Mahabharata, Book 7, Section VIद्रोणपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 7.6.

6Sanskrit adhyāya 7.6 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

सञ्जय उवाच।
कर्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा।
सेनामध्यगतं द्रोणमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्।।
दुर्योधन उवाच।
वर्णश्रैष्ठ्यात्कुलोत्पत्त्या श्रुतेन वयसा धिया।
वीर्याद्दाक्ष्यादधृष्यत्वादर्थज्ञानान्नयाज्जयात्।।
तपसा च कृतज्ञत्वाद्वृद्धः सर्वगुणैरपि।
युक्तो भवत्सश्रो गोप्ता राज्ञामन्यो न विद्यते।।
स भवान्पातु नः सर्वान्देवानिव शतक्रतुः।
भवन्नेत्राः पराञ्जेतुमिच्छामो द्विजसत्तम।।
रुद्राणामिव कापालिर्वसूनामिव पावकः।
कुबेर इव यक्षाणां मरुतामिव वासवः।।
वसिष्ठ इव विप्राणां तेजसामिव भास्करः।
पितॄणामिव धर्मेन्द्रो यादसामिव चाम्बुराट्।।
नक्षत्राणामिव शशी दितिजानामिवोशनाः।
`सर्वेषामिव लोकानां विश्वस्य च यथा क्षयः'।।
विश्वोत्पत्तिस्थितिलये श्रेष्ठो नारायणः प्रभुः।
एवं सेनाप्रणेतॄणां मम सेनापतिर्भव।।
अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च वशगाः सन्तु तेऽनघ।
ताभिः शत्रून्प्रतिव्यूह्य जहीन्द्रो दानवानिव।।
प्रयातु नो भवानग्रे देवानामिव पावकिः।
अनुयास्यामहे त्वाऽऽजौ सौरभेया इवर्षभम्।।
उग्रधन्वा महेष्वासो दिव्यं विष्फारयन्धनुः।
दृष्ट्वा भवन्तं सङ्ग्रामे नार्जुनः प्रहरिष्यति।।
ध्रुवं युधिष्ठिरं सङ्ख्ये सानुबन्धं सबान्धवम्।
जेष्यामि पुरुषव्याघ्र भवान्सेनापतिर्यदि।।
सञ्जय उवाच।
एवमुक्ते ततो द्रोणं जयेत्यूचुर्नराधिपाः।
सिंहनादेन महता हर्षयन्तस्तवात्मजम्।।
सैनिकाश्च मुदा युक्ता वर्धयन्ति द्विजोत्तमम्।
दुर्योधनं पुरस्कृत्य प्रार्थयन्तो महद्यशः।
दुर्योधनं ततो राजन्द्रोणो वचनमब्रवीत्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि
द्रोणाभिषेकपर्वणि षष्ठोऽध्यायः।। 6 ।।

English Ganguli

“Sanjaya said, ‘Hearing these words of Karna, king Duryodhana then said this unto Drona who was staying in the midst of the troops.’

“‘Duryodhana said, “For the superiority of the order of thy birth, for the nobility of thy parentage, for thy learning, years and intelligence, for also thy prowess, skill, invincibility, knowledge of worldly matters, policy, and self-conquest, by reason also of thy ascetic austerities and thy gratitude, superior as thou art as regards every virtue, among these kings there is none who can make so good a leader as thou. Protect thou, therefore, ourselves, like Vasava protecting the celestials. Having thee for our leader, we desire, O best of Brahmanas, to vanquish our foes. As Kapali amongst the Rudras, Pavaka among the Vasus, Kuvera among the Yakshas, Vasava among the Maruts, Vasishtha among Brahmanas, the Sun amongst luminous bodies, Yama among the Pitris, Varuna among aquatic creatures, as the Moon among the stars, and Usanas among the sons of Diti, so art thou the foremost of all leaders of forces. Be thou, therefore, our leader. O sinless one, let these ten and one Akshauhinis of troops be obedient to thy word of command. Disposing these troops in battle array, slay thou our foes, like Indra slaying the Danavas. Proceed thou art the head of us all, like Pavaka’s son (Kartikeya) at the head of the celestial forces. We will follow thee to battle, like bulls following a bovine leader. A fierce and great bowman as thou art, beholding thee stretching the bow at our head, Arjuna will not strike. Without doubt, O tiger among men, if thou becomest our leader, I will vanquish Yudhishthira with all his followers and relatives in battle.”’

“Sanjaya continued, ‘After Duryodhana had uttered these words, the kings (in the Kaurava army) all cried victory to Drona. And they delighted thy son by uttering a loud leonine shout. And the troops, filled with joy, and with Duryodhana at their head, desirous of winning great renown, began to glorify that best of Brahmanas. Then, O king, Drona addressed Duryodhana in those words.’"