Mahabharata: Volume 4

by Debroy, Bibek

  ‘Sanjaya said, “O Kouravas! Know that I have returned after having gone and met the Pandavas. Know that the Pandavas salute all the Kurus, in accordance with their ages. They honour the elders according to age and those who are of the same age as friends. According to age, they honour those who are their juniors. O lords of the earth! On the instructions of Dhritarashtra, I earlier went from here to visit the Pandavas, and listen to what I have to say.”’

  710(47)

  ‘Dhritarashtra said, “O Sanjaya! O son!4 I am asking you in the midst of these kings about the words spoken by the great-souled Dhananjaya, indomitable in spirit, foremost in battle, and the destroyer of the lives of evil-souled ones.”

  ‘Sanjaya replied, “Let Duryodhana listen to my words about what Arjuna spoke. The great-souled Dhananjaya is ready for battle. He said this with Yudhishthira’s permission and in Keshava’s hearing. Knowing the strength of his arms, he does not have the slightest fear. Kiriti is steadfast and ready to do battle. In Vasudeva’s presence, he told me, ‘Tell Dhritarashtra’s son in the midst of the Kurus and in the hearing of the kings who have assembled to kill the Pandavas. Tell them all the words that I have spoken, so that the king5 and his advisers hear it.’ Just as all the gods listen to the words of the king of the gods, the wielder of the vajra, in that way, all the Pandavas6 and Srinjayas listened to the capable words spoken by Kiriti. ‘Arjuna, the wielder of the Gandiva, is ready to do battle.’ With eyes like red lotuses, he spoke these words.

  ‘“‘If Dhritarashtra’s son does not give the kingdom to King Yudhishthira Ajamidha, then it is certain that the evil deeds committed by the sons of Dhritarashtra earlier will remain unaccounted.7 If there is a desire to fight with Bhima and Arjuna, the sons of the Ashvins8 and Vasudeva, with Shini’s son9 who has raised his weapons, with Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi, with Yudhishthira, who is equal to Indra and can burn up earth and heaven with the ire of his thoughts—if Dhritarashtra’s son wishes to fight with these, then all the objectives of the Pandavas will be successful. Do not act so as to ensure the objectives of the Pandavas. Instead, should you so wish, come and fight.10 Pandava,11 who acts in accordance with dharma, was banished to the forest and slept on a bed of grief. Dhritarashtra’s son will lie down and die on a more miserable bed and that will be his final one. The evil-souled son of Dhritarashtra governed the Kurus and the Pandavas through evil conduct. But he12 possessed modesty, wisdom, austerities and self-control and conquered his anger through the protection of dharma. Though he was deceived, he was respectful and upright. He possessed austerities, self-control and the protection of dharma. He spoke the truth and was pleasant, even when he was deceived. He endured the infinite hardships. The eldest Pandava has controlled his soul. He has controlled his anger for many terrible years. If that is unleashed on the Kurus, Dhritarashtra’s son will repent his decision to fight. When a fire with its black trails is kindled during the summer, it burns down the dry wood. Thus will Yudhishthira’s angry and blazing glance burn down the armies of Dhritarashtra’s son.

  ‘“‘When Dhritarashtra’s son sees the intolerant Pandava Bhimasena in battle, terrible in speed and with a club in his hand, vomiting the poison of his anger, he will then repent this fight. When he sees Bhima, terrible in form and with a club in his hand, begin to kill, like a mighty lion entering a pen of cows, Dhritarashtra’s son will regret this war. He is extremely fearsome and is without fear. He is skilled in the use of weapons. He will slay the assembled enemy forces. He will counter an ocean of chariots on a single chariot. He will destroy a mass of infantry with his club. He will swiftly destroy many soldiers. That brave one will bring down the soldiers of Dhritarashtra’s son, like a forest sliced down with an axe. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Dhritarashtra’s son will see his mighty army scattered, like a village that is mostly made of straw burnt by a fire, or ripe grain burnt by lightning. With the foremost warriors dead, the terrified soldiers will be reluctant. They will mostly be in flight, with no one left with any enterprise. They will be burnt by Bhimasena’s weapons. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Nakula, skilled and foremost charioteer among all charioteers, will use his right hand and shoot down hundreds of enemy soldiers. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Though he was earlier used to happiness, Nakula slept on a bed of unhappiness in the forest for a very long time. He will sigh hard, like an enraged serpent. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. He will see kings who are willing to fight on Dharmaraja’s instructions, ride white chariots and attack his soldiers. He will see them abandon his side. Thereafter, Dhritarashtra’s son will repent. The Kourava will see five brave ones, who are children, but not like children in their skill with weapons.13 They will give up their lives to fight the Kekayas.14 Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Sahadeva, the killer, will mount a chariot that is adorned with golden stars. Its wheels make no noise and it is yoked to well-trained horses. He will slice off the heads of kings with floods of arrows. Dhritarashtra’s son will see him mounted on the chariot, skilled in the use of weapons, and attacking in all the directions in that extremely fearful war. On seeing him in battle, Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Sahadeva is spirited and swift to act. He is restrained by modesty, skilled and truthful. He is extremely strong and steadfast in all dharma. He will terribly slaughter soldiers as he finds his way towards the one from Gandhara.15 When he sees Droupadi’s sons, brave and great archers who are skilled in the use of weapons, expert in fighting with chariots, advance in battle, like terrible and poisonous serpents, then will Dhritarashtra’s son regret the war. Abhimanyu is the slayer of enemy heroes. He will shower arrows on enemies, like a cloud showering rain. Soubhadra16 is skilled in the use of his arms and is like Krishna’s equal. When he advances, Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. He will see Soubhadra, who is a child, but is not like a child in valour. He will descend on that mass of enemies, like death itself. He is skilled in the use of weapons and is Indra’s equal. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war.

