09.003
Pancharatra and Core: Kripa advises Duryodhana to make peace with Yudhishthira, so that he will forgive and appoint him as the king for half the kingdom.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said.
śṛṇu rājannavahito yathā vṛtto mahānkṣayaḥ। kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca samāsādya parasparam ॥9-3-1॥
Listen attentively, O King, to how the great destruction occurred when the Kauravas and the Pandavas confronted each other.
nihate sūtaputre tu pāṇḍavena mahātmanā। vidruteṣu ca sainyeṣu samānīteṣu cāsakṛt ॥9-3-2॥
After the son of the charioteer was slain by the noble Pandava, the armies were repeatedly scattered and regrouped.
vimukhe tava putre tu śokopahatacetasi। bhṛśodvigneṣu sainyeṣu dṛṣṭvā pārthasya vikramam ॥9-3-3॥
When your son turned away, overwhelmed by grief, and the soldiers were greatly distressed upon seeing Arjuna's prowess.
dhyāyamāneṣu sainyeṣu duḥkhaṃ prāpteṣu bhārata। balānāṃ mathyamānānāṃ śrutvā ninadamuttamam ॥9-3-4॥
O Bharata, amidst the armies meditating and having obtained sorrow, upon hearing the excellent sound of the agitated forces.
abhijñānaṃ narendrāṇāṃ vikṛtaṃ prekṣya saṃyuge। patitānrathanīḍāṃśca rathāṃścāpi mahātmanām ॥9-3-5॥
Upon witnessing the distorted recognition of the kings in battle, along with the fallen chariots and those of the great souls, a profound realization dawned.
raṇe vinihatānnāgāndṛṣṭvā pattīṃśca māriṣa। āyodhanaṃ cātighoraṃ rudrasyākrīḍasaṃnibham ॥9-3-6॥
O lord, upon seeing the slain elephants and infantry in the battle, and the very terrible battle resembling a sport of Rudra.
aprakhyātiṃ gatānāṃ tu rājñāṃ śatasahasraśaḥ। kṛpāviṣṭaḥ kṛpo rājanvayaḥśīlasamanvitaḥ ॥9-3-7॥
Kṛpa, filled with compassion and endowed with good character, though unknown to the hundreds of thousands of kings, belonged to a royal lineage.
abravīttatra tejasvī so'bhisṛtya janādhipam। duryodhanaṃ manyuvaśādvacanaṃ vacanakṣamaḥ ॥9-3-8॥
The radiant one approached King Duryodhana there and, driven by anger, spoke words with eloquence.
duryodhana nibodhedaṁ yattvā vakṣyāmi kaurava। śrutvā kuru mahārāja yadi te rocate'nagha ॥9-3-9॥
"Duryodhana, listen to what I am about to say to you, Kaurava. If it pleases you, O great king, act upon it, O sinless one, after hearing."
na yuddhadharmācchreyān vai panthā rājendra vidyate। yaṃ samāśritya yudhyante kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyarṣabha ॥9-3-10॥
O king of kings, there is truly no path superior to the duty of war, which the warriors undertake and fight, O best of the warriors.
putro bhrātā pitā caiva svasreyo mātulastathā। sambandhibāndhavāścaiva yodhyā vai kṣatrajīvinā ॥9-3-11॥
The son, brother, father, sisters, maternal uncle, relatives, and kinsmen, as well as the warriors, are certainly those who live by the sword.
vadhe caiva paro dharmastathādharmḥa palāyane। te sma ghorāṃ samāpannā jīvikāṃ jīvitārthinaḥ ॥9-3-12॥
In the act of killing, duty is considered superior, while fleeing is seen as wrong. They were indeed engaged in a terrible livelihood, desiring to live.
tatra tvāṃ prativakṣyāmi kiñcideva hitaṃ vacaḥ। hate bhīṣme ca droṇe ca karṇe caiva mahārathe ॥9-3-13॥
There, I will tell you something truly beneficial, now that Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, the great warriors, have been slain.
