The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 6.23: trayoviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

6.23.1

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ |
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata saṃjaya || 1 ||

Dhritarashtra said,--"Assembled together on the sacred plain of [paragraph continues] Kurukshetra from desire of fighting what did my sons and the Pandavas do. O Sanjaya."

6.23.2

saṃjaya uvāca |
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanastadā |
ācāryamupasaṃgamya rājā vacanamabravīt || 2 ||

"Sanjaya said,--"Beholding the army of the Pandavas arrayed, king Duryodhana, approaching the preceptor (Drona) said these words: Behold, O preceptor, this vast army of the son of Pandu, arrayed by Drupada's son (Dhrishtadyumna), thy intelligent disciple. There (in that army) are many brave and mighty bowmen, who in battle are equal to Bhima and Arjuna. (They are) Yuyudhana, and Virata, and that mighty car-warrior Drupada, and Dhrishtaketu, and Chekitana, and the ruler of Kasi endued with great energy; and Purujit, and Kuntibhoja, and Saivya that bull among men; and Yudhamanyu of great prowess, and Uttamaujas of great energy; and Subhadra's son, and the sons of Draupadi, all of whom are mighty car-warriors. Hear, however, O best of regenerate ones, who are the distinguished ones among us, the leader of army. I will name them to thee for (thy) information. (They are) thyself, and Bhishma, and Karna, and Kripa who is ever victorious; and Aswatthaman and Vikarna, and Saumadatta, and Jayadratha. Besides these, are many heroic warriors, prepared to lay down their lives for my sake, armed with diverse kinds of weapons, and all accomplished in battle. Our army, therefore, protected by Bhishma, is insufficient. This force, however, of these (the Pandavas), protected by Bhima, is sufficient. Stationing yourselves then in the entrances of the divisions that have been assigned to you, all of you protect Bhishma alone.--(Just at this time) the valiant and venerable grandsire of the Kurus, affording great joy to him (Duryodhana) by loudly uttering a leonine roar, blew (his) conch. Then conches and drums and cymbals and horns were sounded at once and the noise (made) became a loud uproar. Then Madhava and Pandu's son (Arjuna), both stationed on a great car unto which were yoked white steeds, blew their celestial conches. And Hrishikesha blew (the conch called) Panchajanya and Dhananjaya (that called) Devadatta; and Vrikodara of terrible deeds blew the huge conch (called) Paundra. And Kunti's son king Yudhishthira blew (the conch called) Anantavijaya; while Nakula and Sahadeva, (those conches called respectively) Sughosa and Manipushpaka. And that splendid bowman, the ruler of Kasi and that mighty car-warrior, Sikhandin, Dhrishtadyumna, Virata, and that unvanquished Satyaki, and Drupada, and the sons of Draupadi, and the mighty-armed son of Subhadra--all these, O lord of earth, severally blew their conches. And that blare, loudly reverberating through the welkin, and the earth, rent the hearts of the Dhartarashtras. Then beholding the Dhartarashtra troops drawn up, the ape-bannered son of Pandu, rising his bow, when, the throwing of missiles had just commenced, said these words, O lord of earth, to Hrishikesha.

6.23.3

paśyaitāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāmācārya mahatīṃ camūm |
vyūḍhāṃ drupadaputreṇa tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā || 3 ||

6.23.4

atra śūrā maheṣvāsā bhīmārjunasamā yudhi |
yuyudhāno virāṭaśca drupadaśca mahārathaḥ || 4 ||

6.23.5

dhṛṣṭaketuścekitānaḥ kāśirājaśca vīryavān |
purujitkuntibhojaśca śaibyaśca narapuṃgavaḥ || 5 ||

6.23.6

yudhāmanyuśca vikrānta uttamaujāśca vīryavān |
saubhadro draupadeyāśca sarva eva mahārathāḥ || 6 ||

6.23.7

asmākaṃ tu viśiṣṭā ye tānnibodha dvijottama |
nāyakā mama sainyasya saṃjñārthaṃ tānbravīmi te || 7 ||

6.23.8

bhavānbhīṣmaśca karṇaśca kṛpaśca samitiṃjayaḥ |
aśvatthāmā vikarṇaśca saumadattistathaiva ca || 8 ||

6.23.9

anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā madarthe tyaktajīvitāḥ |
nānāśastrapraharaṇāḥ sarve yuddhaviśāradāḥ || 9 ||

