07.126
Pancharatra and Core: Drona responds to Duryodhana's rebuke, explaining the situation and his real helplessness against the Pandavas strength and righteousness.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra spoke:
sindhurāje hate tāta samare savyasācinā। tathaiva bhūriśravasi kimāsīdvo manastadā ॥7-126-1॥
O father, when Sindhuraja was slain in battle by Savyasachi, and similarly Bhurishravas, what was going through your mind at that time?
duryodhanena ca droṇastathoktaḥ kurusaṁsadi। kimuktavānparaṁ tasmāttanmamācakṣva sañjaya ॥7-126-2॥
Droṇa, having been addressed by Duryodhana in the Kuru assembly, what did he say further? Tell me that, Sañjaya.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
niṣṭānako mahān āsīt sainyānāṃ tava bhārata। saindhavaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā bhūriśravasam eva ca ॥7-126-3॥
Niṣṭānaka was a great warrior among your armies, O Bhārata. He witnessed the fall of Saindhava and Bhūriśravas.
mantritaṁ tava putrasya te sarvamavamenire। yena mantreṇa nihatāḥ śataśaḥ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ ॥7-126-4॥
The mantra of your son was enchanted, and all were disregarded by it, leading to the slaying of hundreds of warrior chiefs.
droṇastu tadvacaḥ śrutvā putrasya tava durmanāḥ। muhūrtamiva tu dhyātvā bhṛśamārto'bhyabhāṣata ॥7-126-5॥
Drona, upon hearing those words of your son, was deeply distressed. He paused for a moment, and then, greatly afflicted, he spoke:
duryodhana kimevaṃ māṃ vākṣarairabhikṛntasi। ajayyaṃ samare nityaṃ bruvāṇaṃ savyasācinam ॥7-126-6॥
Duryodhana, why do you speak to me in such a manner, cutting me with your words, always declaring Arjuna to be invincible in battle?
etenaivārjunaṃ jñātumalaṃ kaurava saṃyuge। yacchikhaṇḍyavadhīdbhīṣmaṃ pālyamānaḥ kirīṭinā ॥7-126-7॥
This alone is enough to understand Arjuna's prowess in battle, as it was Shikhandi who killed Bhishma under the protection of Arjuna, the one with the crown.
avadhyaṁ nihataṁ dṛṣṭvā saṁyuge devamānuṣaiḥ। tadaivājñāsiṣamahaṁ neyamastīti bhāratī ॥7-126-8॥
Upon witnessing the invincible being defeated in battle by gods and men, I immediately realized that this speech does not exist.
yaṁ puṁsāṁ triṣu lokeṣu sarvaśūramamaṁsmahi। tasminvinihate śūre kiṁ śeṣaṁ paryupāsmahe ॥7-126-9॥
We remember the all-heroic one among men in the three worlds. With that hero slain, what remains for us to worship?
yān sma tān glahate tātaḥ śakuniḥ kurusaṁsadi। akṣān na te'kṣā niśitā bāṇās te śatrutāpanāḥ ॥7-126-10॥
In the Kuru assembly, Shakuni challenges those whom indeed father does not consider as mere dice, but as sharp arrows that torment the enemy.
ta ete ghnanti nastāta viśikhā jayacoditāḥ। yāṃstadā khyāpyamānāṃstvaṃ vidureṇa na budhyase ॥7-126-11॥
Those arrows, driven by victory, are striking us, father. You fail to recognize those being indicated by Vidura at that time.
tāstā vilapataścāpi vidurasya mahātmanaḥ। dhīrasya vāco nāśrauṣīḥ kṣemāya vadataḥ śivāḥ ॥7-126-12॥
Those who were lamenting did not hear the wise and auspicious words of Vidura, the great soul, who was speaking for their welfare.
tadidaṁ vartate ghoram āgataṁ vaiśasaṁ mahat। tasyāvamānād vākyasya duryodhana kṛte tava ॥7-126-13॥
This great and terrible calamity has arisen due to the insult caused by your words, Duryodhana.
