कृप उवाच शुश्रूषुरपि दुर्मेधाः पुरुषोऽनियतेन्द्रियः। नालं वेदयितुं कृत्स्नौ धर्मार्थाविति मे मतिः॥
Kripa Said "A person who is not intelligent and who has not controlled, his passions, cannot, even if he waits dutifully upon his superiors, understand morality. This is my opinion.
तथैव तावन्मेधावी विनयं यो न शिक्षते। न च किंचन जानाति सोऽपि धर्मार्थनिश्चयम्॥
In the same way in intelligent person, who does not practise humility, cannot understand morality.
चिरं ह्यपि जडः शूरः पण्डितं पर्युपास्य हि। न स धर्मान् विजानाति दर्वी सूपरसानिव॥
By waiting all his life upon a learned person, a brave man, void of understanding, cannot know his duties like a wooden ladle unable to taste the soup.
मुहूर्तमपि तं प्राज्ञः पण्डितं पर्युपास्य हि। क्षिप्रं धर्मान् विजानाति जिह्वा सूपरसानिव॥
By waiting upon a learned person for even a moment, the wiseman, however, succeeds in understanding his duties like the tongue tasting the soup.
शुश्रूषुस्त्वेव मेधावी पुरुषो नियतेन्द्रियः। जानीयादागमान् सर्वान् ग्राह्यं च न विरोधयेत्॥
An intelligent person who waits upon his superiors and who has controlled his passions succeeds in understanding all the rules of morality and never disputes what is accepted by all.
अनेयस्त्ववमानी यो दुरात्मा पापपूरुषः। दिष्टमुत्सृज्य कल्याणं करोति बहुपापकम्॥
A sinful person of ungovernable, irreverent, wicked soul, commits sin in seeking his welfare by neglecting destiny.
नाथवन्तं तु सुहृदः प्रतिषेधन्ति पातकात्। निवर्तते तु लक्ष्मीवान् नालक्ष्मीवान् निवर्तते॥
Well-wishers try to restrain a friend from committing sin. He who allows himself to be dissuaded succeeds in gaining prosperity. He, that does otherwise suffers misery,
यथा ह्युचावचैर्वाक्यैः क्षिप्तचित्तो नियम्यते। तथैव सुहृदा शक्यो न शक्यस्त्ववसीदति॥
As a person who has lost his brains is restrained by soothing words, so should a friend be restrained by well-wishers. He that allows himself to be so restrained, never suffers misery.
तथैव सुहृदं प्राज्ञं कुर्वाणं कर्म पापकम्। प्राज्ञाः सम्प्रतिषेधन्ति यथाशक्ति पुनः पुनः॥ स कल्याणे मनः कृत्वा नियम्यात्मानमात्मना। कुरु मे वचनं तात येन पश्चान्न तप्यसे॥
When a wise friend is about to commit a wicked act, wise well-wishers repeatedly, and according to the best of their power, try to restrain him. Making up your mind to do what is really beneficial, and restraining yourself by your own self, do by command, O son, so that you may not have to repent afterwards.
न वधः पूज्यते लोके सुप्तानामिह धर्मतः। तथैवापास्तशस्त्राणां विमुक्तरथवाजिनाम्॥
In this world the destruction of sleeping persons is not praised and sanctioned by religion. The same is the case with persons that have thrown off their arms and come down from cars and horses.
ये च ब्रूयुस्तवास्मीति ये च स्युः शरणागताः। विमुक्तमूर्धजा ये च ये चापि हतवाहनाः॥
They should not also be killed who say-we are yours-and also they who surrender themselves, and they whose locks are dishevelled, and they whose animals have been killed under them or whose cars have been broken.
अद्य स्वप्स्यन्ति पञ्चाला विमुक्तकवचा विभो। विश्वस्ता रजनी सर्वे प्रेता इव विचेतसः॥
All the Panchalas taking of their armours will sleep to-night, O lord. When asleep, they will be taken dead man.
