Mahabharata 5.90: navatitamo'dhyāyaḥ

5.90.1

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
taṃ bhuktavantamāśvastaṃ niśāyāṃ viduro'bravīt |
nedaṃ samyagvyavasitaṃ keśavāgamanaṃ tava || 1 ||

"Vaisampayana said, 'After Kesava had dined and been refreshed, Vidura said unto him during the night, 'O Kesava, this advent of thine hath not been a well judged one, for, O Janardana, Dhritarashtra's son transgresseth the rules of both profit and religion, is wicked and wrathful, insulteth others, though himself desirous of honours, and disobeyeth the commands of the aged. He is, O Madhava, a transgressor of the scriptures, ignorant, and of wicked soul, already overtaken by fate, untractable, and disposed to do evil to those that seek his good. His soul is possessed by desire and lust. He foolishly regardeth himself as very wise. He is the enemy of all his true friends. Ever-suspicious, without any control over his soul, and ungrateful, he hath abandoned all virtue and is in love with sin. He is foolish, with understanding uncultivated, a slave of his senses, ever obedient to the impulses of lust and avarice, and irresolute in every act that should be done. He is endued with these and many other vices. Although thou wilt point out to him what is for his good, he will yet disregard it all, moved by pride and anger. He hath great faith in Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Drona's son, and Jayadratha, and, therefore, he never setteth his heart on peace, O Janardana. Dhritarashtra's sons, with Karna, firmly believe that the Pandavas are incapable of even looking at Bhishma, Drona, and other heroes, not to speak of fighting against them.

5.90.2

arthadharmātigo mūḍhaḥ saṃrambhī ca janārdana |
mānaghno mānakāmaśca vṛddhānāṃ śāsanātigaḥ || 2 ||

5.90.3

dharmaśāstrātigo mando durātmā pragrahaṃ gataḥ |
aneyaḥ śreyasāṃ pāpo dhārtarāṣṭro janārdana || 3 ||

5.90.4

kāmātmā prājñamānī ca mitradhruksarvaśaṅkitaḥ |
akartā cākṛtajñaśca tyaktadharmaḥ priyānṛtaḥ || 4 ||

5.90.5

etaiścānyaiśca bahubhirdoṣaireṣa samanvitaḥ |
tvayocyamānaḥ śreyo'pi saṃrambhānna grahīṣyati || 5 ||

5.90.6

senāsamudayaṃ dṛṣṭvā pārthivaṃ madhusūdana |
kṛtārthaṃ manyate bāla ātmānamavicakṣaṇaḥ || 6 ||

The foolish Duryodhana of limited sight, having assembled a huge army regardeth, O slayer of Madhu, that his purposes are already achieved. The foolish son of Dhritarashtra hath arrived at the conclusion that Karna, single-handed, is competent to vanquish his foes. He will, therefore, never make peace. Thou, O Kesava, desirest to establish peace and brotherly feelings between the two parties. But know that all the sons of Dhritarashtra have come to the conclusion that they would not give unto the Pandavas what, indeed, the latter have a right to. With those that are so resolved thy words will certainly prove vain. Where, O slayer of Madhu, words, good or bad, are of the same effect, no wise man would spend his breath for nothing, like a singer before the deaf. As a Brahmana before a conclave of Chandalas, thy words, O Madhava, would command no respect among those ignorant and wicked wretches that have no reverence for all that deserveth reverence. Foolish, as long as he hath strength, he will never obey thy counsels. Whatever words thou mayest speak to him will be perfectly futile. It doth not seem proper to me, O Krishna, that thou shouldst go into the midst of these wicked-minded wretches seated together. It doth not seem proper to me, O Krishna, that going thither thou shouldst utter words against those wicked-souled, foolish, unrighteous wights, strong in number.

5.90.7

ekaḥ karṇaḥ parāñjetuṃ samartha iti niścitam |
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheḥ sa śamaṃ nopayāsyati || 7 ||

5.90.8

bhīṣme droṇe kṛpe karṇe droṇaputre jayadrathe |
bhūyasīṃ vartate vṛttiṃ na śame kurute manaḥ || 8 ||

5.90.9

niścitaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ sakarṇānāṃ janārdana |
bhīṣmadroṇakṛpānpārthā na śaktāḥ prativīkṣitum || 9 ||

5.90.10

saṃvicca dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ sarveṣāmeva keśava |
śame prayatamānasya tava saubhrātrakāṅkṣiṇaḥ || 10 ||

5.90.11

na pāṇḍavānāmasmābhiḥ pratideyaṃ yathocitam |
iti vyavasitāsteṣu vacanaṃ syānnirarthakam || 11 ||

5.90.12

yatra sūktaṃ duruktaṃ ca samaṃ syānmadhusūdana |
na tatra pralapetprājño badhireṣviva gāyanaḥ || 12 ||

5.90.13

avijānatsu mūḍheṣu nirmaryādeṣu mādhava |
na tvaṃ vākyaṃ bruvanyuktaścāṇḍāleṣu dvijo yathā || 13 ||

5.90.14

so'yaṃ balastho mūḍhaśca na kariṣyati te vacaḥ |
tasminnirarthakaṃ vākyamuktaṃ saṃpatsyate tava || 14 ||

