07.005
Pancharatra and Core: Recommended by Karna, Duryodhana appoints Drona as the commander of the army.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
rathasthaṃ puruṣavyāghraṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇamavasthitam। hṛṣṭo duryodhano rājannidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥7-5-1॥
Upon seeing Karna, who was standing on the chariot and was a tiger among men, the joyful Duryodhana addressed the king with these words.
sanātham idam atyarthaṃ bhavatā pālitaṃ balam। manye kiṃ tu samarthaṃ yaddhitaṃ tat sampradhāryatām ॥7-5-2॥
This strength has been exceedingly protected by you. However, I think that what is truly capable and beneficial should be considered.
karṇa uvāca॥
Karna said:
brūhi tatpuruṣavyāghra tvaṃ hi prājñatamo nṛpa। yathā cārthapatiḥ kṛtyaṃ paśyate na tathetaraḥ ॥7-5-3॥
"O tiger among men, speak, for you are indeed the wisest of kings. Just as the lord of wealth perceives his duties, others do not see them in the same way."
te sma sarve tava vacaḥ śrotukāmā nareśvara। nānyāyyaṃ hi bhavānvākyaṃ brūyāditi matirmama ॥7-5-4॥
They all indeed are eager to hear your words, O king, for I believe you would not speak anything unjust.
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana said:
bhīṣmaḥ senāpraṇetāsīdvayasā vikrameṇa ca। śrutena ca susampannaḥ sarvairyodhaguṇaistathā ॥7-5-5॥
Bhishma, the commander of the army, was well-endowed with age, prowess, and knowledge, possessing all the qualities of a warrior.
tenātiyaśasā karṇa ghnatā śatrugaṇānmama। suyuddhena daśāhāni pālitāḥ smo mahātmanā ॥7-5-6॥
For ten days, we were protected by the great Karna, who, with his renowned valor, fought valiantly and defeated my enemies.
tasminnasukaraṁ karma kṛtavatyāsthite divam। kaṁ nu senāpraṇetāraṁ manyase tadanantaram ॥7-5-7॥
In that challenging task, having accomplished it and reached heaven, whom do you now consider to be the leader of the army?
na ṛte nāyakaṃ senā muhūrtamapi tiṣṭhati। āhaveṣvāhavaśreṣṭha netṛhīneva naurjale ॥7-5-8॥
Without a leader, an army cannot stand even for a moment. In battles, it is like a boat in water without a captain.
yathā hyakarṇadhārā nau rathaścāsārathiryathā। dravedyathetṣṭaṃ tadvatsyādṛte senāpatiṃ balam ॥7-5-9॥
An army without a commander is like a ship without a helmsman or a chariot without a charioteer, moving aimlessly as it pleases.
sa bhavān vīkṣya sarveṣu māmakeṣu mahātmasu। paśya senāpatiṃ yuktam anu śāntanavād iha ॥7-5-10॥
He, having observed all my great warriors, see the general here who is engaged after Śāntanu.
yaṁ hi senāpraṇetāraṁ bhavānvakṣyati saṁyuge। taṁ vayaṁ sahitāḥ sarve prakariṣyāma māriṣa ॥7-5-11॥
We will all support whoever you appoint as the leader of the army in battle, O honorable one.
karṇa uvāca॥
Karna said:
sarva eva mahātmāna ime puruṣasattamāḥ। senāpatitvamarhanti nātra kāryā vicāraṇā ॥7-5-12॥
All these great souls, the best among men, truly deserve to be generals; there should be no doubt about it here.
kulasaṁhananajñānairbalavikramabuddhibhiḥ। yuktāḥ kṛtajñā hrīmanta āhaveṣvanivartinaḥ ॥7-5-13॥
They are endowed with the strength of family, knowledge, valor, and intelligence; they are grateful, modest, and do not retreat in battles.
yugapanna tu te śakyāḥ kartuṃ sarve puraḥsarāḥ। eka evātra kartavyo yasminvaiśeṣikā guṇāḥ ॥7-5-14॥
However, it is possible to perform all tasks simultaneously, but only one task should be prioritized here, which possesses special qualities.
