Mahabharata — Volume II (Dutt edition) — Chapter 36

MBh 2 36.1

वैशम्पायन उवाच भीमसेनवचः श्रुत्वा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। निःश्वस्य पुरुषव्याघ्रः सम्प्रदध्यौ परंतपः॥ श्रुता मे राजधर्माश्च वर्णानां च विनिश्चयाः। आयत्यां च तदात्वे च यः पश्यति स पश्यति॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca bhīmasenavacaḥ śrutvā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ| niḥśvasya puruṣavyāghraḥ sampradadhyau paraṃtapaḥ|| śrutā me rājadharmāśca varṇānāṃ ca viniścayāḥ| āyatyāṃ ca tadātve ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati||

Vaishampayana said : O foremost of men, having heard the words of Bhima, that chastiser of foes, the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, sighed and reflected in silence. (He thought in his mind) “I have heard the duties of king recited to me. I have heard also the duties of the different orders. He sees truly who sees how to regulate his conduct both in the present and in the future.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.2

धर्मस्य जानमानोऽहं गतिमवयां सुदुर्विदाम्। कथं बलात् करिष्यामि मेरोरिव विमर्दनम्॥

dharmasya jānamāno'haṃ gatimavayāṃ sudurvidām| kathaṃ balāt kariṣyāmi meroriva vimardanam||

Knowing as I do the true course of Dharma, which is so difficult to be known, how can I forcibly grind it, which would be like my grinding the Meru (mountain)."

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.3

स मुहूर्तमिवध्यात्वा विनिश्चत्येतिकृत्यताम्। भीमसेनमिदं वाक्यमपदान्तरमब्रवीत्॥

sa muhūrtamivadhyātvā viniścatyetikṛtyatām| bhīmasenamidaṃ vākyamapadāntaramabravīt||

Having thus reflected for a moment and having also settled in his mind) what he should do, he thus spoke to Bhimasena without allowing him to say anything.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.4

युधिष्ठिर उवाच एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। इदमन्यत् समादत्स्व वाच्यं मे वाक्यकोविद॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca evametanmahābāho yathā vadasi bhārata| idamanyat samādatsva vācyaṃ me vākyakovida||

Yudhishthira said: O descendant of Bharata, O mighty-armed hero, what you say is true. O best of speakers, listen (also) to what I say.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.5

महापापानि कर्माणि यानि केवलसाहसात्। आरभ्यन्ते भीमसेन व्यथन्ते तानि भारत॥

mahāpāpāni karmāṇi yāni kevalasāhasāt| ārabhyante bhīmasena vyathante tāni bhārata||

O descendant of Bharata, O Bhimasena, the greatly sinful deeds that one wants to perforin depending only on his courage become a source of pain to him.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.6

समुन्त्रिते सुविक्रान्ते सुकृते सुविचारिते। सिध्यन्त्यर्था महाबाहो दैवं चात्र प्रदक्षिणम्॥

samuntrite suvikrānte sukṛte suvicārite| sidhyantyarthā mahābāho daivaṃ cātra pradakṣiṇam||

But, O mighty-armed hero, whatever is performed with (due) deliberation, with welldirected prowess, with all (necessary) appliances and with much previous thought, is (always) seen to be successful (at the end.) The celestials themselves favour such acts.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.7

यत् तु केवचापल्याद् बलदपोत्थितः स्वयम्। आरब्धव्यमिदं कार्यं मन्यसे शृणु तत्र मे॥

yat tu kevacāpalyād baladapotthitaḥ svayam| ārabdhavyamidaṃ kāryaṃ manyase śṛṇu tatra me||

Hear something about the act which you think should be at once done from your pride of strength and restlessness of mind.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.8