  ‘“‘The young Prabhadrakas are swift to act and skilled.17 Their valour is like that of lions. They will strike the sons of Dhritarashtra, together with their soldiers. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. The aged Virata and Drupada are maharathas. Each will advance with his soldiers against the enemy, when they see Dhritarashtra’s son, together with his soldiers. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Drupada is skilled in the use of weapons. He will be enraged in battle. Mounted on his chariot, he will use arrows to slice off the heads of younger ones. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Virata is the slayer of enemy heroes. He will penetrate the enemy army in its weak spots. He will be at the forefront of the Matsyas, who are terrible in form. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Matysa Virata’s eldest son18 is terrible in form and is foremost among warriors. He has donned armour for the sake of the Pandavas. When he sees him, Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. When Shantanu’s virtuous son,19 foremost among the Kouravas, has been killed in battle by Shikhandi, I tell you truthfully and without any doubt, that none of our enemies will be alive any more. Shikhandi will be on a chariot drawn by celestial horses and protected well. He will advance towards Bhishma on his chariot and will mow down masses of chariots. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. He will see the resplendent Dhrishtadyumna, at the forefront of the Srinjaya forces. The intelligent Drona instructed him about secret weapons.20 Dhritarashtra’s son will repent then. He21 is the immeasurable general. He will vanquish the sons of Dhritarashtra. He is capable of withstanding enemies and will advance against Drona in battle. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. He is modest, learned, strong and intelligent. He is blessed by prosperity and he is foremost among the Somakas.22 Since our leader is the foremost among the lions of the Vrishni lineage,23 our enemies will not be able to withstand us. Tell him this also.24 There is no need to look for anyone else. We have chosen Shini’s grandson, Satyaki, as o
ur adviser. He is a charioteer and is without a rival in battle. He is immensely strong, without fear and skilled in the use of weapons. When instructed by me, the lord of the Shinis will shower arrows on the enemy, like a cloud showering rain. He will envelope the warriors with a net of arrows. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. When he desires to fight, he is steady. The great-souled one’s arms are long and his bow is firm. The enemies will be like ashes in a fire. They will be like cows that have scented a lion. The great-souled one’s arms are long and his bow is firm. He can shatter the mountains and destroy all the worlds. He is skilled in the use of weapons and has dextrous hands. He is radiant like the sun stationed in the firmament. The Yadava, the lion of the Vrishni lineage, is skilled and subtle in his knowledge of the yoga of weapons. He has been instructed in what is said to be the most famous yoga. All the qualities exist in Satyaki’s form. Satyaki Madhava’s golden chariot is yoked to four white horses. When Suyodhana sees it in the field of battle, the evil one, who has no control over his soul, will repent.

