Mahabharata 12.82: dvyaśītitamo'dhyāyaḥ

12.82.1

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
evamagrāhyake tasmiñjñātisaṃbandhimaṇḍale |
mitreṣvamitreṣvapi ca kathaṃ bhāvo vibhāvyate || 1 ||

"Yudhishthira said, 'If one does not succeed in winning over one's kinsmen and relatives (by this course), they that are intended for becoming friends become foes. How should one, then, conduct one's self so that the hearts of both friends and foes may be won?'

12.82.2

bhīṣma uvāca |
atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam |
vāsudevasya saṃvādaṃ surarṣernāradasya ca || 2 ||

"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the old history of a discourse between Vasudeva and the celestial sage Narada. On a certain occasion Vasudeva said, 'Neither an illiterate and foolish friend, nor a learned friend of fickle soul, deserves, O Narada, to know one's secret counsels. Relying on thy friendship for me, I shall say something to thee, O sage! O thou that canst go to heaven at thy pleasure, one should speak to another if one be convinced of the intelligence of that other. I never behave with slavish obsequiousness towards my kinsmen by flattering speeches about their prosperity. I give them half of what I have, and forgive their evil speeches. As a fire-stick is grinded by a person desirous of obtaining fire, even so my heart is ground by my kinsmen with their cruel speeches. Indeed, O celestial Rishi, those cruel speeches burn my heart every day. Might resides in Sankarshana; mildness in Gada; and as regards Pradyumna, he surpasses even myself in beauty of person. (Although I have all these on my side) yet I am helpless, O Narada! Many others among the Andhakas and the Vrishnis are possessed of great prosperity and might, and during courage and constant perseverance. He on whose side they do not range themselves meets with destruction. He, on the other hand, on whose side they do range themselves, achieves everything. Dissuaded (in turns) by both (viz., Ahuka and Akrura,) I do not side either of them. What can be more painful for a person than to have both Ahuka and Akrura on his side? What, again, can be more painful for one than not to have both of them on his side? I am like the mother of two brothers gambling against each other, invoking victory to both. I am thus, O Narada, afflicted by both. It behoveth thee to tell me that which is for the good of both myself and my kinsmen.'

12.82.3

vāsudeva uvāca |
nāsuhṛtparamaṃ mantraṃ nāradārhati veditum |
apaṇḍito vāpi suhṛtpaṇḍito vāpi nātmavān || 3 ||

12.82.4

sa te sauhṛdamāsthāya kiṃcidvakṣyāmi nārada |
kṛtsnāṃ ca buddhiṃ saṃprekṣya saṃpṛcche tridivaṃgama || 4 ||

12.82.5

dāsyamaiśvaryavādena jñātīnāṃ vai karomyaham |
ardhabhoktāsmi bhogānāṃ vāgduruktāni ca kṣame || 5 ||

12.82.6

araṇīmagnikāmo vā mathnāti hṛdayaṃ mama |
vācā duruktaṃ devarṣe tanme dahati nityadā || 6 ||

12.82.7

balaṃ saṃkarṣaṇe nityaṃ saukumāryaṃ punargade |
rūpeṇa mattaḥ pradyumnaḥ so'sahāyo'smi nārada || 7 ||

12.82.8

anye hi sumahābhāgā balavanto durāsadāḥ |
nityotthānena saṃpannā nāradāndhakavṛṣṇayaḥ || 8 ||

12.82.9

yasya na syurna vai sa syādyasya syuḥ kṛcchrameva tat |
dvābhyāṃ nivārito nityaṃ vṛṇomyekataraṃ na ca || 9 ||

12.82.10

syātāṃ yasyāhukākrūrau kiṃ nu duḥkhataraṃ tataḥ |
yasya vāpi na tau syātāṃ kiṃ nu duḥkhataraṃ tataḥ || 10 ||

12.82.11

so'haṃ kitavamāteva dvayorapi mahāmune |
ekasya jayamāśaṃse dvitīyasyāparājayam || 11 ||

12.82.12

mamaivaṃ kliśyamānasya nāradobhayataḥ sadā |
vaktumarhasi yacchreyo jñātīnāmātmanastathā || 12 ||

12.82.13

nārada uvāca |
āpado dvividhāḥ kṛṣṇa bāhyāścābhyantarāśca ha |
prādurbhavanti vārṣṇeya svakṛtā yadi vānyataḥ || 13 ||

"Narada said, 'Calamities, O Krishna, are of two kinds, viz., external and internal. They arise, O thou of Vrishni's race, from one's own acts or from the acts of others. The calamity that has now overtaken thee is an internal one and is born of thy own acts. Valadeva and others of the Bhoja race are partisans of Akrura, and have taken up his side either for the sake of wealth, or mere caprice, or moved by words or by hate. As regards thyself, thou hast given away wealth obtained by thee to another. Though possessed of men who should be your friends, thou hast, however, by thy own act, brought calamity over thy head. Thou canst not take back that wealth, even as one cannot swallow again the food that he has vomited himself. The kingdom cannot be taken back from Babhu and Ugrasena (unto whom it has been given). Thyself, O Krishna, cannot, in particular, take it back (from them) from fear of producing intestine dissensions. Supposing the endeavour succeeds, it will do so after much trouble and after the accomplishment of the most difficult feats. A great slaughter and a great loss of wealth will ensue, perhaps, even total destruction. Use then a weapon that is not made of steel, that is very mild and yet capable of piercing all hearts. Sharpening and resharpening that weapon correct the tongues of thy kinsmen.'

