BHAGAVAT-YANA PARVA: Chapter 134

The injunctions of Vidura to his son

विदुलोवाच अर्थतस्यामवस्थायां पौरुषं हातुमिच्छसि। निहीनसेवितं मागं गमिष्यस्यचिरादिव॥
Vidula said If under these circumstances you desire to abandon manliness, you will soon be following the path followed by the mean and the low.

यो हि तेजो यथाशक्ति न दर्शयति विक्रमात्। क्षत्रियो जीविताकाङ्क्षी स्तेन इत्येव तं विदुः॥
That Kshatriya, who being desirous of life, does not exercise his energy and power to the best of his ability, is said to be like a thief.

अर्थवन्त्युपपन्नानि वाक्यानि गुणवन्ति च। नैव सम्प्राप्नुवन्ति त्वां मुमूर्षुमिव भेषजम्॥
Like medicine to one at the point of death these words which are conducive to your interest and are otherwise well suited, do not act in your mind.

सन्ति वै सिन्धुराजस्य संतुष्टा न तथा जनाः। दौर्बल्यादासते मूढा व्यसनौघप्रतीक्षिणः॥
The men, under the king of the Sindhus, are not contented and those fools are, owing to their own weakness, waiting for some calamity to their master, on which they will effect their deliverance.

सहायोपचितिं कृत्वा व्यवसाय्य ततस्ततः। अनुदुष्येयुरपरे पश्यन्तस्तव पौरुषम्॥
Having collected their forces one by one, his enemies will join you at seeing your prowess.

तैः कृत्वा सह संघातं गिरिदुर्गालयं चर। काले व्यसनामाकाङ्क्षन् नैवायमजरामरः॥
Having united yourself with them wander about in the caverns and fastness of the mountains and in proper time he will meet with calamities for he is neither without old age nor is immortal.

संजयो नामतश्च त्वं न च पश्यामि तत् त्वयि। अन्वर्थनामा भव मे पुत्र मा व्यर्थनामकः॥
By name you are Sanjaya but I do not see Jaya (victory) in you; follow the meaning of your name and do not make it false.

सम्यग्दृष्टिर्महाप्राज्ञो बालं त्वां ब्राह्मणोऽब्रवीत्। अयं प्राप्य महत् कृच्छ्रे पुनर्वृद्धिं गमिष्यति॥
A very wise man, possessing great foresight, said to you while you were a child: "After meeting with great difficulties, he will again meet with prosperity.”

तस्या स्मरन्ती वचनमाशंसे विजयं तव। तस्मात् तात व्रवीमि त्वां वक्ष्यामि च पुनः पुनः॥
Remembering these words I expect your victory, therefore do I speak this to you, my dear son, and am telling you this again and again.

यस्य ह्याभिनिवृत्तौ भवन्त्याप्यायिताः परे। तस्यार्थसिद्धिर्नियता नयेष्वर्थानुसारिणः॥
He, in the success of whose object others become interested, is sure to have his object crowned with success if he follows it according to the ordinary rules of prudence.

समृद्धिरसमृद्धिर्वा पूर्वेषां मम संजय। एवं विद्वान् युद्धमना भव मा प्रत्युपाहर॥
“Whether there be increase or decrease I will fight,"O Sanjaya, engage in fight with this thought and do not turn back.

नातः पापीयसीं कांचिदवस्थां शम्बरोऽब्रवीत्। यत्र नैवाद्य न प्रातर्भोजनं प्रतिदृश्यते॥
There is no condition more frightful than this, said Shamvara, namely that in which the food for today and that for the morrow are not seen.

पतिपुत्रवधादेतत् परमं दुःखमब्रवीत्। दारिद्र्यमिति यत् प्रोक्तं पर्यायमरणं हि तत्॥
He said that this as a greater troubles than the death of one's husband and sons; what is called poverty is another form of death.

अहं महाकुले जाता ह्रदाद्धदमिवागता। ईश्वरी सर्वकल्याणी भ; परमपूजिता॥
I am born in a great family and have come from a lake; I am the mistress over many persons, endued with all blessings and very much esteemed by my husband.