yacca naḥ prekṣamāṇānāṃ kṛṣṇāmānāyayaḥ sabhām। anarhatīṃ kule jātāṃ sarvadharmānucāriṇīm ॥7-126-14॥
Draupadi, who was unworthy and born in a noble family, was brought to the assembly in front of those watching, despite being a follower of all dharma.
tasyādharmaḥ gāndhāre phalaṃ prāptamidaṃ tvayā। no cetpāpaṃ pare loke tvamarcchethāstato'dhikam ॥7-126-15॥
The consequences of his unrighteous actions in Gandhara have come upon you. Otherwise, you would face even greater sin in the afterlife.
yacca tān pāṇḍavān dyūte viṣameṇa vijitya ha। prāvrājayas tadāraṇye rauravājina-vāsasaḥ ॥7-126-16॥
And having unfairly won against the Pāṇḍavas in the game of dice, you exiled them to the forest, where they wore deer skin from Raurava.
putrāṇām iva caitēṣāṃ dharmam ācaratāṃ sadā। druhyet ko nu naro lōkē mad anyō brāhmaṇabruvaḥ ॥7-126-17॥
Who in the world would harm those who, like sons, always practice their duty, other than me, who claims to be a Brahmin?
pāṇḍavānām ayaṃ kopas tvayā śakuninā saha। āhṛto dhṛtarāṣṭrasya saṃmate kurusaṃsadi ॥7-126-18॥
The anger of the Pandavas, instigated by you and Shakuni, was presented in the Kuru assembly with Dhritarashtra's consent.
duḥśāsanena saṁyuktaḥ karṇena parivardhitaḥ। kṣatturvākyamanādṛtya tvayābhyastaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ॥7-126-19॥
You, having been associated with Duḥśāsana and nurtured by Karṇa, repeatedly ignored the charioteer's advice and continued your actions.
yattatsarve parābhūya paryavārayatārjunim। sindhurājānamāśritya sa vo madhye kathaṃ hataḥ ॥7-126-20॥
How was he, who had defeated all and surrounded Arjuna relying on the Sindhu king, killed in your midst?
kathaṁ tvayi ca karṇe ca kṛpe śalye ca jīvati। aśvatthāmni ca kauravya nidhanaṁ saindhavo'gamata ॥7-126-21॥
O Kaurava, how did Saindhava meet his death while you, Karna, Kripa, Shalya, and Ashwatthama are still alive?
yadvastatsarvarājānas tejas tigmam upāsate। sindhurājaṃ paritrātuṃ sa vo madhye kathaṃ hataḥ ॥7-126-22॥
The Sindhu king, whom all the kings revered for his sharp brilliance, how was he killed among you?
mayyeva hi viśeṣeṇa tathā duryodhana tvayi। āśaṁsata paritrāṇamarjunāts mahīpatiḥ ॥7-126-23॥
The king especially hoped for protection from Arjuna, both in me and in you, Duryodhana.
tatastasmimparitrāṇamalabdhavati phalgunāt। na kiñcidanupaśyāmi jīvitatrāṇamātmanaḥ ॥7-126-24॥
Then, having not obtained protection from Arjuna, I do not see any means of preserving my life.
majjantamiva cātmānaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnasya kilbiṣe। paśyāmyahatvā pāñcālānsaha tena śikhaṇḍinā ॥7-126-25॥
I perceive myself as if drowning in the sin associated with Dhrishtadyumna, for not having slain the Panchalas along with Shikhandi.
tanmā kimabhitapyantaṃ vākṣarairabhikṛntasi। aśaktaḥ sindhurājasya bhūtvā trāṇāya bhārata ॥7-126-26॥
O Bharata, why do you torment me with words? Having become powerless, I am unable to protect the king of Sindhu.
sauvarṇaṃ satyasandhasya dhvajamakliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ। apaśyanyudhi bhīṣmasya kathamāśaṃsase jayam ॥7-126-27॥
Seeing the golden flag of the truthful and tireless Bhishma in battle, how do you expect to achieve victory?
