महाभारतम् — ६.४

वैशंपायन उवाच ।

एवमुक्तो मुनिस्तत्त्वं कवीन्द्रो राजसत्तम ।
पुत्रेण धृतराष्ट्रेण ध्यानमन्वगमत्परम् ॥

M N Dutt Vaishampayana said O foremost of kings, having been thus addressed by his son Dhritarashtra, that best of poets, that Rishi Vyasa, concentrated his mind in great meditation.

६.४.२

पुनरेवाब्रवीद्वाक्यं कालवादी महातपाः ।
असंशयं पार्थिवेन्द्र कालः संक्षिपते जगत् ॥

M N Dutt Having meditated for a moment, Vyasa thus again spoke, O king of kings, “there is no doubt that Time destroys the Universe.

६.४.३

सृजते च पुनर्लोकान्नेह विद्यति शाश्वतम् ।
ज्ञातीनां च कुरूणां च संबन्धिसुहृदां तथा ॥

M N Dutt It is Time also which creates the worlds. There is nothing here on earth which is everlasting. Therefore show the path of virtue। to the Kurus, to your relations, your kinsmen and friends. You are the proper person to restrain them. It is said that slaughter of kinsmen is sinful. Do not act in a way which would be disagreeable to me.

६.४.४

धर्म्यं देशय पन्थानं समर्थो ह्यसि वारणे ।
क्षुद्रं ज्ञातिवधं प्राहुर्मा कुरुष्व ममाप्रियम् ॥

M N Dutt It is Time also which creates the worlds. There is nothing here on earth which is everlasting. Therefore show the path of virtue। to the Kurus, to your relations, your kinsmen and friends. You are the proper person to restrain them. It is said that slaughter of kinsmen is sinful. Do not act in a way which would be disagreeable to me.

६.४.५

कालोऽयं पुत्ररूपेण तव जातो विशां पते ।
न वधः पूज्यते वेदे हितं नैतत्कथंचन ॥

M N Dutt O king, Death himself, has taken birth in the form of your son. Slaughter is never spoken high of in the Vedas. It can never produce any good.

६.४.६

हन्यात्स एव यो हन्यात्कुलधर्मं स्वकां तनुम् ।
कालेनोत्पथगन्तासि शक्ये सति यथापथि ॥

M N Dutt The custom of a family brings about his own ruin who destroys it resembling his own body. For the destruction of this race as well as that of kings, it is (no doubt). Time that leads you to this wrong path although you are capable to withstand it. O king, in the shape of a kingdom, a great calamity has befallen you.

६.४.७

कुलस्यास्य विनाशाय तथैव च महीक्षिताम् ।
अनर्थो राज्यरूपेण त्यज्यतामसुखावहः ॥

M N Dutt The custom of a family brings about his own ruin who destroys it resembling his own body. For the destruction of this race as well as that of kings, it is (no doubt). Time that leads you to this wrong path although you are capable to withstand it. O king, in the shape of a kingdom, a great calamity has befallen you.

६.४.८

लुप्तप्रज्ञः परेणासि धर्मं दर्शय वै सुतान् ।
किं ते राज्येन दुर्धर्ष येन प्राप्तोऽसि किल्बिषम् ॥

M N Dutt Your virtue suffers a great diminution. Show to your son what is virtuous. O invincible hero, of what value is a kingdom that brings in sin?

६.४.९

यशो धर्मं च कीर्तिं च पालयन्स्वर्गमाप्स्यसि ।
लभन्तां पाण्डवा राज्यं शमं गच्छन्तु कौरवाः ॥

M N Dutt Protect your good name, your virtue and your fame. You will then be able to obtain heaven. Let the Pandavas have their kingdom and let the entire Kuru race have the peace.”

६.४.१०

एवं ब्रुवति विप्रेन्द्रे धृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः ।
आक्षिप्य वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो वाक्पथेनाप्ययात्पुनः ॥

M N Dutt When that foremost of Brahmanas (Vyasa) was thus speaking in a sorrowful tone, the son of Ambika, accomplished in speech, king Dhritarashtra, thus spoke to him.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ।

६.४.११

यथा भवान्वेद तथास्मि वेत्ता
भावाभावौ विदितौ मे यथावत् ।
स्वार्थे हि संमुह्यति तात लोको
मां चापि लोकात्मकमेव विद्धि ॥

M N Dutt Dhritarashtra said My knowledge of life and death is the same as yours. The truth of this is well known to me. But men lose (good) judgement in things which concern their interest. O sire, know me to be an ordinary man.

