal royal and noble deeds, would cause this destruction of energy desiring to divide in battle, as you intend to commit an offense by pointing out qualities?
न हायनैर्न पलितैर्न वित्तैर्न च बन्धुभिः। महारथत्वं सङ्ख्यातुं शक्यं क्षत्रस्य कौरव ॥५-१६५-१४॥
O Kaurava, the status of a great warrior cannot be determined by age, gray hair, wealth, or relatives.
बलज्येष्ठं स्मृतं क्षत्रं मन्त्रज्येष्ठा द्विजातयः। धनज्येष्ठाः स्मृता वैश्याः शूद्रास्तु वयसाधिकाः ॥५-१६५-१५॥
The warrior class is regarded as the strongest, the twice-born as the wisest, the merchant class as the wealthiest, and the laborer class as the oldest.
यथेच्छकं स्वयङ्ग्राहाद्रथानतिरथांस्तथा। कामद्वेषसमायुक्तो मोहात्प्रकुरुते भवान् ॥५-१६५-१६॥
You act out of delusion, driven by desire and hatred, taking chariots and great chariots as you wish.
दुर्योधन महाबाहो साधु सम्यगवेक्ष्यताम्। त्यज्यतां दुष्टभावोऽयं भीष्मः किल्बिषकृत्तव ॥५-१६५-१७॥
O mighty-armed Duryodhana, observe well and properly. Abandon this evil intention towards Bhishma, who is sinful.
भिन्ना हि सेना नृपते दुःसन्धेया भवत्युत। मौलापि पुरुषव्याघ्र किमु नाना समुत्थिता ॥५-१६५-१८॥
O king, a divided army is indeed difficult to unite. Even if it is originally united, O tiger among men, how much more so when it has arisen in various forms?
एषां द्वैधं समुत्पन्नं योधानां युधि भारत। तेजोवधो नः क्रियते प्रत्यक्षेण विशेषतः ॥५-१६५-१९॥
O Bharata, among these warriors in battle, a division has arisen. Our energy is being destroyed directly and especially.
रथानां क्व च विज्ञानं क्व च भीष्मोऽल्पचेतनः। अहमावारयिष्यामि पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम् ॥५-१६५-२०॥
Where is the expertise in chariots, and where is Bhishma, who is of little sense? I will halt the Pandavas' army.
आसाद्य माममोघेषुं गमिष्यन्ति दिशो दश। पाण्डवाः सहपञ्चालाः शार्दूलं वृषभा इव ॥५-१६५-२१॥
The Pandavas and the Panchalas, armed with unfailing arrows, will surround me from all ten directions like bulls encircling a tiger.
क्व च युद्धविमर्दो वा मन्त्राः सुव्याहृतानि वा। क्व च भीष्मो गतवया मन्दात्मा कालमोहितः ॥५-१६५-२२॥
Where is the clash of battle or the well-articulated counsels? And where is Bhishma, who is aged, slow-witted, and deluded by the passage of time?
स्पर्धते हि सदा नित्यं सर्वेण जगता सह। न चान्यं पुरुषं कञ्चिन्मन्यते मोघदर्शनः ॥५-१६५-२३॥
He is always in competition with the entire world and does not regard anyone else, being one with a futile vision.
श्रोतव्यं खलु वृद्धानामिति शास्त्रनिदर्शनम्। न त्वेवाप्यतिवृद्धानां पुनर्बाला हि ते मताः ॥५-१६५-२४॥
It is said that one should indeed listen to the elders as they provide scriptural examples, but the very old are not to be considered in the same way, as they are regarded as children once more.
अहमेको हनिष्यामि पाण्डवान्नात्र संशयः। सुयुद्धे राजशार्दूल यशो भीष्मं गमिष्यति ॥५-१६५-२५॥
I alone will defeat the Pandavas without any doubt. In a fair battle, O tiger among kings, the glory will belong to Bhishma.
कृतः सेनापतिस्त्वेष त्वया भीष्मो नराधिप। सेनापतिं गुणो गन्ता न तु योधान्कथञ्चन ॥५-१६५-२६॥
O king, you have appointed Bhishma as the general. The virtue will go to the general, but not to the warriors in any way.
नाहं जीवति गाङ्गेये योत्स्ये राजन्कथञ्चन। हते तु भीष्मे योधास्मि सर्वैरेव महारथैः ॥५-१६५-२७॥
O king, I refuse to engage in battle as long as Bhīṣma, the son of Ganga, is alive. However, once Bhīṣma is slain, I shall join the fight alongside all the great warriors.
