The Gaṅgā of Rasa 47.3

47.3

eṣādharmeṇāpi ripur jetavya iti vadantaṃ prati yudhiṣṭhirasyoktiḥ/ atra dharmaviṣaya ālambanam/ "na jātu kāmān na bhayān na lobhād dharmaṃ tyajej jīvītasyāpi hetoḥ" ity ādivākyālocanam uddīpanam/ śiraśchedādyaṅgīkāro 'nubhāvaḥ/ dhṛtiḥ saṃcāriṇī/ itthaṃ vīrarasasya cāturvidhyaṃ prapañcitaṃ prācām anurodhāt/
vastutas tu bahavo vīrarasasya śṛṅgārasyeva prakārā nirūpayituṃ śakyante/ tathā hi--prācīna eva "sapadi vilayam etu" ityādi padye "mama tu matir na manāg apaiti satyāt" iti caramapādavyatyāsena padyāntaratāṃ prāpite satyavīrasyāpi saṃbhavāt/ na ca satyasyāpi dharmāntargatatayā dharmavīrarasa eva tadvīrasyāpy antarbhāva iti vācyam/ dānadayayor api tadantargatatayā tadvīrayor api dharmavīrāt pṛthaggaṇanānaucityāt/
evaṃ pāṇḍityavīro 'pi pratīyate/
yathā--
"api vakti girāṃ patiḥ svayaṃ yadi tāsām adhidevatāpi vā/
ayam asmi puro hayānanasmaraṇollaṅghitavāṅmayāmbudhiḥ//"
atra bṛhaspatyādyālambanaḥ sabhādidarśanoddīpito nikhilavidvattiraskārānubhāvito garveṇa saṃcāriṇā poṣita utsāho vaktuḥ pratīyate/ nanu cātra yuddhavīratvam/ yuddhatvasya vādasādhāraṇasya vācyatvād iti cet/ kṣamāvīre kiṃ brūyāḥ/
yathā--
api bahaladahanajālaṃ mūrdhni ripur me nirantaraṃ dhamatu/
pātayatu vāsidhārām aham aṇumātraṃ na kiṃcid ābhāṣe//"
kṣamāvata uktir iyam/
balavīre vā kiṃ samādadhyāḥ/
yathā--
"pariharatu dharāṃ phaṇipravīraḥ sukhamayatāṃ kamaṭho 'pi tāṃ vihāya/"
aham iha puruhūta pakṣakoṇe nikhilam idaṃ jagad aklamaṃ vahāmi//

This is the speech of Yudhiṣṭhira addressed to one saying that the enemy must be conquered even through unrighteousness. Here, the object of righteousness is the determinant. Contemplation of statements such as: 'One should never abandon righteousness out of desire, nor out of fear, nor out of greed, even for the sake of life,' is the excitant. Acquiescence in the severing of the head and the like is the consequent. Firmness is the transitory emotional state. Thus the fourfold nature of the heroic sentiment has been elaborated in deference to the ancients.
In reality, however, many varieties of the heroic sentiment, just like of the erotic sentiment, can be described. To demonstrate: in the very verse of the ancients beginning 'Let the goddess of royalty instantly perish...', if it is turned into a different verse by altering the final quarter to: 'yet my mind swerves not in the least from truth,' heroism of truth is also possible. Nor should it be said that, because truth is included within righteousness, that heroism too is subsumed only under righteousness-heroism; for since generosity and compassion are also included within it, it would equally be improper to count their corresponding heroisms separately from righteousness-heroism.
Likewise, erudition-heroism is also apprehended.
As in:
'Even if the Lord of Speech himself speaks, or even the presiding deity of speech,
here I stand before them, having traversed the ocean of letters through the recollection of the Horse-faced One!'
Here, the speaker's energy is apprehended, having Bṛhaspati and others as its determinant, stimulated by the sight of the assembly and the like, manifested by the consequent of dismissing all scholars, and nourished by the transitory emotional state of pride. If it be objected: 'Here there is battle-heroism, because the nature of battle is expressible as common to debate,' then what would you say regarding forbearance-heroism?
As in:
'Even if an enemy blows a thick sheet of fire constantly upon my head,
or strikes with the blade of a sword, I shall not utter the slightest word.'
This is the speech of a forbearing person.
Or how would you account for strength-heroism?
As in:
'Let the valiant serpent abandon the earth; let the tortoise too, leaving it, rest in ease!
Here, O Indra, on the corner of my wing, I carry this whole world without fatigue.'