6.23.10

aparyāptaṃ tadasmākaṃ balaṃ bhīṣmābhirakṣitam |
paryāptaṃ tvidameteṣāṃ balaṃ bhīmābhirakṣitam || 10 ||

6.23.11

ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ |
bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi || 11 ||

6.23.12

tasya saṃjanayanharṣaṃ kuruvṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ |
siṃhanādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṅkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān || 12 ||

6.23.13

tataḥ śaṅkhāśca bheryaśca paṇavānakagomukhāḥ |
sahasaivābhyahanyanta sa śabdastumulo'bhavat || 13 ||

6.23.14

tataḥ śvetairhayairyukte mahati syandane sthitau |
mādhavaḥ pāṇḍavaścaiva divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ || 14 ||

6.23.15

pāñcajanyaṃ hṛṣīkeśo devadattaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ |
pauṇḍraṃ dadhmau mahāśaṅkhaṃ bhīmakarmā vṛkodaraḥ || 15 ||

6.23.16

anantavijayaṃ rājā kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
nakulaḥ sahadevaśca sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau || 16 ||

6.23.17

kāśyaśca parameṣvāsaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |
dhṛṣṭadyumno virāṭaśca sātyakiścāparājitaḥ || 17 ||

6.23.18

drupado draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ pṛthivīpate |
saubhadraśca mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak || 18 ||

6.23.19

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat |
nabhaśca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan || 19 ||

6.23.20

atha vyavasthitāndṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrānkapidhvajaḥ |
pravṛtte śastrasaṃpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ || 20 ||

6.23.21

hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyamidamāha mahīpate |
senayorubhayormadhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me'cyuta || 21 ||

"Arjuna said,--'O thou that knoweth no deterioration, place my car (once) between the two armies, so that I may observe these that stand here desirous of battle, and with whom I shall have to contend in the labours of this struggle. I will observe those who are assembled here and who are prepared to fight for doing what is agreeable in battle to the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.'"

6.23.22

yāvadetānnirīkṣe'haṃ yoddhukāmānavasthitān |
kairmayā saha yoddhavyamasminraṇasamudyame || 22 ||

6.23.23

yotsyamānānavekṣe'haṃ ya ete'tra samāgatāḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddheryuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ || 23 ||

6.23.24

evamukto hṛṣīkeśo guḍākeśena bhārata |
senayorubhayormadhye sthāpayitvā rathottamam || 24 ||

Sanjaya continued,---'Thus addressed by Gudakesa, O Bharata, Hrishikesa, placing that excellent car between the two armies, in view of Bhishma and Drona and all the kings of the earth, said,--'Behold, O Partha these assembled Kurus,--And there the son of Pritha beheld, standing (his) sires and grandsons, and friends, and father-in-law and well-wishers, in both the armies. Beholding all those kinsmen standing (there), the son of Kunti, possessed by excessive pity, despondingly said (these words).

6.23.25

bhīṣmadroṇapramukhataḥ sarveṣāṃ ca mahīkṣitām |
uvāca pārtha paśyaitānsamavetānkurūniti || 25 ||

6.23.26

tatrāpaśyatsthitānpārthaḥ pitṝnatha pitāmahān |
ācāryānmātulānbhrātṝnputrānpautrānsakhīṃstathā || 26 ||

6.23.27

śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi |
tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān || 27 ||

6.23.28

kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt |
dṛṣṭvemānsvajanānkṛṣṇa yuyutsūnsamavasthitān || 28 ||