६.४.१२

प्रसादये त्वामतुलप्रभावं
त्वं नो गतिर्दर्शयिता च धीरः ।
न चापि ते वशगा मे महर्षे
न कल्मषं कर्तुमिहार्हसे माम् ॥

६.४.१३

त्वं हि धर्मः पवित्रं च यशः कीर्तिर्धृतिः स्मृतिः ।
कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च मान्यश्चासि पितामहः ॥

व्यास उवाच ।

६.४.१४

वैचित्रवीर्य नृपते यत्ते मनसि वर्तते ।
अभिधत्स्व यथाकामं छेत्तास्मि तव संशयम् ॥

M N Dutt Vyasa said O son of Vichitravirya, tell me openly what is in your mind. I shall remove your doubts.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ।

६.४.१५

यानि लिङ्गानि संग्रामे भवन्ति विजयिष्यताम् ।
तानि सर्वाणि भगवञ्श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥

M N Dutt Dhritarashtra said O reverend sir, I desire to hear from you all those signs that happier before those that become victorious in battle.

व्यास उवाच ।

६.४.१६

प्रसन्नभाः पावक ऊर्ध्वरश्मिः
प्रदक्षिणावर्तशिखो विधूमः ।
पुण्या गन्धाश्चाहुतीनां प्रवान्ति
जयस्यैतद्भाविनो रूपमाहुः ॥

M N Dutt Vyasa said The sacred fire assumes a cheerful luster. Its light rises upwards. Its flames bend towards the right. It blazes forth without any smoke. The libations poured in it produce sweet fragrance. These are said to be the indications of future success.

६.४.१७

गम्भीरघोषाश्च महास्वनाश्च
शङ्खा मृदङ्गाश्च नदन्ति यत्र ।
विशुद्धरश्मिस्तपनः शशी च
जयस्यैतद्भाविनो रूपमाहुः ॥

M N Dutt The conchs and cymbals produce deep and loud sounds, the sun and the moon give forth pure rays. These are said to be the indications of future success.

६.४.१८

इष्टा वाचः पृष्ठतो वायसानां
संप्रस्थितानां च गमिष्यतां च ।
ये पृष्ठतस्ते त्वरयन्ति राज
न्ये त्वग्रतस्ते प्रतिषेधयन्ति ॥

M N Dutt Flying or sitting crows utter agreeable cries. Those warriors that are behind urge those that are in front to advance.

६.४.१९

कल्याणवाचः शकुना राजहंसाः
शुकाः क्रौञ्चाः शतपत्राश्च यत्र ।
प्रदक्षिणाश्चैव भवन्ति संख्ये
ध्रुवं जयं तत्र वदन्ति विप्राः ॥

M N Dutt When vultures, swans, parrots, cranes, and woodpeckers utter delightful cries and go towards the right, the Brahmanas say that victory in such cases is certain.

६.४.२०

अलंकारैः कवचैः केतुभिश्च
मुखप्रसादैर्हेमवर्णैश्च नॄणाम् ।
भ्राजिष्मती दुष्प्रतिप्रेक्षणीया
येषां चमूस्ते विजयन्ति शत्रून् ॥

M N Dutt Those, whose ornaments, armours and standards and their bright shields become incapable of being stared at, always conquei their enemies.

६.४.२१

हृष्टा वाचस्तथा सत्त्वं योधानां यत्र भारत ।
न म्लायन्ते स्रजश्चैव ते तरन्ति रणे रिपून् ॥

M N Dutt Those, that send forth cheerful shouts, o descendant of Bharata, those warriors, whose courage is not damped and whose garlands do not fade, always cross the ocean of battle.

६.४.२२

इष्टो वातः प्रविष्टस्य दक्षिणा प्रविविक्षतः ।
पश्चात्संसाधयत्यर्थं पुरस्तात्प्रतिषेधते ॥

M N Dutt Those who wishing to enter into the ranks of the foe, utter even kind words and those who warn the foe before striking always obtain victory.