भूरिश्रवाः शलश्चैव जलसंधश्च वीर्यवान्। भीष्मो द्रोणश्च कर्णश्च द्रोणपुत्रश्च वीर्यवान्॥ धार्तराष्ट्रा दुराधर्षा दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः। सर्व एव कृतास्त्राश्च सततं चाततायिनः॥ राजानः पार्थिवाश्चैव येऽस्माभिरुपतापिताः। संश्रिताः कौरवं पक्षं जातस्नेहाश्च तं प्रति॥

bhūriśravāḥ śalaścaiva jalasaṃdhaśca vīryavān| bhīṣmo droṇaśca karṇaśca droṇaputraśca vīryavān|| dhārtarāṣṭrā durādharṣā duryodhanapurogamāḥ| sarva eva kṛtāstrāśca satataṃ cātatāyinaḥ|| rājānaḥ pārthivāścaiva ye'smābhirupatāpitāḥ| saṃśritāḥ kauravaṃ pakṣaṃ jātasnehāśca taṃ prati||

Bhurishrava, Shalva, the powerful Jarasandha, Bhishma, Drona, Karna, the mighty son of Drona (Ashvathama). The invincible sons of Dhritarashtra Duryodhana and others, all are accomplished in arms and ever ready for battle. Those kings and the rulers of the world, who have been injured by us, have all taken the side of the Kurus; and their affection has grown towards them.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.9

दुर्योधनहिते युक्ता न तथास्मासु भारत। पूर्णकोशा बलोपेताः प्रयतिष्यन्ति संगरे॥

duryodhanahite yuktā na tathāsmāsu bhārata| pūrṇakośā balopetāḥ prayatiṣyanti saṃgare||

O descendant of Bharata, they are engaged in seeking to do good to Duryodhana and not to us. With their treasury full and large army, they will try their best in the war (to defeat us).

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.10

सर्वे कौरवसैन्यस्य सपुत्रामात्यसैनिकाः। संविभक्ता हि मात्राभिर्भोगैरपि च सर्वशः॥

sarve kauravasainyasya saputrāmātyasainikāḥ| saṃvibhaktā hi mātrābhirbhogairapi ca sarvaśaḥ||

All the officers of the Kuru army with their sons and relatives have been honoured by Duryodhana with the presentation of wealth according to proper divisions.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.11

दुर्योधनेन ते वीरा मानिताश्च विशेषतः। प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यन्ति संग्रामे इति मे निश्चिता मतिः॥

duryodhanena te vīrā mānitāśca viśeṣataḥ| prāṇāṃstyakṣyanti saṃgrāme iti me niścitā matiḥ||

These heroes have been much honored by Duryodhana. My firm conviction is that they will give their lives in battle for him,

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.12

समा यद्यपि भीष्मस्य वृत्तिरस्मासु तेषु च। द्रोणस्य च महाबाहो कृपस्य च महात्मनः॥ अवश्यं राजपिण्डस्तैर्निर्वेश्य इति मे मतिः। तस्मात् त्यक्ष्यन्ति संग्रामे प्राणानपि सुदुस्त्यजान्॥

samā yadyapi bhīṣmasya vṛttirasmāsu teṣu ca| droṇasya ca mahābāho kṛpasya ca mahātmanaḥ|| avaśyaṃ rājapiṇḍastairnirveśya iti me matiḥ| tasmāt tyakṣyanti saṃgrāme prāṇānapi sudustyajān||

O mighty-armed hero, though the behaviour of Bhishma, Drona and the high-souled Kripa is the same (to both parties). Yet it is my firin conviction that they would sacrifice in battle their lives, then which there is nothing dearer in this world, so that they might pay off (their debt) in the shape of royal favours which they enjoy.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.13

सर्वे दिव्यास्त्रविद्वांसः सर्वेधर्मपरायणाः। अजेयाश्चेति मे बुद्धिरपि देवैः सवासवैः॥

sarve divyāstravidvāṃsaḥ sarvedharmaparāyaṇāḥ| ajeyāśceti me buddhirapi devaiḥ savāsavaiḥ||

They are all masters in celestials weapons and they are all devoted to virtue. My opinion is that they cannot be vanquished even by the celestials with Vasava (Indra) at their head.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.14

अमर्षी नित्यसंरब्धस्तत्र कर्णो महारथः। सर्वास्त्रविदनाधृष्यो ह्यभेद्यकवचावृतः॥

amarṣī nityasaṃrabdhastatra karṇo mahārathaḥ| sarvāstravidanādhṛṣyo hyabhedyakavacāvṛtaḥ||

