Mahabharata, Book 5, Section CLउद्योगपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 5.150.

150Sanskrit adhyāya 5.150 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

भगवानुवाच।
एवमुक्ते तु भीष्मेण द्रोणेन विदुरेण च।
गान्धार्या धृतराष्ट्रेण न वै मन्दोऽन्वबुद्ध्यत ।।
अवधूयोत्थितो मन्दः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः।
अन्वद्रवन्त तं पश्चाद्राजानस्त्यक्तजीविताः ।।
आज्ञापयच्च राज्ञस्तान्पार्थिवान्नष्टचेतसः ।
प्रयात वै कुरुक्षेत्रं पुष्योऽद्येति पुनः पुनः ।।
ततस्ते पृथिवीपालाः प्रययुः सहसैनिकाः ।
भीष्मं सेनापतिं कृत्वा संहृष्टाः कालचोदिताः ।।
अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च कौरवाणां समागताः ।
तासां प्रमुखतो भीष्मस्तालकेतुर्व्यरोचत ।।
यदत्र युक्तं प्राप्तं च तद्विधत्स्व विशांपते ।
उक्तं भीष्मेण यद्वाक्यं द्रोणेन विदुरेण च ।।
गान्धार्या धृतराष्ट्रेण समक्षं मम भारत ।
एतत्ते कथितं राजन्यद्वृत्तं कुरुसंसदि ।।
साम चादौ प्रयुक्तं मे राजन्सौभ्रात्रमिच्छता ।
अभेदायास्य वंशस्य प्रजानां च विवृद्धये ।।
पुनर्भेदश्च मे युक्तो यदा साम न गृह्यते।
कर्मानुकीर्तनं चैव देवमानुपसंहितम् ।।
यदा नाद्रियते वाक्यं सामपूर्वं सुयोधनः ।
तदा मया समानीय भेदिताः सर्वपार्थिवाः ।।
अद्भुतानि च घोराणि दारुणानि च भारत।
अमानुषाणि कर्माणि दर्शितानि मया विभो ।।
निर्भर्त्सयित्वा राज्ञस्तांस्तृणीकृत्य सुयोधनम् ।
राधेयं भीषयित्वा च सौबलं च पुनः पुनः ।।
द्यूततो धार्तराष्ट्राणां निन्दां कृत्वा तथा पुनः।
भेदयित्वा नृपास्नर्वान्वाग्भिर्मन्त्रेम चासकृत् ।।
पुनः सामाभिसंयुक्तं संप्रदानमथाब्रुवम्।
अभेदात्कुरुवंशस्य कार्ययोगात्तथैव च।।
ते शूरा धृतराष्ट्रस्य भीष्मस्य विदुरस्य च ।
तिष्ठेयुः पाण्डवाः सर्वे हित्वा मानमधश्चराः ।।
प्रयच्छन्तु च ते राज्यमनीशास्ते भवन्तु च।
यथाह राजा गाङ्गेयो विदुरश्च हितं तव ।।
सर्वं भवतु ते राज्यं पञ्च ग्रामान्विसर्जय।
अवश्यं भरणीया हि पितुस्ते राजसत्तम ।।
एवमुक्तोऽपि दुष्टात्मा नैव भागं व्यमुञ्चत।
दण्डं चतुर्थं पश्यामि तेषु पापेषु नान्यथा ।।
निर्याताश्च विनाशाय कुरुक्षेत्रं नराधिपाः ।
एतत्ते कथितं राजन्यद्वृत्तं कुरुसंसदि ।।
न ते राज्यं प्रयच्छन्ति विना युद्धेन पाण्डव ।
विनाशहेतवः सर्वे प्रत्युपस्थितमृत्यवः ।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते
उद्योगपर्वणि भगवद्यानपर्वणि
पञ्चाशदधिकशततमोऽध्यायः ।।

English Ganguli

“Vasudeva said, ‘Though thus addressed by Bhishma, and Drona, and Vidura, and Gandhari, and Dhritarashtra, that wicked wight could not yet be brought to his senses. On the other hand, the wicked Duryodhana, disregarding them all, rose (and left the assembly) with eyes red in anger. And all the kings (invited by him), prepared to lay down their lives, followed him behind. King Duryodhana then repeatedly ordered those wicked-hearted rulers, saying, “Today constellation Pushya is ascendant—march ye (this very day) to Kurukshetra.” Impelled by Fate, those monarchs then, with their soldiers, gladly set out, making Bhishma their generalissimo. Eleven Akshauhinis of troops have been, O King, assembled for the Kauravas. At the head of that host, shineth Bhishma, with the device of the palmyra on the banner of his car. In view, therefore, of what hath happened, do now, O monarch, that which seemeth to be proper. I have told thee, O king, everything that, O Bharata, was said by Bhishma, Drona, Vidura, Gandhari and Dhritarashtra, in my presence. The arts beginning with conciliation were all, O king, employed by me from desire of establishing brotherly feelings (between yourselves and your cousins), for the preservation of this race, and for the growth and prosperity of the (earth’s) population. When conciliation failed, I employed the art of (producing) dissensions and mentioned, ye Pandavas, all your ordinary and extraordinary feats. Indeed, when Suyodhana showed no respect for the conciliatory words (I spoke), I caused all the kings to be assembled together and endeavoured to produce dissension (amongst them). Extraordinary and awful and terrible and superhuman indications, O Bharata, were then manifested by me. O lord, rebuking all the kings, making a straw of Suyodhana, terrifying Radha’s son and repeatedly censuring Suvala’s son for the gambling match of Dhritarashtra’s sons, and once again endeavouring to disunite all the kings by means of both words and intrigues, I again had recourse to conciliation. For the unity of Kuru’s race and in view of the special requirements of the business (at hand), I spoke also of gift. Indeed, I said, “Those heroes, the sons of Pandu, sacrificing their pride, will live in dependence on Dhritarashtra, Bhishma and Vidura. Let the kingdom be given to thee. Let them have no power. Let it all be as the king (Dhritarashtra), as Ganga’s son (Bhishma) and as Vidura say for thy good. Let the kingdom be thine. Relinquish but five villages (to the Pandavas). O best of kings, without doubt they deserve to be supported by thy father. Though addressed thus, that wicked soul does not still give you your share. I, therefore, see that chastisement, and nothing else, is now the means that should be employed against those sinful persons. Indeed, all those kings have already marched to Kurukshetra. I have now told thee everything that had happened in the assembly of the Kurus. They will not, O son of Pandu, give thee thy kingdom without battle. With death waiting before them, they have all become the cause of a universal destruction.”’"