anyonyaspardhināṃ teṣāṃ yadyekaṃ satkariṣyasi। śeṣā vimanaso vyaktaṃ na yotsyante hi bhārata ॥7-5-15॥
O Bhārata, if you honor one among those who are in mutual rivalry, the others will become disheartened and clearly will not fight.
ayaṁ tu sarvayodhānām ācāryaḥ sthaviro guruḥ। yuktaḥ senāpatiḥ kartuṁ droṇaḥ śastrabhṛtāṁ varaḥ ॥7-5-16॥
This elder teacher and master of all warriors, Drona, is indeed fit to be made the general, being the best among weapon-bearers.
ko hi tiṣṭhati durdharṣe droṇe brahmaviduttame। senāpatiḥ syādanyo'smācchukrāṅgirasadarśanāt ॥7-5-17॥
Who indeed can stand invincible against Droṇa, the supreme knower of Brahman? Who else could be the commander other than him, as seen by Śukra and Aṅgiras?
na ca sa hyasti te yodhaḥ sarvarājasu bhārata। yo droṇaṃ samare yāntaṃ nānuyāsyati saṃyuge ॥7-5-18॥
O Bharata, there is no warrior among all the kings who will not follow Droṇa as he goes into battle.
eṣa senāpraṇetṝṇāmeṣa śastrabhṛtāmapi। eṣa buddhimatāṃ caiva śreṣṭho rājanguruśca te ॥7-5-19॥
This person is the leader among the army chiefs, the foremost among the wielders of weapons, and indeed the best among the wise. O king, he is also your teacher.
evaṁ duryodhanācāryamāśu senāpatiṁ kuru। jigīṣanto'surānsaṅkhye kārttikeyamivāmarāḥ ॥7-5-20॥
Thus, quickly appoint Duryodhana as the commander, just as the gods appointed Kartikeya in the battle to conquer the demons.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
karṇasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā duryodhanastadā। senāmadhyagataṃ droṇamidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥7-5-21॥
Upon hearing Karna's words, King Duryodhana addressed Drona, who was positioned in the center of the army, with these words.
varṇaśraiṣṭhyātkulotpattyā śrutena vayasā dhiyā। vīryāddākṣyādadhṛṣyatvādarthajñānānnayājjayāt ॥7-5-22॥
Victory is achieved through superiority of caste, noble birth, learning, age, wisdom, valor, skill, invincibility, knowledge of wealth, and policy.
tapasā ca kṛtajñatvādvṛddhaḥ sarvaguṇairapi। yukto bhavatsamo goptā rājñāmanyo na vidyate ॥7-5-23॥
By penance and gratitude, you have grown with all virtues and are endowed as a protector. There is no other equal to you among kings.
sa bhavānpātu naḥ sarvān vibudhāniva vāsavaḥ। bhavannetrāḥ parāñjetumicchāmo dvijasattama ॥7-5-24॥
May you protect us all like Indra protects the wise. With your guidance, we wish to achieve victory, O noble sage.
rudrāṇām iva kāpālī vasūnām iva pāvakaḥ। kubera iva yakṣāṇāṃ marutām iva vāsavaḥ ॥7-5-25॥
He is like Kāpālī among the Rudras, Pāvaka among the Vasus, Kubera among the Yakṣas, and Vāsava among the Maruts.
vasiṣṭha iva viprāṇāṃ tejasāmiva bhāskaraḥ। pitr̥̄ṇāmiva dharmo'tha ādityānāmivāmburāṭ ॥7-5-26॥
He is like Vasiṣṭha among the learned, like the sun among the brilliant, like dharma among the ancestors, and like the lord of waters among the Ādityas.
nakṣatrāṇām iva śaśī ditijānām ivośanāḥ। śreṣṭhaḥ senāpraṇetṝṇāṃ sa naḥ senāpatir bhava ॥7-5-27॥
May he be our commander, like the moon is the best among the stars and Ushanas is among the demons.
