Mahabharata 2.37: saptatriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

2.37.1

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
tataḥ sāgarasaṃkāśaṃ dṛṣṭvā nṛpatisāgaram |
roṣātpracalitaṃ sarvamidamāha yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || 1 ||

"Vaisampayana said,--Beholding that vast assembly of kings agitated with wrath, even like the terrific sea agitated by the winds that blow at the time of the universal dissolution, Yudhishthira addressing the aged Bhishma, that chief of intelligent men and the grandsire of the Kurus, even like Puruhita (Indra) that slayer of foes, of abundant energy addressing Vrihaspati, said,--'This vast ocean of kings, hath been agitated by wrath. Tell me, O Grandsire, what I should do in view of this. O Grandsire, now what I should do that my sacrifice may not be obstructed and my subjects may not be injured.'

2.37.2

bhīṣmaṃ matimatāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ vṛddhaṃ kurupitāmaham |
bṛhaspatiṃ bṛhattejāḥ puruhūta ivārihā || 2 ||

2.37.3

asau roṣātpracalito mahānnṛpatisāgaraḥ |
atra yatpratipattavyaṃ tanme brūhi pitāmaha || 3 ||

2.37.4

yajñasya ca na vighnaḥ syātprajānāṃ ca śivaṃ bhavet |
yathā sarvatra tatsarvaṃ brūhi me'dya pitāmaha || 4 ||

2.37.5

ityuktavati dharmajñe dharmarāje yudhiṣṭhire |
uvācedaṃ vaco bhīṣmastataḥ kurupitāmahaḥ || 5 ||

"When king Yudhishthira the just, conversant with morality, said this, Bhishma the grandsire of the Kurus, spoke these words in reply,--'Fear not, O tiger of the Kurus. Can the dog slay the lion? I have before this found out a way that is both beneficial and comfortable to practise. As dogs in a pack approaching the lion that is asleep bark together, so are all these lords of earth. Indeed, O child, like dogs before the lion, these (monarchs) are barking in rage before the sleeping lion of the Vrishni race. Achyuta now is like a lion that is asleep. Until he waketh up, this chief of the Chedis--this lion among men--maketh these monarchs look like lions. O child, O thou foremost of all monarchs, this Sisupala possessed of little intelligence is desirous of taking along with him all these kings, through the agency of him who is the soul of the universe, to the regions of Yama. Assuredly, O Bharata Vishnu hath been desirous of taking back unto himself the energy that existeth in this Sisupala. O Chief of all intelligent men, O son of Kunti, the intelligence of this wicked-minded king of the Chedis, as also of all these monarchs, hath become perverse. Indeed, the intelligence of all those whom this tiger among men desireth to take unto himself, becometh perverse even like that of this king of the Chedis. O Yudhishthira, Madhava is the progenitor as also the destroyer of all created beings of the four species, (oviparous, etc.,) existing in the three worlds.'"

2.37.6

mā bhaistvaṃ kuruśārdūla śvā siṃhaṃ hantumarhati |
śivaḥ panthāḥ sunīto'tra mayā pūrvataraṃ vṛtaḥ || 6 ||

2.37.7

prasupte hi yathā siṃhe śvānastatra samāgatāḥ |
bhaṣeyuḥ sahitāḥ sarve tatheme vasudhādhipāḥ || 7 ||

2.37.8

vṛṣṇisiṃhasya suptasya tatheme pramukhe sthitāḥ |
bhaṣante tāta saṃkruddhāḥ śvānaḥ siṃhasya saṃnidhau || 8 ||

2.37.9

na hi saṃbudhyate tāvatsuptaḥ siṃha ivācyutaḥ |
tena siṃhīkarotyetānnṛsiṃhaścedipuṃgavaḥ || 9 ||

2.37.10

pārthivānpārthivaśreṣṭha śiśupālo'lpacetanaḥ |
sarvānsarvātmanā tāta netukāmo yamakṣayam || 10 ||

2.37.11

nūnametatsamādātuṃ punaricchatyadhokṣajaḥ |
yadasya śiśupālasthaṃ tejastiṣṭhati bhārata || 11 ||

2.37.12

viplutā cāsya bhadraṃ te buddhirbuddhimatāṃ vara |
cedirājasya kaunteya sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām || 12 ||

2.37.13

ādātuṃ hi naravyāghro yaṃ yamicchatyayaṃ yadā |
tasya viplavate buddhirevaṃ cedipateryathā || 13 ||

2.37.14

caturvidhānāṃ bhūtānāṃ triṣu lokeṣu mādhavaḥ |
prabhavaścaiva sarveṣāṃ nidhanaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhira || 14 ||

2.37.15

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā tataścedipatirnṛpaḥ |
bhīṣmaṃ rūkṣākṣarā vācaḥ śrāvayāmāsa bhārata || 15 ||

"Vaisampayana continued--Then the ruler of Chedis, having heard these words of Bhishma, addressed the latter, O Bharata, in words that were stern and rough."