jayadrathe ca nihate tava bhrātṛṣu cānagha। lakṣmaṇe tava putre ca kiṃ śeṣaṃ paryupāsmahe ॥9-3-14॥
O sinless one, with Jayadratha and your brothers slain, and your son Lakshmana gone, what is left for us to wait for?
yeṣu bhāraṃ samāsajya rājye matimakurmahi। te santyajya tanūryātāḥ śūrā brahmavidāṃ gatim ॥9-3-15॥
The heroes, in whom we placed our trust and burden in the kingdom, have left their bodies and attained the path of the knowers of Brahman.
vayaṁ tviha vinābhūtā guṇavadbhirmahārathaiḥ। kṛpaṇaṁ vartayiṣyāma pātayitvā nṛpānbahūn ॥9-3-16॥
We find ourselves here without the support of the virtuous great charioteers, and thus, having slain many kings, we shall live in misery.
sarvairapi ca jīvadbhirbībhatsuraparājitaḥ। kṛṣṇanetro mahābāhurdevairapi durāsadaḥ ॥9-3-17॥
He is fearsome and undefeated by all living beings; dark-eyed and mighty-armed, even the gods find him difficult to approach.
indrakārmukavajrābhamindraketumivocchritam। vānaraṃ ketumāsādya sañcacāla mahācamūḥ ॥9-3-18॥
The great army advanced towards the monkey banner, which was raised high like Indra's banner, resembling Indra's bow and thunderbolt.
siṃhanādena bhīmasya pāñcajanyasvanena ca। gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣātsaṃhṛṣyanti manāṃsi naḥ ॥9-3-19॥
Our hearts are thrilled by the lion's roar of Bhima, the sound of the Panchajanya, and the twang of the Gandiva.
carantīva mahāvidyunmuṣṇanti nayanaprabhām। alātamiva cāviddhaṃ gāṇḍīvaṃ samadṛśyata ॥9-3-20॥
The Gandiva bow appeared as if it was moving like great lightning, stealing the brilliance of the eyes, and like a pierced firebrand.
jāmbūnadavicitraṃ ca dhūyamānaṃ mahaddhanuḥ। dṛśyate dikṣu sarvāsu vidyudabhraghaneṣviva ॥9-3-21॥
A magnificent bow, adorned with gold and trembling, appears in every direction, resembling lightning among the clouds.
uhyamānaśca kṛṣṇena vāyuneva balāhakaḥ। tāvakaṃ tadbalaṃ rājannarjuno'stravidāṃ varaḥ ॥ gahanaṃ śiśire kakṣaṃ dadāhāgnirivotthitaḥ ॥9-3-22॥
Arjuna, the best among those skilled in weaponry, was carried by Krishna like a cloud by the wind. O king, your force burned the dense forest in winter like a fire that has arisen.
gāhamānam anīkāni mahendra-sadṛśa-prabham। dhanañjayam apaśyāma catur-dantam iva dvipam ॥9-3-23॥
We saw Dhananjaya, with a splendor like that of Indra, entering the armies like a majestic four-tusked elephant.
vikṣobhayantaṃ senāṃ te trāsayantaṃ ca pārthivān। dhanañjayamapaśyāma nalinīmiva kuñjaram ॥9-3-24॥
We observed Dhananjaya causing turmoil in your army and instilling fear in the kings, much like an elephant in a lotus pond.
trāsayantaṃ tathā yodhāndhanurghoṣeṇa pāṇḍavam। bhūya enamapaśyāma siṃhaṃ mṛgagaṇā iva ॥9-3-25॥
Thus frightening the warriors with the sound of his bow, we saw the Pāṇḍava again, like a lion among a herd of deer.