5.90.15

teṣāṃ samupaviṣṭānāṃ sarveṣāṃ pāpacetasām |
tava madhyāvataraṇaṃ mama kṛṣṇa na rocate || 15 ||

5.90.16

durbuddhīnāmaśiṣṭānāṃ bahūnāṃ pāpacetasām |
pratīpaṃ vacanaṃ madhye tava kṛṣṇa na rocate || 16 ||

5.90.17

anupāsitavṛddhatvācchriyā mohācca darpitaḥ |
vayodarpādamarṣācca na te śreyo grahīṣyati || 17 ||

In consequence of their having never worshipped the aged, in consequence of their having been blinded by prosperity and pride, and owing to the pride of youth and wrath, they will never accept the good advice thou mayest place before them. He hath mustered a strong force, O Madhava, and he hath his suspicions of thyself. He will, therefore, never obey any counsel that thou mayest offer. The sons of Dhritarashtra, O Janardana, are inspired with the firm belief that at present Indra himself, at the head of all the celestials, is incapable of defeating them in battle. Efficacious as thy words always are, they will prove to be of no efficacy with persons impressed with such a conviction and who always follow the impulses of lust and wrath. Staying in the midst of his ranks of elephants and his army consisting of cars and heroic infantry, the foolish and wicked Duryodhana, with all fears dispelled, regardeth the whole earth to have already been subjugated by him. Indeed, Dhritarashtra's son coveteth extensive empire on the earth without any rivals. Peace, therefore, with him is unattainable. That which he hath in his possession he regardeth as unalterably his. Alas, the destruction on the earth seems to be at hand for the sake of Duryodhana, for, impelled by fate, the kings of the earth, with all the Kshatriya warriors, have assembled together, desirous of battling with the Pandavas?

5.90.18

balaṃ balavadapyasya yadi vakṣyasi mādhava |
tvayyasya mahatī śaṅkā na kariṣyati te vacaḥ || 18 ||

5.90.19

nedamadya yudhā śakyamindreṇāpi sahāmaraiḥ |
iti vyavasitāḥ sarve dhārtarāṣṭrā janārdana || 19 ||

5.90.20

teṣvevamupapanneṣu kāmakrodhānuvartiṣu |
samarthamapi te vākyamasamarthaṃ bhaviṣyati || 20 ||

5.90.21

madhye tiṣṭhanhastyanīkasya mando rathāśvayuktasya balasya mūḍhaḥ |
duryodhano manyate vītamanyuḥ kṛtsnā mayeyaṃ pṛthivī jiteti || 21 ||

5.90.22

āśaṃsate dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro mahārājyamasapatnaṃ pṛthivyām |
tasmiñśamaḥ kevalo nopalabhyo baddhaṃ santamāgataṃ manyate'rtham || 22 ||

5.90.23

paryasteyaṃ pṛthivī kālapakvā duryodhanārthe pāṇḍavānyoddhukāmāḥ |
samāgatāḥ sarvayodhāḥ pṛthivyāṃ rājānaśca kṣitipālaiḥ sametāḥ || 23 ||

5.90.24

sarve caite kṛtavairāḥ purastāttvayā rājāno hṛtasārāśca kṛṣṇa |
tavodvegātsaṃśritā dhārtarāṣṭrānsusaṃhatāḥ saha karṇena vīrāḥ || 24 ||

All those kings, O Krishna, are in enmity with thee and have all been deprived of their possessions before this by thee. Through fear of thee those heroic monarchs have joined together with Karna and made an alliance with Dhritarashtra's sons. Reckless of their very lives, all those warriors have united with Duryodhana and are filled with delight at the prospect of fighting the Pandavas. O hero of Dasarha's race, it doth not commend itself to me that thou shouldst enter into their midst. How, O grinder of foes, wilt thou repair into the midst of those numerous enemies of thine, of wicked souls, and seated together? O thou of mighty arms, thou art, indeed, incapable of being vanquished by the very gods, and I know, O slayer of foes, thy manliness and intelligence. O Madhava, the love I bear to thee is equal to that I bear to the sons of Pandu. I say, therefore, these words to thee from my affection, regard, and friendship for thee. What need is there in expressing to thee the delight that has been mine at sight of thy persons, for, thou, O thou of eyes like lotus, art the inner Soul of all embodied creatures.'"

5.90.25

tyaktātmānaḥ saha duryodhanena sṛṣṭā yoddhuṃ pāṇḍavānsarvayodhāḥ |
teṣāṃ madhye praviśethā yadi tvaṃ na tanmataṃ mama dāśārha vīra || 25 ||

5.90.26

teṣāṃ samupaviṣṭānāṃ bahūnāṃ duṣṭacetasām |
kathaṃ madhyaṃ prapadyethāḥ śatrūṇāṃ śatrukarśana || 26 ||

5.90.27

sarvathā tvaṃ mahābāho devairapi durutsahaḥ |
prabhāvaṃ pauruṣaṃ buddhiṃ jānāmi tava śatruhan || 27 ||

5.90.28

yā me prītiḥ pāṇḍaveṣu bhūyaḥ sā tvayi mādhava |
premṇā ca bahumānācca sauhṛdācca bravīmyaham || 28 ||