वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्मिन् प्रयाते दुधेर्षे यदूनामृषभस्ततः अब्रवीत् पुण्डरीकाक्षः कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्॥ एष पाण्डव ते भ्राता पुत्रशोकपरायणः। जिघांसुद्रौणिमाक्रन्दे एक एवाभिधावति॥
Vaishampayana said After the brave Bhimasena had started, that Yadu hero, having eyes like lotus petals, addressed Kuru's son, Yudhishthira, saying,-O son of Pandu, beside himself with grief at the death of his sons, this brother of yours, goes alone to battle for killing son of Drona.
भीमः प्रियस्ते सर्वेभ्यो भ्रातृभ्यो भरतर्षभ। तं कृच्छ्रगतमद्य त्वं कस्मान्नाभ्युपपद्यसे॥
O Bharata chief, of all your brothers, Bhima is dearest. Seeing him in a great danger, why do you not stir yourself.
यत् तदाचष्ट पुत्राय द्रोणः परपुरञ्जयः। अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरो नाम दहेत पृथिवीमपि॥
The weapon, called Brahmashira, which Drona, gave his son, is capable of consuming the whole world.
तन्महात्मा महाभागः केतुः सर्वधनुष्मताम्। प्रत्यपादयदाचार्यः प्रीयमाणो धनंजयम्॥
Pleased with Dhananjaya, the illustrious preceptor, that foremost of all wielders of bows, and given him that very weapon.
तं पुत्रोऽप्येक एवैनमन्वयाचदमर्पणः। ततः प्रोवाच पुत्राय नातिहष्टमना इव॥
His only son also then begged it of him. Unwillingly he communicated the knowledge of that weapon to Ashvatthaman.
विदितं चापलं ह्यासीदात्मजस्य दुरात्मनः। सर्वधर्मविदाचार्यः सोऽन्वशात् स्वसुतं ततः॥ परमापद्रतेनापि न स्म तात त्वया रणे। इदमस्त्रं प्रयोक्तव्यं मानुषेषु विशेषतः॥
The illustrious Drona knew very well the restlessness of his son, and accordingly commanded him, saying,-~Even when overtaken by the greatest calamity, O child, in the midst of battle, you should never use this weapon, specially against men.
इत्युक्तवान् गुरुः पुत्रं द्रोणः पश्चादयोक्तवान्। न त्वं जातु सतां मार्गे स्थातेति पुरुषर्षभ॥
Thus the preceptor Drona spoke to his son. Some time after he again spoke, saying,-O foremost of men, it seems, you will not, follow the path of the righteous.
स तदाज्ञाय दुष्टात्मा पितुर्वचनमप्रियम्। निराश: सर्वकल्याणैः शोकात् पर्यचरन्महीम्॥
Hearing those bitter words of his father the wicked Ashvatthaman, giving up all hopes of prosperity, began to wander sorrowfully over the Earth.
ततस्तदा कुरुश्रेष्ठ वनस्थे त्वयि भारत। अवसद् द्वारकामेत्य वृष्णिभिः परमार्चितः॥
Then, O Kuru chief, while you were living in the forest, he came to Dwaraka and lived there, adored of the Vrishnis.
स कदाचित् समुद्रान्ते वसन् द्वारवतीमनु। एक एकं समागम्य मामुवाच हसन्निव॥ यत् तदुग्रं तपः कृष्ण चरन् सत्यपराक्रमः। अगस्त्याद् भारतचार्यः प्रत्यपद्यत मे पिता॥ अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरो नाम देवगन्धर्वपूजितम्। तदद्य मयि दाशार्ह यथा पितरि मे तथा॥
One day, after he had settled in Dwaraka, he came to me, alone when I mysclf was also alone on the sea-coast, and there smilingly said, O Krishna, that weapon, called Brahmashira adored of gods and Gandharvas, which my father the preceptor of the Bharatas, having prowess capable of being baffled, had obtained from Agastya after practising the severest penances, is now with me, as it is with my father.
अस्मत्तस्तदुपादाय दिव्यमस्त्रं यदूत्तम। ममात्यस्त्रं प्रयच्छ त्वं चक्रं रिपुहणं रणे॥
O foremost one of Yadu, in exchange for that celestial weapon, give me your discus which is capable of killing all enemies in battle.
स राजन् प्रीयमाणेन मयाप्युक्तः कृताञ्जलिः। याचमानः प्रयत्नेन मत्तोऽस्त्रं भरतर्षभ।१६।। देवदानवगन्धर्वमनुष्यपतगोरगाः। न समा मम वीर्यस्य शतांशेनापि पिण्डिताः॥
While with joined hands he thus begged of me my discus, myself, for pleasing him, told him these words,-Gods, Danavas, Gandharvas, men, birds and snakes, assembled together, cannot equal even a hundredth part of iny energy
इदं धनुरियं शक्तिरिदं चक्रमियं गदा। यद्यदिच्छसि चेदस्त्रं मत्तस्तत् तद् ददामि ते॥
I have this bow, this arrow, this discus, and the mace! I will give you whichever amongst them you wish to have from me.
यच्छक्नोषि समुद्यन्तुं प्रयोक्तुमपि वा रणे। तद् गृहाण विनास्त्रेण यन्मे दातुमभीप्सति॥
Without giving me the weapon you wish to give, take from among these weapons of mine that which you will be able to wield and use in battle.
स सुनाभं सहस्रारं वज्रनाभमयस्मयम्। ववे चक्रं महाभागो मत्तः स्पर्धन्मया सह॥
Thus addressed, the illustrious son of Drona, as if challenging me, wanted my discus of excellent have and hard as thunder, having thousand spokes, and made of iron.