madhye mahārathānāṃ ca yatrāhanyata saindhavaḥ। hato bhūriśravāścaiva kiṃ śeṣaṃ tatra manyase ॥7-126-28॥
In the midst of the great charioteers, where Saindhava was killed and Bhūriśravā was slain, what do you think remains there?
kṛpa eva ca durdharṣo yadi jīvati pārthiva। yo nāgātsindhurājasya vartma taṃ pūjayāmyaham ॥7-126-29॥
I worship the invincible Kripa, who, if the king lives, is on the path from the elephant of the king of elephants.
yaccāpaśyaṃ hataṃ bhīṣmaṃ paśyataste'nujasya vai। duḥśāsanasya kauravya kurvāṇaṃ karma duṣkaram ॥ avadhyakalpaṃ saṅgrāme devairapi savāsavaiḥ ॥7-126-30॥
I witnessed Bhishma being slain while your younger brother Duhshasana was watching, performing a feat that seemed impossible, as if he were invincible in battle even to the gods with Indra.
na te vasundharāstīti tadahaṃ cintaye nṛpa। imāni pāṇḍavānāṃ ca sṛñjayānāṃ ca bhārata ॥ anīkānyādravante māṃ sahitānyadya māriṣa ॥7-126-31॥
O king, I do not think these lands are yours. Today, the armies of the Pandavas and the Sṛñjayas are advancing towards me together, O Bharata.
nāhatvā sarvapāñcālānkavacasya vimokṣaṇam। kartāsmi samare karma dhārtarāṣṭra hitaṃ tava ॥7-126-32॥
I will not remove my armor without killing all the Panchalas. I will fight in the battle for your benefit, O Dhritarashtra.
rājanbrūyāḥ sutaṃ me tvamaśvatthāmānamāhave। na somakāḥ pramoktavyā jīvitaṃ parirakṣatā ॥7-126-33॥
O king, instruct my son Aśvatthāmā in the battle not to spare the Somakas, ensuring they are not left alive.
yacca pitrānuśiṣṭo'si tadvacaḥ paripālaya। ānṛśaṁsye dame satye ārjave ca sthiro bhava ॥7-126-34॥
Follow the instructions given by your father and remain steadfast in kindness, self-control, truth, and honesty.
dharmārthakāmakuśalo dharmārthāvapyapīḍayan। dharmapradhānaḥ kāryāṇi kuryāśceti punaḥ punaḥ ॥7-126-35॥
One should be skilled in the pursuits of duty, wealth, and desire, ensuring that duty and wealth are not harmed, and should repeatedly perform actions with duty as the primary focus.
cakṣurmanobhyāṃ santoṣyā viprāḥ sevyāśca śaktitaḥ। na caiṣāṃ vipriyaṃ kāryaṃ te hi vahniśikhopamāḥ ॥7-126-36॥
The eyes and mind should be contented, and wise men should be served as per one's capacity. One should not cause them any displeasure, as they are akin to flames of fire.
eṣa tv aham anīkāni praviśāmi ari-sūdana। raṇāya mahate rājan tvayā vākṣalya-pīḍitaḥ ॥7-126-37॥
"O enemy-slayer, I am entering the armies for the great battle, O king, as I am afflicted by your harshness."
tvaṁ ca duryodhana balaṁ yadi śaknoṣi dhāraya। rātrāvapi hi yotsyante saṁrabdhāḥ kurusṛñjayāḥ ॥7-126-38॥
Duryodhana, if you can hold your strength, the eager Kurus and Sṛñjayas will indeed fight even at night.
evam uktvā tataḥ prāyād droṇaḥ pāṇḍava-sṛñjayān। muṣṇan kṣatriya-tejāṃsi nakṣatrāṇām ivāṃśumān ॥7-126-39॥
After speaking thus, Droṇa moved towards the Pāṇḍavas and Sṛñjayas, diminishing the warriors' brilliance as the sun does to the stars.