यस्तेषां तदवस्थानां दुह्येत पुरुषोऽनृजुः। व्यक्तं स नरके मज्जेदगाधे विपुलेऽप्लवे॥
That wicked man who would injure them then, would sink in deep and limitless hell without a raft to save himself.
सर्वास्त्रविदुषां लोके श्रेष्ठस्त्वमसि विश्रुतः। न च ते जातु लोकेऽस्मिन् सुसूक्ष्ममपि किल्बिषम्।। १५
In this world you are celebrated as the foremost of all persons knowing the use of weapons, you have not as yet committed even a minute sin.
त्वं पुन: सूर्यसंकाशः श्वोभूत उदिते रवौ। प्रकाशे सर्वभूतानां विजेता युधि शात्रवान्॥
When the sun rises next morning and light shall clear up all things, you, like a second effulgent sun will vanquish the foe in battle.
असम्भावितरूपं हि त्वयि कर्म विगर्हितम्। शुक्ले रक्तमिव न्यस्तं भवेदिति मतिर्मम॥
This culpable deed, so impossible in one like you, will appear like a red spot on a white sheet. This my opinion.”
एवमेव यथाऽऽत्थ त्वं मातुलेह न संशयः। तैस्तु पूर्वमयं सेतुः शतधा विदलीकृतः॥
Ashvatthaman said “Forsooth what you say, O maternal uncle, is true. The Pandavas, however, have, before this, deviated from the path of righteousness.
प्रत्यक्षं भूमिपाला भवतां चापि संनिधौ। न्यस्तशस्त्रो मम पिता धृष्टद्युम्नेन पातितः॥
Before all the kings, before your eyes also, my father after he had laid down his weapons, was killed by Dhrishtadyumna.
कर्णश्च पतिते चक्रे रथस्य रथिनां वरः। उत्तम व्यसने मग्नो हतो गाण्डीवधन्वना॥
Karna also, that best of car-warriors after the wheel of his car had sunk and he had been assailed by great distress, was killed by the holder of Gandiva.
तथा शान्तनवो भीष्मो न्यस्तशस्त्रो निरायुधः। शिखण्डिनं पुरस्कृत्य हतो गाण्डीवधन्वना॥
Similarly Shantanu's son Bhishma, after he had laid aside his weapons was killed by Arjuna with Shikhandin placed in his rear.
भूरिश्रवा महेष्वासस्तथा प्रायगतो रणे। क्रोशतां भूमिपालानां युयुधानेन पातितः॥
So also, the great bowman Bhurishravas, while observing the Praya vow on the field of battle, was killed by Yuyudhana, disregarding the voice of all the kings.
दुर्योधनश्च भीमेन समेत्य गदया रणे। पश्यतां भूमिपालानामधर्मेण निपातितः॥
Having met Bhima is battle with the mace, Duryodhana too has been killed unfairly by the former in the very presence of all the king.
एकाकी बहुभिस्तत्र परिवार्य महारथैः। अधर्मेण नरव्याघ्रो भीमसेनेन पातितः॥
The king was all alone in the midst of a great number of powerful car-warriors cumstances was that king killed by Bhimasena.
विलापो भग्नसक्थस्य यो मे राज्ञः परिश्रुतः। वार्तिकाणां कथयतां स मे मर्माणि कृन्तति॥
The lamentations of the king, lying prostrate on the Earth with his thighs broken, that I have heard from the messengers circulating the news, are cutting me to the quick.
एवं चाधार्मिकाः पापाः पञ्चाला भिन्नसेतवः। तानेवं भिन्नमर्यादान् किं भवान् न निगर्हति॥
The unrighteous and sinful Panchalas, who have trumpeted virtue, are even such. Why do you not blame them who have transgressed the law of virtue.