akṣauhiṇyo daśaikā ca vaśagāḥ santu te'nagha। tābhiḥ śatrūnprativyūhya jahīndro dānavāniva ॥7-5-28॥
May you have eleven armies under your command, O sinless one. With these forces, surround and defeat your enemies just as Indra defeated the demons.
prayātu no bhavānagre devānāmiva pāvakiḥ। anuyāsyāmahe tvājau saurabheyā ivaṛṣabham ॥7-5-29॥
May you lead us like the divine fire, and we shall follow you into battle like bullocks follow a bull.
ugradhānvā maheṣvāso divyaṃ visphārayandhanuḥ। agre bhavantaṃ dṛṣṭvā no nārjunaḥ prasahiṣyate ॥7-5-30॥
The fierce bowman and great archer, wielding the divine bow, stands before you; Arjuna will not be able to overcome.
dhruvaṁ yudhiṣṭhiraṁ saṅkhye sānubandhaṁ sabāndhavam। jeṣyāmi puruṣavyāghra bhavānsenāpatiryadi ॥7-5-31॥
"O tiger among men, if you are the commander, I am certain that I will defeat Yudhishthira in battle along with his followers and relatives."
evamukte tato droṇe jayet yūcur narādhipāḥ। siṃhanādena mahatā harṣayantas tavātmajam ॥7-5-32॥
Upon hearing these words addressed to Droṇa, the kings, with a great lion's roar, encouraged your son by saying, "May you be victorious."
sainikāśca mudā yuktā vardhayanti dvijottamam। duryodhanaṃ puraskṛtya prārthayanto mahadyaśaḥ ॥7-5-33॥
The soldiers, filled with joy, support the best of the twice-born by placing Duryodhana at the forefront, seeking great fame.
droṇa uvāca॥
Drona said:
vedaṁ ṣaḍaṅgaṁ vedāhamarthavidyāṁ ca mānavīm। traiyambakamatheṣvastramastrāṇi vividhāni ca ॥7-5-34॥
I know the Veda with its six limbs, the science of wealth, and human knowledge. Then, the three-eyed one, various weapons and arrows.
ye cāpyuktā mayi guṇā bhavadbhirjayakāṅkṣibhiḥ। cikīrṣustānahaṃ satyānyodhayiṣyāmi pāṇḍavān ॥7-5-35॥
I will fight the Pandavas with the qualities you have spoken of in me, as you desire victory.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
sa evamabhyanujñātaścakre senāpatiṃ tataḥ। droṇaṃ tava suto rājanvidhidiṣṭena karmaṇā ॥7-5-36॥
Thus permitted, your son made Droṇa the commander according to the prescribed method, O king.
athābhiṣiṣicur droṇaṃ duryodhanamukhā nṛpāḥ। senāpatye yathā skandaṃ purā śakramukhāḥ surāḥ ॥7-5-37॥
Then the kings, led by Duryodhana, appointed Droṇa as their commander, just as the gods, led by Indra, had once appointed Skanda.
tato vāditraghoṣeṇa saha puṁsāṁ mahāsvanaiḥ। prādurāsītkṛte droṇe harṣaḥ senāpatau tadā ॥7-5-38॥
At that time, when Drona was made the general, there was a great joy accompanied by the sound of musical instruments and the loud cheers of men.
tataḥ puṇyāhaghoṣeṇa svastivādasvanena ca। sanstavairgītaśabdaiśca sūtamāgadhabandinām ॥7-5-39॥
Then, the atmosphere was filled with auspicious proclamations, sounds of blessings, praises, and musical sounds by the bards, genealogists, and heralds.
jayaśabdairdvijāgryāṇāṃ subhagānartitaistathā। satkṛtya vidhivaddroṇaṃ jitānmanyanta pāṇḍavān ॥7-5-40॥
The foremost of the twice-born, with sounds of victory and charmed by the blessed ones, honored Droṇa properly and considered the Pāṇḍavas to be conquered.