sarvalokamaheṣvāsau vṛṣabhau sarvadhanvinām। āmuktakavacau kṛṣṇau lokamadhye virejatuḥ ॥9-3-26॥
The Krishnas, the greatest archers and the foremost among all bowmen, wearing their armor, shone brilliantly in the midst of the world.
adya saptadaśāhāni vartamānasya bhārata। saṅgrāmasyātighorasya vadhyatāṃ cābhito yudhi ॥9-3-27॥
Today marks the seventeenth day of the ongoing, extremely fierce war in India, with slaughter occurring all around in the battle.
vāyunēva vidhūtāni tavānīkāni sarvaśaḥ। śaradambhodajālāni vyaśīryanta samantataḥ ॥9-3-28॥
Your armies were scattered everywhere by the wind, just like clusters of autumn clouds are dispersed in all directions.
tāṁ nāvam iva paryastāṁ bhrāntavātāṁ mahārṇave। tava senāṁ mahārāja savyasācī vyakampayat ॥9-3-29॥
Arjuna, like a boat caught in a stormy sea, shook your army, O great king.
kva nu te sūtaputro'bhūtkva nu droṇaḥ sahānugaḥ। ahaṃ kva ca kva cātmā te hārdikyaśca tathā kva nu ॥ duḥśāsanaśca bhrātā te bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaḥ kva nu ॥9-3-30॥
Where indeed was your son of Suta? Where indeed was Drona with his followers? Where was I, and where was your self, and also Hārdikya? Where indeed was Duḥśāsana, your brother, along with his brothers?
bāṇagocarasamprāptaṃ prekṣya caiva jayadratham। sambandhinaste bhrātṝṃśca sahāyānmātulāṃstathā ॥9-3-31॥
Seeing Jayadratha within the range of arrows, your relatives, brothers, allies, and uncles also came forward.
sarvānvikramya miṣato lokāṃścākramya mūrdhani। jayadratho hato rājankiṃ nu śeṣamupāsmahe ॥9-3-32॥
Having conquered all the worlds and attacked them unaware, Jayadratha has been slain, O king. What indeed remains for us to wait for?
ko veha sa pumānasati yo vijeṣyati pāṇḍavam। tasya cāstrāṇi divyāni vividhāni mahātmanaḥ ॥ gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣo vīryāṇi harate hi naḥ ॥9-3-33॥
Who here can defeat the Pāṇḍava? His weapons are divine and varied, belonging to a great soul. The sound of the Gāṇḍīva bow indeed diminishes our strength.
naṣṭacandrā yathā rātriḥ seneyaṃ hatanāyakā। nāgabhagnadrumā śuṣkā nadīvākulatāṃ gatā ॥9-3-34॥
The army, like a moonless night, is without its leader. It resembles a dry river with broken elephants and trees, having descended into chaos.
dhvajinyāṃ hatanetrāyāṃ yatheṣṭaṃ śvetavāhanaḥ। cariṣyati mahābāhuḥ kakṣe'gniriva sañjvalan ॥9-3-35॥
In the army, where the vision is obscured, Śvetavāhana, the mighty-armed, will move freely, blazing like a fire in the vicinity.
sātyakeścaiva yo vego bhīmasenasya cobhayoḥ। dārayeta girīnsarvāñśoṣayeta ca sāgarān ॥9-3-36॥
The combined force of Satyaki and Bhimasena is so immense that it could shatter mountains and dry up the seas.
uvāca vākyaṃ yadbhīmaḥ sabhāmadhye viśāṃ pate। kṛtaṃ tatsakalaṃ tena bhūyaścaiva kariṣyati ॥9-3-37॥
Bhima said those words in the assembly, O lord of men. All that was done by him, he will indeed do again.
pramukhaste tadā karṇe balaṃ pāṇḍavarakṣitam। durāsadaṃ tathā guptaṃ gūḍhaṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ॥9-3-38॥
Then, in the forefront, Karna's strength, protected by the Pandavas, was formidable and hidden, concealed by Arjuna, the wielder of the Gandiva bow.
yuṣmābhistāni cīrṇāni yānyasādhūni sādhuṣu। akāraṇakṛtānyeva teṣāṃ vaḥ phalamāgatam ॥9-3-39॥
The consequences of your unjust actions towards the righteous, which were done without any reason, have indeed come upon you.