12.82.14

seyamābhyantarā tubhyamāpatkṛcchrā svakarmajā |
akrūrabhojaprabhavāḥ sarve hyete tadanvayāḥ || 14 ||

12.82.15

arthahetorhi kāmādvādvārā bībhatsayāpi vā |
ātmanā prāptamaiśvaryamanyatra pratipāditam || 15 ||

12.82.16

kṛtamūlamidānīṃ tajjātaśabdaṃ sahāyavat |
na śakyaṃ punarādātuṃ vāntamannamiva tvayā || 16 ||

12.82.17

babhrūgrasenayo rājyaṃ nāptuṃ śakyaṃ kathaṃcana |
jñātibhedabhayātkṛṣṇa tvayā cāpi viśeṣataḥ || 17 ||

12.82.18

taccetsidhyetprayatnena kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram |
mahākṣayavyayaṃ vā syādvināśo vā punarbhavet || 18 ||

12.82.19

anāyasena śastreṇa mṛdunā hṛdayacchidā |
jihvāmuddhara sarveṣāṃ parimṛjyānumṛjya ca || 19 ||

12.82.20

vāsudeva uvāca |
anāyasaṃ mune śastraṃ mṛdu vidyāmahaṃ katham |
yenaiṣāmuddhare jihvāṃ parimṛjyānumṛjya ca || 20 ||

"Vasudeva said, 'What is that weapon, O sage, which is not made of steel, which is mild, which still pierces all hearts, and which I must use for correcting the tongues of my kinsmen?'

12.82.21

nārada uvāca |
śaktyānnadānaṃ satataṃ titikṣā dama ārjavam |
yathārhapratipūjā ca śastrametadanāyasam || 21 ||

"Narada said, 'The giving of food to the best of thy power, forgiveness, sincerity, mildness, and honour to whom honour is due, these constitute a weapon that is not made of steel. With soft words alone turn away the anger of kinsmen about the utter cruel speeches, and mollify their hearts and minds and slanderous tongues. None who is not a great man with cleansed soul and possessed of accomplishments and friends can bear a heavy burthen. Take up this great weight (of governing the Vrishnis) and bear it on thy shoulders. All oxen can bear heavy burthens on a level road. The stronger ones only among them can bear such burthens on a difficult road. From disunion destruction will spring and overtake all the Bhojas and the Vrishnis. Thou, O Kesava, art the foremost one among them. Do thou act in such a manner that the Bhojas and the Vrishnis may not meet with destruction. Nothing but intelligence and forgiveness, restraint of the senses, and liberality are present in a person of wisdom. Advancing one's own race is always praiseworthy and glorious and conducive to long life. Do thou, O Krishna, act in such a way that destruction may not overtake thy kinsmen. There is nothing unknown to thee in respect of policy and the art of war, O Lord! The Yadavas, the Kukuras, the Bhojas, the Andhakas, and the Vrishnis, are all dependent on thee even as all the worlds and all the regents of those worlds, O mighty-armed one! The Rishis, O Madhava, always pray for thy advancement. Thou art the lord of all creatures. Thou knowest the past, the present, and the future. Thou art the foremost one among all the Yadavas. Relying on thee, they expect to live in happiness.'"

12.82.22

jñātīnāṃ vaktukāmānāṃ kaṭūni ca laghūni ca |
girā tvaṃ hṛdayaṃ vācaṃ śamayasva manāṃsi ca || 22 ||

12.82.23

nāmahāpuruṣaḥ kaścinnānātmā nāsahāyavān |
mahatīṃ dhuramādatte tāmudyamyorasā vaha || 23 ||

12.82.24

sarva eva guruṃ bhāramanaḍvānvahate same |
durge pratīkaḥ sugavo bhāraṃ vahati durvaham || 24 ||

12.82.25

bhedādvināśaḥ saṃghānāṃ saṃghamukhyo'si keśava |
yathā tvāṃ prāpya notsīdedayaṃ saṃghastathā kuru || 25 ||

12.82.26

nānyatra buddhikṣāntibhyāṃ nānyatrendriyanigrahāt |
nānyatra dhanasaṃtyāgādgaṇaḥ prājñe'vatiṣṭhate || 26 ||

12.82.27

dhanyaṃ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṃ svapakṣodbhāvanaṃ śubham |
jñātīnāmavināśaḥ syādyathā kṛṣṇa tathā kuru || 27 ||

12.82.28

āyatyāṃ ca tadātve ca na te'styaviditaṃ prabho |
ṣāḍguṇyasya vidhānena yātrāyānavidhau tathā || 28 ||

12.82.29

mādhavāḥ kukurā bhojāḥ sarve cāndhakavṛṣṇayaḥ |
tvayyāsaktā mahābāho lokā lokeśvarāśca ye || 29 ||

12.82.30

upāsate hi tvadbuddhimṛṣayaścāpi mādhava |
tvaṃ guruḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ jānīṣe tvaṃ gatāgatam |
tvāmāsādya yaduśreṣṭhamedhante jñātinaḥ sukham || 30 ||