Mahabharata, Book 12, Section CXIIIशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.113.

113Sanskrit adhyāya 12.113 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

भीष्मेण युधिष्ठिरंप्रति बलवच्छत्रुवशीकरणे विनयस्योपायतायां दृष्टान्ततया सरित्सागरसंवादानुवादः।। 1।।
युधिष्ठिर उवाच।
राजा राज्यमनुप्राप्य दुर्बलो भरतर्षभ।
अमित्रस्यातिवृद्धस्य कथं तिष्ठेदसाधनः।।
भीष्म उवाच।
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्।
सरितां चैव संवादं सागरस्य च भारत।।
सुरारिनिलयः शश्वत्सागरः सरितां पतिः।
पप्रच्छ सरितः सर्वाः संशयं जातमात्मनः।।
सागर उवाच।
समूलशाखान्पश्यामि निहतान्क्वापि नो द्रुमान्।
युष्माभिरिह पूर्णाभिरन्यांस्तत्र न वेतसान्।।
अ-पकायश्चाल्पसारो वेतसः कूलजश्च यः।
अज्ञया वा नानीतः किं च वा तेन वः कृतम्।।
तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि सर्वासामेव वो मतम्।
यथा चेमानि कूलानि हित्वा नायाति वेतसः।।
तत्र प्राह नदी गङ्गा वाक्यमुत्तरमर्थवत्।
हेतुमद्ग्राहकं चैव सागरं सरितां पतिम्।।
गङ्गोवाच।
तिष्ठन्त्येते यथास्थानं नगा ह्येकनिकेतनाः।
ततस्त्यजन्ति तत्स्थानं प्रातिलोम्यान्न वेतसः।।
वेतसो वेगमायान्तं दृष्ट्वा नमति नापरे।
स च वेगे ह्यतिक्रान्ते स्थानमापद्यते पुनः।।
कालज्ञः समयज्ञश्च सदावश्यश्च नो द्रुमः।
अनुलोमवृत्तितस्तब्धस्तेन त्वां नैति वेतसः।।
मारुतोदकवेगेन ये नमन्त्युन्नमन्ति च।
ओषध्यः पादपा गुल्मा न ते यान्ति पराभवम्।।
भीष्म उवाच।
यो हि शत्रोर्विवृद्धस्य प्रभोर्बन्धविनाशने।
पूर्वं न सहते वेगं क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यति।।
सारासारं बलं वीर्यमात्मनो द्विषतश्च यः।
जानन्विचरति प्राज्ञो न स याति पराभवम्।।
एवमेव यदा विद्वान्मन्यते विपुलं बलम्।
संश्रयेद्वैतसीं वृत्तिमेतत्प्रज्ञानलक्षणम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
राजधर्मपर्वणि त्रयोदशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः।। 113।।
12-113-4 निहतानुन्मूलितान्। कायिन इति पाठे महाशरीरान्। अन्यानल्पशरीरान्वेतसान् न हतान्पश्यामि।।
12-113-5 अवज्ञाय न शक्यो वा इति द. पाठः।।
12-113-8 एकनिकेतनाः स्तब्धा इत्यर्थः। प्रातिलोम्यादस्माकं प्रातिकूल्यात्।।
12-113-14 वैतसीं वृत्तिमस्तब्धत्वम्।।
वर्गः:महाभारतम्/शांतिपर्व

English Ganguli

"'Yudhishthira said, "Tell me, O bull of Bharata's race, how a king, without the usual aids, having obtained a kingdom that is so precious a possession, behave himself towards a powerful foe."

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited the old story of the discourse between the Ocean and the Rivers. In days of old, eternal Ocean, that lord of Rivers, that refuge of the foes of the celestials, asked all the Rivers for resolving this doubt that had arisen in his mind.

"'"The Ocean said, 'Ye Rivers, I see that all of you, with your full currents, bring away trees of large trunks, tearing them off with their roots and branches. Ye do not, however, ever bring to me a cane. The canes that grow on your banks are of mean stems and destitute of strength. Do you refuse to wash them down through contempt, or are they of any use to you? I desire, therefore, to hear what the motive is that inspires all of you. Indeed, why is it that canes are not washed down by any of you, uprooted from the banks where they grow?' Thus addressed, the River Ganga, replied unto Ocean, that lord of all Rivers, in these words of grave import, fraught with reason, and, therefore, acceptable to all.

"'"Ganga said, 'Trees stand in one and the same place and are unyielding in respect of the spot where they stand. In consequence of this disposition of theirs to resist our currents, they are obliged to leave the place of their growth. Canes, however, act differently. The cane, beholding the advancing current, bends to it. The others do not act in that way. After the current has passed away, the cane resumes its former posture. The cane knows the virtues of Time and opportunity. It is docile and obedient. It is yielding, without being stiff. For these reasons, it stands where it grows, without having to come with us. Those plants, trees, and creepers that bend and rise before the force of wind and water, have never to suffer discomfiture (by being taken up by the roots).'"

"'Bhishma continued, "That person who does not yield to the power of a foe that has advanced in might and that is competent to imprison or kill, soon meets with destruction.[345] That man of wisdom who acts after ascertaining fully the strength and weakness, the might and energy, of himself and his foe, has never to suffer discomfiture. An intelligent man, therefore, when he sees his enemy to be more powerful than himself, should adopt the behaviour of the cane. That is an indication of wisdom."'"