ātmano'rthe tvayā loko yatnataḥ sarva āhṛtaḥ। sa te saṃśayitastāta ātmā ca bharatarṣabha ॥9-3-40॥
"O best of the Bharatas, for your own purpose, you have diligently gathered the entire world. Yet, dear one, your own self remains in doubt."
rakṣa duryodhanātmānamātmā sarvasya bhājanam। bhinne hi bhājane tāta diśo gacchati tadgatam ॥9-3-41॥
"Protect Duryodhana, for he is the vessel of all. When the vessel is broken, dear one, its contents scatter in all directions."
hīyamānena vai sandhiḥ paryeṣṭavyaḥ samena ca। vigraho vardhamānena nītireṣā bṛhaspateḥ ॥9-3-42॥
When one is declining, an alliance should be sought with an equal, and when one is increasing, conflict is advisable; this is the policy of Bṛhaspati.
te vayaṁ pāṇḍuputrebhyo hīnāḥ svabalaśaktitaḥ। atra te pāṇḍavaiḥ sārdhaṁ sandhiṁ manye kṣamaṁ prabho ॥9-3-43॥
O lord, I think it is proper for us, who are deprived of our own strength, to make peace here with the Pandavas.
na jānīte hi yaḥ śreyaḥ śreyasaścāvamanyate। sa kṣipraṁ bhraśyate rājyānna ca śreyo'nuvindati ॥9-3-44॥
He who does not recognize what is truly beneficial and looks down upon it will soon lose his kingdom and fail to achieve true prosperity.
praṇipatya hi rājānaṃ rājyaṃ yadi labhemahi। śreyaḥ syānna tu mauḍhyena rājangantuṃ parābhavam ॥9-3-45॥
"Indeed, having bowed to the king, it would be better if we could obtain the kingdom; but not through foolishness, O king, to go towards defeat."
vaicitravīryavacanātkṛpāśīlo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। viniyuñjīta rājye tvāṃ govindavacanena ca ॥9-3-46॥
Yudhishthira, known for his compassionate nature, should appoint you to the kingdom following the counsel of Vaicitravīrya and Govinda.
yadbrūyāddhi hṛṣīkeśo rājānamaparājitam। arjunaṃ bhīmasenaṃ ca sarvaṃ kuryurasaṃśayam ॥9-3-47॥
If Hṛṣīkeśa were to instruct the unconquered king, Arjuna and Bhīmasena would undoubtedly comply with everything.
nātikramiṣyate kṛṣṇo vacanaṃ kauravasya ha। dhṛtarāṣṭrasya manye'haṃ nāpi kṛṣṇasya pāṇḍavaḥ ॥9-3-48॥
Krishna will not go against the words of the Kaurava. I believe that the Pandava will not go against the words of either Dhritarashtra or Krishna.
etat kṣamam ahaṃ manye tava pārthair avigraham। na tvā bravīmi kārpaṇyān na prāṇaparirakṣaṇāt॥ pathyaṃ rājan bravīmi tvāṃ tat parāsuḥ smariṣyasi॥9-3-49॥
I believe that avoiding conflict with the sons of Pṛthā is wise for you. I am not saying this out of pity or to save lives. I am advising you for your own good, O king, and you will remember this advice when you are no longer alive.
iti vṛddho vilapyaitatkṛpaḥ śāradvato vacaḥ। dīrghamuṣṇaṃ ca niḥśvasya śuśoca ca mumoha ca ॥9-3-50॥
Thus, the elderly Kṛpa, son of Śaradvat, lamented these words, sighed deeply and hotly, grieved, and then fainted.