There is Karna, the great car-warrior, who is impetuous. ever angry, invincible, accomplished in all weapons and encased in impenetrable armour.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.15

अनिर्जित्य रणे सर्वानेतान् पुरुषसत्तमान्। अशक्यो ह्यसहायेन हन्तुं दुर्योधनस्त्वया॥

anirjitya raṇe sarvānetān puruṣasattamān| aśakyo hyasahāyena hantuṃ duryodhanastvayā||

Without first defeating in battle all these foremost of men, you cannot, unaided as you are, kill Duryodhana.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.16

न निद्रामधिगच्छामि चिन्तयानो वृकोदर। अतिसर्वान्धनुाहान् सूतपुत्रस्य लाघवम्॥

na nidrāmadhigacchāmi cintayāno vṛkodara| atisarvāndhanuāhān sūtaputrasya lāghavam||

O Vrikodara, I cannot sleep as I ponder upon the lightness of hand that the Suta's son (Karna) possesses. I consider him to be the foremost of all wielders of bows.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.17

वैशम्पायन उवाच एतद् वचनमाज्ञाय भीमसेनोऽत्यमर्षणः। बभूव विमनास्त्रस्तो न चैवोवाच किंचन॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca etad vacanamājñāya bhīmaseno'tyamarṣaṇaḥ| babhūva vimanāstrasto na caivovāca kiṃcana||

Vaishampayana said : Having heard these words, the impetuous Bhimasena became alarmed and pensive; and he did not utter a word.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.18

तयोः संवदतोरेवं तदा पाण्डवयोर्द्वयोः। आजगाम महायोगी व्यास: सत्यवतीसुतः॥

tayoḥ saṃvadatorevaṃ tadā pāṇḍavayordvayoḥ| ājagāma mahāyogī vyāsa: satyavatīsutaḥ||

When the Pandavas were talking one another, there came to that place the great ascetic Vyasa, the son of Satyavati.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.19

सोऽभिगम्य यथान्यायं पाण्डवैः प्रतिपूजितः। युधिष्ठिरमिदं वाक्यमुवाच वदतां वरः॥

so'bhigamya yathānyāyaṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ pratipūjitaḥ| yudhiṣṭhiramidaṃ vākyamuvāca vadatāṃ varaḥ||

When he arrived, he was duly worshipped by the sons of Pandu. That best of speakers then thus spoke to Yudhishthira.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.20

व्यास उवाच युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो वेद्मि ते हृदयस्थितम्। मनीषया ततः क्षिप्रमागतोऽस्मि नरर्षभ॥

vyāsa uvāca yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho vedmi te hṛdayasthitam| manīṣayā tataḥ kṣipramāgato'smi nararṣabha||

Vyasa said : O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, O best of men, knowing by my intelligence what is passing in your mind, I have speedily come to this place.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.21

भीष्माद् द्रोणात् कृपात् कर्णाद् द्रोण पुत्राच्च भारत। दुर्योधनान्नृपसुतात् तथा दुःशासनादपि॥ यत् ते भयममित्रघ्न हृदि सम्परिवर्तते। तत् तेऽहं नाशयिष्यामि विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥

bhīṣmād droṇāt kṛpāt karṇād droṇa putrācca bhārata| duryodhanānnṛpasutāt tathā duḥśāsanādapi|| yat te bhayamamitraghna hṛdi samparivartate| tat te'haṃ nāśayiṣyāmi vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā||

O descendant of Bharata, O slayer of foes, I shall destroy the fever that is in your mind and I shall tell you, by means of what act according to the ordinance you will be able to kill Bhishma, Kripa, Karna, Drona, the son of Drona, Duryodhana and the other princes and Dushasana.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.22

तच्छुत्वाधृतिमास्थाय कर्मणा प्रतिपादय। प्रतिपाद्य तु राजेन्द्र ततः क्षिप्रं ज्वरं जहि॥

tacchutvādhṛtimāsthāya karmaṇā pratipādaya| pratipādya tu rājendra tataḥ kṣipraṃ jvaraṃ jahi||