गृहाण चक्रमित्युक्तो मया तु तदनन्तरम्। जग्राहोत्पत्य सहसा चक्र सव्येन पाणिना॥
I said to him take it. Thus spoken to, he rose all on a sudden and seized the discus with his left hand.
न चैनमशकत् स्थानात् संचालयितुमप्युत। अथैनं दक्षिणेनापि गृहीतुमुपचक्रमे॥
He could not, however, even move the weapon where it lay. He then tried to catch it with his right hand.
सर्वयत्नबलेनापि गृह्णन्नेवमिदं ततः। ततः सर्वबलेनापि यदैनं न शशाक ह॥ उद्यन्तुं वा चालयितुं द्रौणिः परमदुर्मनाः। कृत्वा यत्नं परिश्रान्तः स न्यवर्तत भारत॥
Having caught it then very firmly and displaying all his strength, he still failed to either wield or move it. At this, Drona's son became sorry. Being worn out with the exertions he stooped.
निवृत्तमनसं तस्मादभिप्रायाद् विचेतसम्। अहमामन्त्र्य संविग्नमश्वत्थामानमब्रुवम्॥ यः सदैव मनुष्येषु प्रमाणं परमं गतः। गाण्डीवधन्वा श्वेताश्वः कपिप्रवरकेतनः॥ यः साक्षाद् देवदेवेशं शितिकण्ठमुमापतिम्। द्वन्द्वयुद्धे पराजिष्णुस्तोषयामास शङ्करम्॥ यस्मात् प्रियतरो नास्ति ममान्यः पुरुषो भुवि। नादेयं यस्य मे किञ्चिदपि दारा: सुतास्तथा।॥ तेनापि सुहृदा ब्रह्मन् पार्थेनाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। नोक्तपूर्वमिदं वाक्यं यत् त्वं मामभिभाषसे॥
When he ceased cherishing that desire i addressed the anxious and senseless Ashvatthaman and said,-He who is always known as the best of all men that holder of Gandiva, that warrior having white horses yoked to his car, that hero having the emblem of a monkey of his standard, that hero who, desirous of defeating a wrestling encounter the god of gods, viz., the blue-throated lord of Uma, pleased the great Shankara himself, that Phalguna than whom I have no dearer friend on Earth, that friend to whom there is nothing that I cannot give including my very wives and children, that dear friend Partha of pure deeds, never said to me, O Brahmana, such words as these which you have said.
ब्रह्मचर्यं महद् घोरं तीर्खा द्वादशवार्षिकम्। हिमवत्पार्श्वमास्थाय यो मया तपसार्जितः॥ समानव्रतचारिण्यां रुक्मिण्यां योऽन्वजायत। सनत्कुमारस्तेजस्वी प्रद्युम्नो नाम मे सुतः॥ तेनाप्येतन्महद् दिव्यं चक्रमप्रतिमं रणे। न प्रार्थितमभून्मूढ यदिदं प्रार्थितं त्वया॥
That son whom I got by practising ascetic penances and observing the austere Brahmacharya for twelve years on the Himavat where I had gone for the purpose, that son of mine, viz., the energetic Pradyumna a portion of Sanatkumara himself, begotten by me upon my wife Rukmini who had practised vows as austere as mine, that hero even never wanted this best of objects, viz., this peerless discus, which you foolish, as you are have wanted.
रामेणातिबलेनैतन्त्रोक्तपूर्वं कदाचन। न गदेन न साम्बेन यदिदं प्रार्थितं त्वया॥
The highly powerful Rama never said such words to me! Neither Gada nor Shamva, have ever asked for this.
द्वारकावासिभिश्चान्यैर्वृष्ण्यन्धकमहारथैः। नोक्तपूर्वमिदं जातु यदिदं प्रार्थितं त्वया॥
None among the other great car-warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka race living in Dwaraka has ever asked this of me.
भारताचार्यपुत्रस्त्वं मानित: सर्वयादवैः। चक्रेण रथिनां श्रेष्ठ कं नु तात युयुत्ससे॥
You are the son of the preceptor of the Bharatas, you are esteemed by all the Yadavas! Let me ask you, O best of car-warriors, with whom do you wish to fight with this weapon?'
एवमुक्तो मया द्रौणिर्मामिदं प्रत्युवाच ह। प्रयुज्य भवते पूजां योत्सये कृष्ण त्वया सह॥
Thus addressed by rne, Drona's son replied, saying,-'After adoring you O Krishna, it was my desire of fight with you, you of unfading glory.
प्रार्थितं ते मया चक्रं देवदानवपूजितम्। अजेयः स्यामिति विभो सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते॥
It was for this, O Krishna, that I prayed for your discus which is worshipped by gods and Danavas! Had I got it I would then have become invincible in the world.
त्वत्तोऽहं दुर्लभं काममनवाप्यैव केशव। प्रतियास्यामि गोविन्द शिवेनाभिवदस्व माम्॥
Having failed, O Keshava, to my almost unattainable desire, I wish to leave you, O Govinda! Address me plainly now.
एतत् सुभीमं भीमानामृषभेण त्वया धृतम्। चक्रममतिचक्रेण भुवि नान्योऽभिपद्यते॥
This terrible weapon is with you, who are the foremost of all terrible persons! You are unrivaled for this weapon. There is none else in this world capable of having it.'
एतावदुक्त्वा द्रौणिर्मी युग्यानश्वान् धनानि च। आदायोपययौ काले रत्नानि विविधानि च॥
Having said so the son of Drona taking many horses and much wealth and various kinds of gems, left Dvaraka.
स संरम्भी दुरात्मा च चपलः क्रूर एव च। वेद चास्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरस्तस्माद् रक्ष्यो वृकोदरः॥
He is wrathful, wicked, restless, and very cruel. He knows the use of the weapon called Brahmashira. Vrikodara should be saved.”