"Arjuna said,--'Beholding these kinsmen, O Krishna, assembled together and eager for the fight, my limbs, become languid, and my mouth becomes dry. My body trembles, and my hair stands on end. Gandiva slips from my hand, and my skin burns. I am unable to stand (any longer); my mind seems to wander. I behold adverse omens, too, O Kesava. I do not desire victory, O Krishna, not sovereignty, nor pleasures. Of what use would sovereignty be to us, O Govinda, or enjoyments, or even life, since they, for whose sake sovereignty, enjoyments, and pleasures are desired by us, are here arrayed for battle ready to give up life and wealth, viz., preceptors, sires, sons and grandsires, maternal uncles, father-in-laws, grandsons, brother-in-laws, and kinsmen. I wish not to slay these though they slay me, O slayer of Madhu, even for the sake of the sovereignty of the three worlds, what then for the sake of (this) earth? What gratification can be ours, O Janardana, by slaying the Dhartarashtras? Even if they be regarded as foes, sin will overtake us if we slay them. Therefore, it behoveth us not to slay the sons of Dhritarashtra who are our own kinsmen. How, [paragraph continues] O Madhava can we be happy by killing our own kinsmen? Even if these, with judgments perverted by avarice, do not see the evil that ariseth from the extermination of a race, and the sin of internecine quarrels, why should not we, O Janarddana, who see the evils of the extermination of a race, learn to abstain from that sin? A race being destroyed, the eternal customs of that race are lost; and upon those customs being lost, sin overpowers the whole race. From the predominance of sin, O Krishna, the women of that race become corrupt. And the women becoming corrupt, an intermingling of castes happeneth, O descendant of Vrishni. This intermingling of castes leadeth to hell both the destroyer of the race and the race itself. The ancestors of those fall (from heaven), their rites of pinda and water ceasing. By these sins of destroyers of races, causing intermixture of castes, the rules of caste and the eternal rites of families become extinct. We have heard, O Janarddana, that men whose family rites become extinct, ever dwell in hell. Alas, we have resolved to perpetrate a great sin, for we are ready to slay our own kinsmen from lust of the sweets of sovereignty. Better would it be for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra, weapon in hand, should in battle slay me (myself) unavenging unarmed.--'"

6.23.29

sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati |
vepathuśca śarīre me romaharṣaśca jāyate || 29 ||

6.23.30

gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate |
na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ || 30 ||

6.23.31

nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava |
na ca śreyo'nupaśyāmi hatvā svajanamāhave || 31 ||

6.23.32

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṃ kṛṣṇa na ca rājyaṃ sukhāni ca |
kiṃ no rājyena govinda kiṃ bhogairjīvitena vā || 32 ||

6.23.33

yeṣāmarthe kāṅkṣitaṃ no rājyaṃ bhogāḥ sukhāni ca |
ta ime'vasthitā yuddhe prāṇāṃstyaktvā dhanāni ca || 33 ||

6.23.34

ācāryāḥ pitaraḥ putrāstathaiva ca pitāmahāḥ |
mātulāḥ śvaśurāḥ pautrāḥ syālāḥ saṃbandhinastathā || 34 ||

6.23.35

etānna hantumicchāmi ghnato'pi madhusūdana |
api trailokyarājyasya hetoḥ kiṃ nu mahīkṛte || 35 ||

6.23.36

nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana |
pāpamevāśrayedasmānhatvaitānātatāyinaḥ || 36 ||

6.23.37

tasmānnārhā vayaṃ hantuṃ dhārtarāṣṭrānsabāndhavān |
svajanaṃ hi kathaṃ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava || 37 ||

6.23.38

yadyapyete na paśyanti lobhopahatacetasaḥ |
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ mitradrohe ca pātakam || 38 ||

6.23.39

kathaṃ na jñeyamasmābhiḥ pāpādasmānnivartitum |
kulakṣayakṛtaṃ doṣaṃ prapaśyadbhirjanārdana || 39 ||

6.23.40

kulakṣaye praṇaśyanti kuladharmāḥ sanātanāḥ |
dharme naṣṭe kulaṃ kṛtsnamadharmo'bhibhavatyuta || 40 ||

6.23.41

adharmābhibhavātkṛṣṇa praduṣyanti kulastriyaḥ |
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇasaṃkaraḥ || 41 ||

6.23.42

saṃkaro narakāyaiva kulaghnānāṃ kulasya ca |
patanti pitaro hyeṣāṃ luptapiṇḍodakakriyāḥ || 42 ||

6.23.43

doṣairetaiḥ kulaghnānāṃ varṇasaṃkarakārakaiḥ |
utsādyante jātidharmāḥ kuladharmāśca śāśvatāḥ || 43 ||

6.23.44

utsannakuladharmāṇāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ janārdana |
narake niyataṃ vāso bhavatītyanuśuśruma || 44 ||

6.23.45

aho bata mahatpāpaṃ kartuṃ vyavasitā vayam |
yadrājyasukhalobhena hantuṃ svajanamudyatāḥ || 45 ||

6.23.46

yadi māmapratīkāramaśastraṃ śastrapāṇayaḥ |
dhārtarāṣṭrā raṇe hanyustanme kṣemataraṃ bhavet || 46 ||

6.23.47

evamuktvārjunaḥ saṃkhye rathopastha upāviśat |
visṛjya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ śokasaṃvignamānasaḥ || 47 ||

Sanjaya continued,--"Having spoken thus on the field of battle, Arjuna, his mind troubled with grief, casting aside his bow and arrows, sat down on his car."