महार्हमाल्याभरणां सुमृष्टाम्बरवाससम्। पुरा हृष्टः सुहृद्वर्गो मामपश्यत् सुहृद्गताम्॥
My group of friends saw me in days of old among friends, with a cheerful heart, decked with costly garlands and ornaments, with my body well washed, and attired in good clothes.

यदा मां चैव भार्यां च द्रष्टाऽसि भृशदुर्बलाम्। न तदा जीवितेनार्थो भविता तव संजय॥
When you will see myself your wife very weak (owing to the want of nourishment) then of what use will life be to you, O Sanjaya?

दासकर्मकरान् भृत्यानाचार्यविक्पुरोहितान्। अवृत्त्याऽस्मान् प्रजहतो दृष्ट्वा किं जीवितेन ते॥
Seeing our servants who used to attend on us doing mineral offices, our preceptors, and our priests go away leaving us, what is the good of life to you?

यदि कृत्यं न पश्यामि तवाद्याहं यथा पुरा। श्लाघनीयं यशस्यं च का शान्तिर्हृदयस्य मे॥
If I do not now see you following such duties as you observed in days gone by which were laudable and conducive to your renown what peace of mind can I get?

नेति चेद् ब्राह्मणं ब्रूयां दीर्येत हृदयं मम। न ह्यहं न च मे भर्ता नेति ब्राह्मणमुक्तवान्॥
If I have to say. “No” to a Brahmana (asking for a favour) it will rend my heart. Neither myself nor my husband ever said “No” to a Brahmana.

वयमाश्रयणीयाः स्म नश्रोतारः परस्य च। सान्यमासाद्य जीवन्ती परित्यक्ष्यामि जीवितम्॥
We are the proper refuge to others but never depended on others ourselves. Such being the case, if I now have to live as a dependent on another, I shall sacrifice my life.

अपारे भव नः पारमप्लवे भव नः प्लवः। कुरुष्व स्थानमस्थाने मृतान् संजीवयस्व नः॥
Be the means of our crossing that which cannot be crossed and be our boat where there is no boat. Make room for us where there is at present no room and revive us that are dead.

सर्वे ते शत्रवः शक्या न चेज्जीवितुमिच्छसि। अथ चेदीदृशीं वृत्तिं क्लीबवामभ्युपपद्यसे॥
All your enemies are capable of being opposed by you; if not, it is not proper that you should live on. You are now following a course of life which is fit only for eunuchs.

निर्विण्णात्मा हतमना मुञ्चैतां पापजीविकाम्। एकशत्रुवधेनैव शूरो गच्छति विश्रुतिम्॥
Cast off this wicked and despicable life which you are leading with a troubled soul and depressed heart. By slaying only one enemy does a hero gain renown.

इन्द्रो वृत्रवधेनैव महेन्द्रः समपद्यत। माहेन्द्रं च गृहं लेभे लोकानां चेश्वरोऽभवत्॥
Indra became the great Indra only by slaying Vritra and obtained the lordship over the gods and the celestial cup for drinking wine and became the lord of the worlds.

नाम विश्राव्य वै संख्ये शत्रूनाहूय दंशितान्। सेनाग्रं चापि विद्राव्य हत्वा वा पुरुषं वरम्॥
Making his name heard in the battle, and summoning the enemies clad in coats of mail to fight, killing the foremost of the hostile army of illustrious men,

यदैव लभते वीरः सुयुद्धेन महद् यशः। तदैव प्रव्यथन्तेऽस्य शत्रवो विनमन्ति च॥
When a hero obtains great renown in fair fight then do his enemies feel pain and bow down to him.

त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मानं रणे दक्षं शूरं कापुरुषा जनाः। अवशास्तर्पयन्ति स्म सवकामसमृद्धिभिः॥
Men, who are cowards being beside themselves, contribute by giving their own wealth to the fulfillment of every desire of the hero experienced in battle and who does not fight for selfish consideration.