O king of kings, hearing it from me, accomplish the act with patience. Having accomplished it, soon destroy your this (mental) fever.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.23

तत एकान्तमुन्नीय पाराशर्यो युधिष्ठिरम। अब्रवीदुपपन्नार्थमिदं वाक्यविशारदः॥

tata ekāntamunnīya pārāśaryo yudhiṣṭhirama| abravīdupapannārthamidaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ||

Vaishampayana said : That foremost of all eloquent men, the son of Parasara (Vyasa), taking him aside thus spoke to Yudhishthira in words of deep import.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.24

श्रेयसस्ते परः कालः प्राप्तो भरतसत्तम। येनाभिभविता शत्रून् रणे पार्थोधनुर्धरः॥

śreyasaste paraḥ kālaḥ prāpto bharatasattama| yenābhibhavitā śatrūn raṇe pārthodhanurdharaḥ||

Vyasa said: O best of the Bharatas, that prosperous time has come when the son of Pritha, Dhananjaya (Arjuna), will kill your enemies in battle.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.25

गृहाणेमां मया प्रोक्तां सिद्धिं मूर्तिमतीमिव। विद्यां प्रतिस्मृति नाम प्रपन्नाय ब्रवीमि ते॥

gṛhāṇemāṃ mayā proktāṃ siddhiṃ mūrtimatīmiva| vidyāṃ pratismṛti nāma prapannāya bravīmi te||

Accept from me this knowledge, called Pratismriti. Uttered by me it is like success personified. You are capable of accepting it; I shall tell it to you.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.26

यामवाप्य महाबाहुरर्जुनः साधयिष्यति। अस्त्रहेतोर्महेन्द्रं च रुद्रं चैवाभिगच्छतु॥ वरुणं च कुबेरं चधर्मराजं च पाण्डव। शक्तो ह्येष सुरान् द्रष्टुं तपसा विक्रमेण च॥

yāmavāpya mahābāhurarjunaḥ sādhayiṣyati| astrahetormahendraṃ ca rudraṃ caivābhigacchatu|| varuṇaṃ ca kuberaṃ cadharmarājaṃ ca pāṇḍava| śakto hyeṣa surān draṣṭuṃ tapasā vikrameṇa ca||

Receiving it, the mighty-armed Arjuna will be able to accomplish his desire. O son of Pandu, let him go for the acquisition of weapons to Mahendra. Rudra, Varuna, Kubera and Yama. He is competent to see the celestials on account of his asceticism and prowess.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.27

ऋषिरेष महातेजा नारायणसहायवान्। पुराणः शाश्वतो देवस्त्वजेयी जिष्णुरच्युतः॥ अस्त्राणीन्द्राच्च रुद्राच्च लोकपालेभ्य एव च। समादाय महाबाहुर्महत् कर्म करिष्यति॥

ṛṣireṣa mahātejā nārāyaṇasahāyavān| purāṇaḥ śāśvato devastvajeyī jiṣṇuracyutaḥ|| astrāṇīndrācca rudrācca lokapālebhya eva ca| samādāya mahābāhurmahat karma kariṣyati||

He is a Rishi of great effulgence; he is the friend of Narayana (Krishna); he is ancient, eternal celestials, invincible, ever successful and undeteriorating. O mighty-armed hero, he will achieve great deeds by receiving weapons from Indra, Rudra and the Lokapalas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.28

वनादस्माच्च कौन्तेय वनमन्यद् विचिन्त्यताम्। निवासार्थाय यद् युक्तं भवेद् वः पृथिवीपते॥

vanādasmācca kaunteya vanamanyad vicintyatām| nivāsārthāya yad yuktaṃ bhaved vaḥ pṛthivīpate||

O son of Kunti, O ruler of the world, think of going from this forest to another (forest) that may be fit for your abode.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.29

एकत्र चिरवासो हि न प्रीतिजननो भवेत्। तापसानां च सर्वेषां भवेदुद्वेगकारकः॥

ekatra ciravāso hi na prītijanano bhavet| tāpasānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ bhavedudvegakārakaḥ||

To reside in one place for a length of time is never pleasant. It might produce anxieties to the ascetics.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.30