पितृहन्तनहं हत्वा पञ्चालान् निशि सौप्तिके। कामं कीटः पतङ्गो वा जन्म प्राप्य भवामि वै॥
Having killed the Panchalas, those destroyers of my father in the night when they are buried in sleep, I care not if I am born as a warın or an insect in my next birth.
त्वरे चाहमनेनाद्य यदिदं मे चिकीर्षितम्। तस्य मे त्वरमाणस्य कुतो निद्रा कुतः सुखम्॥
My resolution is pressing me for its accomplishment. Urged on by it, how can I enjoy sleep and happiness.
न स जातः पुमाँल्लोके कश्चिन्न स भविष्यति। यो मे व्यावर्तयेदेतां वधे तेषां कृतां मतिम्॥
That man is not yet born in the world, nor will be, who will be able to frustrate this resolution of mine."
एवमुक्त्वा महाराज द्रोणपुत्रः प्रतापवान्। एकान्ते योजयित्वाश्वान् प्रायादभिमुखः परान्॥
Sanjaya continued “Having said so, O king, the brave son of Drona yoked his horses to his car at a corner and started towards the direction of his enemies.
तमबूतां महात्मनौ भोजशारद्वतावुभौ। किमर्थंस्यन्दनो युक्तः किञ्च कार्यं चिकीर्षितम्॥
Then Bhoja and Sharadvat's son, those great persons, addressed him saying,-'Why do you yoke the horses to your car? What do you want to do?
एकसार्थप्रयातौ स्वस्त्वया सह नरर्षभ। समदुःखसुखौ चापि नावां शङ्कितुमर्हसि॥
We are determined to accompany you tomorrow, O foremost of men! We sympathies with you in weal and woe. You should not mistrust us.'
अश्वत्थामा तु संक्रुद्धः पितर्वधमनुस्मरन्। ताभ्यां तथ्यंऽऽचख्यौ यदस्यात्मचिकीर्षितम्॥
Remembering the slaughter of his father, Ashvatthaman in anger told them truly about the work that he had resolved to accomplish.
हत्वा शतसहस्राणि निशितैः शरैः। न्यस्तशस्त्रो मम पिता धृष्टद्युम्नेन पातितः॥
When my father having killed hundreds and thousands of warriors with sharp arrows, had thrown out his weapons, he was then killed by Dhrishtadyumna.
तं तथैव हरिष्यामि न्यस्तधर्माणमद्य वै। पुत्रं पाञ्चालराजस्य पापं पापेन कर्मणा॥
I shall kill that slayer to-day under similar circumstances. I shall to-day slay the sinful son of the king of the Panchalas by a sinful act.
कथं च निहतः पापः पाञ्चाल्यः पशुवन्मया। शस्त्रेण विजिताँल्लोकान् नाप्नुयादिति मे मति॥
It is my determination to slay like an animal that sinful prince of the Panchalas in such a way that he may not attain to regions gained by persons killed with weapons.
क्षिप्रं संनद्धकवचौ सखड्गावात्तकार्मुकौ। मामास्थाय प्रतीक्षेतां रथवौ परंतपौ॥ इत्युक्त्वा रथमास्थाय प्रायदभिमुखः परान्। तपन्वगात् कृपो राजन् कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः॥
Put on your coats of mail soon and take your bows and swords, and wait for me here, O foremost of car-warriors.'—Having said so, Ashvatthaman got upon his car started towards the enemy. The Kripa, O king, and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, both followed him.
ते प्रयाता व्यरोचन्त परानभिमुखास्त्रयः। हूयमाना यथा यज्ञे समिद्धा हव्यवाहनाः॥
While the three went on against the enemny, they shone like three blazing fires in sacrifice, fed with libations of clarified butter.
ययुश्च शिविरं तेषां सम्प्रसुप्तजनं विभो। द्वारदेशं तु सम्प्राप्य द्रौणिस्तस्थौ महारथः॥
They proceeded, O lord, towards the encampment of the Panchalas within which everybody was asleep. Having approached the gate, Drona's son, that great car-warriors, stopped."