राज्यं चाप्युग्रविभ्रंशं संशयो जीवितस्य वा। न लब्धस्य हि शत्रोर्वे शेषं कुर्वन्ति साधवः॥
Even when the kingdom is in a terrible danger or the life even doubtful, the good men do not desist without making an end of his enemy who is within his grasp.

स्वर्गद्वारोपमं राज्यमथवाप्यमृतोपमम्। युरुद्धमेकायनं मत्वा पतोल्मुक इवारिषु॥
A kingdom is like the gate of heaven or like neckar itself and thinking that the heaven is shut against you and that you van get into it through one door, fall like a fire brand among the enemies.

जहि शत्रून् रणे राजन् स्वधर्ममनुपालय। मा त्वा दृशं सुकृपणं शत्रूणां भयवर्धनम्॥
Defeat your enemies in battle; O king, and follow the duties of your own order, and do not in this way, look dejected, O you enhance of the fears of your enemies.

अस्मदीयैश्च शोचद्भिर्नदद्धिश्च परैर्वृतम्। अपि त्वां नानुपश्येयं दीनाद् दीनमिव स्थितम्॥
Let me not is sorrow see you surrounded by our party grieving and the enemies rejoicing.

हृष्य सौवीरकन्याभिः श्लाघस्वार्थेर्यथा पुरा। मा च सैन्धवकन्यानामवसनो वशं गमः॥
Rejoice in the company of the daughter of heroes and make yourself amiable by the possessions of wealth as in days gone by and do not let yourself be under the rule of the daughters of the Saindhavas.

युवा रूपेण सम्पन्नो विद्ययाभिजनेन च। यत् त्वादृशो विकुर्वीत यशस्वी लोकविश्रुतः॥
A young man, endued with beauty, with learning and possessing powerful friends, should do only what is conducive to renown and heard and talked about in the world.

अधुर्यवच्च वोढव्ये मन्ये मरणमेव तत्। यदि त्वामनुपश्यामि परस्य प्रियवादिनम्॥
If in the matter of bearing burdens he acts like a vicious bull, I think this to be death itself. If I see you hereafter speaking well of enemy.

पृष्ठतोऽनुव्रजन्तं वा का शान्तिर्हदयस्य मे। नास्मिन् जातु कुले जातो गच्छेद् योऽन्यस्य पृष्ठतः।।३५।
Or wandering about behind him, what peace can my heart have. No one born in this race behind another for support.

न त्वं परस्यानुचरस्तात जीवितुमर्हसि। अहं हि क्षत्रहदयं वेद यत् परिशाश्वतम्॥
O my dear son, it is not proper that you should live on being the subject of another. I know what the eternal essence of the heart of a Kshatriya is?

पूर्वैः पूर्वतरैः प्रोक्तं परैः परतरैरपि। शाश्वतं चाव्ययं चैव प्रजापतिविनिर्मितम्॥
As described by our forefathers and by men before them, as also by men after them and after them again; it is highly praise worthy since it has been ordained by the lord of creatures himself.

यो वै कश्चिदिहाजातः क्षत्रियः क्षत्रकर्मवित्। भयाद् वृत्तिसमीक्षो वा न नमेदिह कस्यचित्॥
The Kshatriya, who is born in this world knowing the duties of a Kshatriya, does not bow to any one from fear or from consideration of livelihood.

उद्यच्छेदेव न नमेदुद्यमो ह्येव पौरुषम्। अप्यपर्वणि भज्येत न नमेतेह कस्यचित्॥
He should stand erect and never bend down for energy is manliness. One away break down at his knots (weak points) but he should not bend down.

मातङ्गो मत्त इव च परीयात् समहामनाः। ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमेन्नित्यं धर्मायैव च संजय॥
That great-minded man the Kshatriya should move about like an infuriated elephant and he should ever bow down to Brahmanas for virtue. O Sanjaya.

नियच्छन्नितरान् वर्णान् विनिघ्नन् सर्वदुष्कृतः। ससहायोऽसहायो वा यावज्जीवं तथा भवेत्॥
Ruling ever all the other orders and slaying all evil doers he should live though out his life, whether he be with support or without it,