मृगाणामुपयोगश्च वीरुदोषधिसंक्षयः। बिभर्षि च बहून् विप्रान् वेदवेदाङ्गपारगान्॥

mṛgāṇāmupayogaśca vīrudoṣadhisaṃkṣayaḥ| bibharṣi ca bahūn viprān vedavedāṅgapāragān||

As you support numerous Brahmanas, learned in the Vedas, your continued residence here (in this forest) may exhaust the deer of the forest and may be destructive of the creepers and plant.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.31

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा प्रपन्नाय शुचये भगवान् प्रभुः। प्रोवाच लोकतत्त्वज्ञो योगी विद्यामनुत्तमाम्॥ धर्मराजायधीमान् स व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः। अनुज्ञाय च कौन्तेयं तत्रैवान्तरधीयत॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca evamuktvā prapannāya śucaye bhagavān prabhuḥ| provāca lokatattvajño yogī vidyāmanuttamām|| dharmarājāyadhīmān sa vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ| anujñāya ca kaunteyaṃ tatraivāntaradhīyata||

Vaishampayana said: Having thus addressed by that illustrious lord, the ascetic of great wisdom, the intelligent Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, learned in the mysteries of the world, then imported that foremost of knowledge to the willing Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) who had meanwhile purified himself. Bidding farewell to the son of Kunti, he then disappeared.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.32

युधिष्ठिरस्तुधर्मात्मा तद् ब्रह्म मनसा यतः। धारयामास मेधावी काले काले सदाभ्यसन्॥

yudhiṣṭhirastudharmātmā tad brahma manasā yataḥ| dhārayāmāsa medhāvī kāle kāle sadābhyasan||

Having received that knowledge, the virtuous-minded and the intelligent Yudhishthira carefully retained it in his memory and always repeated it at the proper times.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.33

स व्यासवाक्यमुदितो बनाद् द्वैतवनात् ततः। ययौ सरस्वतीकूले काम्यकं नाम काननम्॥

sa vyāsavākyamudito banād dvaitavanāt tataḥ| yayau sarasvatīkūle kāmyakaṃ nāma kānanam||

Being glad at the words of Vyasa, he, leaving the Dvaiytavana, went to the forest of Kamyaka on the banks of the Sarasvati.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.34

तमन्वयुर्महाराज शिक्षाक्षरविशारदाः। ब्राह्मणास्तपसा युक्ता देवेन्द्रमृषयो यथा॥

tamanvayurmahārāja śikṣākṣaraviśāradāḥ| brāhmaṇāstapasā yuktā devendramṛṣayo yathā||

O great king, the Brahmanas, possessing ascetic merits and versed in the science of ortheopy and orthography, followed him, as the Rishis follow the king of the celestials (Indra).

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.35

ततः काम्यकमासाद्य पुनस्ते भरतर्षभ। न्यविशन्त महात्मानः सामात्याः सपरिच्छदाः॥

tataḥ kāmyakamāsādya punaste bharatarṣabha| nyaviśanta mahātmānaḥ sāmātyāḥ saparicchadāḥ||

Thereupon arriving at Kamyaka, those highsouled chief's of the Bharata race took up their residence there with their friends and followers.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.36

तत्र ते न्यवसन् राजन् किंचित् कालं मनस्विनः। धनुर्वेदपरा वीराः शृण्वन्तो वेदमुत्तमम्॥

tatra te nyavasan rājan kiṃcit kālaṃ manasvinaḥ| dhanurvedaparā vīrāḥ śṛṇvanto vedamuttamam||

O king, those intelligent heroes then lived there for some time, devoting themselves to the science of archery and hearing the excellent Vedas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 36.37

चरन्तो मृगयां नित्यं शुद्धैर्बाणैर्मृगार्थिनः। पितृदैवतविप्रेभ्यो निर्वपन्तो यथाविधि॥

caranto mṛgayāṃ nityaṃ śuddhairbāṇairmṛgārthinaḥ| pitṛdaivataviprebhyo nirvapanto yathāvidhi||

They went about the forest every day with non-poisoned arrows in search of deer. They duly performed all the rites in honour of the Pitris, the celestials and the Brahmanas.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)