६.४.२३

शब्दरूपरसस्पर्शगन्धाश्चाविष्कृताः शुभाः ।
सदा योधाश्च हृष्टाश्च येषां तेषां ध्रुवं जयः ॥

M N Dutt When the objects of hearing, seeing, tasting, touching and smelling do not undergo any change and become auspicious and if there is joy amongst the warriors at all time, it indicates victory.

६.४.२४

अन्वेव वायवो वान्ति तथाभ्राणि वयांसि च ।
अनुप्लवन्ते मेघाश्च तथैवेन्द्रधनूंषि च ॥

M N Dutt O king, these are the indications of victory, namely the winds, the clouds and the birds all become favourable, and the clouds and rainbows that pour beneficial showers.

६.४.२५

एतानि जयमानानां लक्षणानि विशां पते ।
भवन्ति विपरीतानि मुमूर्षूणां जनाधिप ॥

M N Dutt O king, these are the indications that armies would secure success, while, O king, all these become quite the conirary in the case of those that are on the point of death.

६.४.२६

अल्पायां वा महत्यां वा सेनायामिति निश्चितम् ।
हर्षो योधगणस्यैकं जयलक्षणमुच्यते ॥

M N Dutt Whether the army be small or large cheerfulness of its soldiers is said to be a certain sign of its winning victory.

६.४.२७

एको दीर्णो दारयति सेनां सुमहतीमपि ।
तं दीर्णमनुदीर्यन्ते योधाः शूरतमा अपि ॥

M N Dutt One soldier, struck with panic, can cause a large army to be alarmed and to take to flight, it causes even the bravest of warriors to be frightened.

६.४.२८

दुर्निवारतमा चैव प्रभग्ना महती चमूः ।
अपामिव महावेगस्त्रस्ता मृगगणा इव ॥

M N Dutt If a large ariny is once broken up and rouled, it cannot be easily rallied like a herd of deer in a fright or a mighty current of waters (in rains).

६.४.२९

नैव शक्या समाधातुं संनिपाते महाचमूः ।
दीर्णा इत्येव दीर्यन्ते योधाः शूरतमा अपि ।
भीतान्भग्नांश्च संप्रेक्ष्य भयं भूयो विवर्धते ॥

६.४.३०

प्रभग्ना सहसा राजन्दिशो विभ्रामिता परैः ।
नैव स्थापयितुं शक्या शूरैरपि महाचमूः ॥

६.४.३१

संभृत्य महतीं सेनां चतुरङ्गां महीपतिः ।
उपायपूर्वं मेधावी यतेत सततोत्थितः ॥

६.४.३२

उपायविजयं श्रेष्ठमाहुर्भेदेन मध्यमम् ।
जघन्य एष विजयो यो युद्धेन विशां पते ।
महादोषः संनिपातस्ततो व्यङ्गः स उच्यते ॥

M N Dutt It is said that the success that is obtained by negotiations and other means is the best. That which is secured by creating disunion (amongst the enemy) is but indifferent. O king, the success that is secured by battle is the worst.

६.४.३३

परस्परज्ञाः संहृष्टा व्यवधूताः सुनिश्चिताः ।
पञ्चाशदपि ये शूरा मथ्नन्ति महतीं चमूम् ।
अथ वा पञ्च षट्सप्त विजयन्त्यनिवर्तिनः ॥

M N Dutt There are many evils in battle; the first and the foremost is slaughter. Even fifty brave men who know one another, who are not dispirited, who are free from family ties and who are firmly resolved can defeat a large ariny. Even fire, six or seven, who do not retreat can obtain victory.

६.४.३४

न वैनतेयो गरुडः प्रशंसति महाजनम् ।
दृष्ट्वा सुपर्णोपचितिं महतीमपि भारत ॥

M N Dutt O descendant of Bharata, Vinata's son Garuda never asks the assistance of many followers when he sees even a large number of birds.

६.४.३५

न बाहुल्येन सेनाया जयो भवति भारत ।
अध्रुवो हि जयो नाम दैवं चात्र परायणम् ।
जयन्तो ह्यपि संग्रामे क्षयवन्तो भवन्त्युत ॥

M N Dutt Therefore the strength of number of an army is not always the cause of victory. Victory is always uncertain. It depends on chance. Even those that obtain victory have to suffer loss.

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