  ‘“‘He will see the chariot studded with gold and gems. It is yoked to white horses and has a monkey on its banner. He will see it, driven in the battle by Keshava. Then the evil one, who has no control over his soul, will repent. The evil-minded one will hear the great sound of Gandiva, as it is brandished by me in that great battle. The sound will be like thunder, when the string of the bow strikes against my wrist guards. Then Dhritarashtra’s stupid and evil-minded son, with wicked companions, will regret the war. He will see his soldiers destroyed by that dark shower of arrows in the battle, like a herd of cows. Like lightning emerging from the clouds, they will kill thousands of enemies in the encounter. My arrows will pierce the bones and penetrate the hearts. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. He will see masses of arrows, released from Gandiva’s string, descend with sharp tips and destroy horses, elephants and armoured soldiers. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. The evil one will see the arrows of our enemies countered and repulsed by my arrows. They will be obliquely sliced by my arrows with razor tips. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. The arrows released from my arms will strike down the heads of his young warriors, like birds plucking fruit from the top of a tree. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. He will see warriors brought down from chariots, giant elephants and horses. They will be slain and brought down by my arrows in the arena. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will regret the war. Like death with a gaping mouth, the flaming shower of arrows released by me will bring down the enemy assassins, the masses of infantry and masses of chariots in every direction. Then the evil-minded one will repent. The dust from my chariot will cover every direction. He will see his own soldiers completely bewildered, oppressed by Gandiva. After that, the evil-minded one will repent. Duryodhana will see all his soldiers, bereft of their senses, shattered in their limbs and overwhelmed. Their horses, warriors, kings and elephants will be slain. They will be thirsty, exhausted and terrified. Killed, or about to be killed, they will lament piteously. Hair, bones and skulls will be scattered around, as if Prajapati25 left his work incomplete. On seeing this, the evil-minded one will repent. In that battle, Dhritarashtra’s son will see Gandiva, Vasudeva, the divine conch shell Panchajanya, Devadatta, the inexhaustible quivers and me on my chariot.26 In destroying the Kouravas, in burning that assembled mass of bandits,27 I will burn like a fire, like the one between the end of a yuga and the onset of another yuga. Then Dhritarashtra’s son will repent, together with his sons. Having been overcome by anger, with his brothers, with his sons and with his soldiers, the weak-minded one will see his prosperity destroyed. He will tremble when his insolence has been destroyed. Thereafter, Dhritarashtra’s wicked son will repent.

  ‘“‘On an earlier occasion, I had finished my meditations in the morning. When I arose from the water, a brahmana spoke these pleasant words. “O Partha! You will have to perform an extremely difficult task. O Savyasachi! You will have to fight with your enemies. Destroying the enemies, Indra, with the vajra in his hand and drawn by tawny horses, will lead from the forefront in this battle. Alternatively, Krishna Vasudeva will protect your rear, on a chariot yoked to Sugriva.”28 In this battle, I have chosen Vasudeva as my aide, in preference to the great Indra, with the vajra in his hand. I have obtained Krishna so as to slay the dasyus. But I think the gods have ordained this for me. Though he has resolved not to fight, a man whom Krishna wishes to triumph will be victorious over all his enemies, be they Indra with the gods, or men. There is no need to worry. One who wishes to defeat the brave and spirited Vasudeva Krishna in a battle is like one who desires to swim across the ocean, the great store of immeasurable waters, with his bare arms. Mount Shveta is high and lofty with rocks and it is like trying to shatter it with one’s arms. The hands, with their nails, will be split. But nothing will happen to the mountain. Instead of vanquishing Vasudeva in battle, one should try to pacify a blazing fire with one’s hands, restrain the sun and the moon, or rob the gods of amrita. Alone on a chariot, he destroyed the kingdom of the king and abducted Rukmini of Bhoja.29 He obtained a resplendent and famous wife and she bore him the great-souled Roukmineya.30 Having defeated all of Nagnajit’s sons, he spiritedly churned Gandhara and forcibly freed Sudarshaniya, beloved of the gods, from bondage.31 He killed Pandya by striking him on the chest.32 He vanquished the Kalingas in Dantakura. He burnt down the city of Varanasi, which remained for many years without a protector.33 He was challenged by Ekalavya, the king of Nishadha, who was thought to be invincible. But Krishna killed him and robbed him of his life, forcefully smashing him against a rock, like Jambha.34 With Baladeva as a second, he killed Ugrasena’s extremely wicked son,35 who was radiant in the midst of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, and returned the kingdom to Ugrasena. He battled Soubha, which travelled in the sky, and the terrible King Shalva, who used maya.36 At Soubha’s gates, he grasped the one who had killed one hundred.37 Is there any mortal one who can withstand him? There was the terrible and impregnable fortress city Pragjyotisha of the asuras. The extremely strong Naraka, born of the earth, stole Aditi’s beautiful and bejewelled earrings. Together with Shakra, the gods tried to get them back. But they could not match him, and fled, terrified. However, they witnessed Keshava’s valour and strength and his irresistible weapons. Knowing Keshava’s true nature, they entrusted Krishna with the task of killing the dasyus.38 Vasudeva pledged to perform that extremely difficult task, since he possessed the wealth of success. Piercing with lances and striking with razors, he killed six thousand in Nirmochana. He killed Mura and he killed rakshasa warriors. Then the brave one entered Nirmochana. There, a great battle took place between the immensely strong one39 and the even stronger Vishnu. He was killed by Krishna and was robbed of his life. He was like a karnikara tree uprooted by the wind. Having regained the bejewelled earrings, having killed the earth-born Naraka and Mura, the wise one was surrounded by prosperity and fame. The one with the unmatched power returned. On witnessing the terrible deed he had wrought in battle, the gods then granted him boons. “When you battle, you will not be overtaken by fatigue. You will face no impediments in the sky and in the water. Weapons will never penetrate your body.” Krishna was gratified at these. The immensely strong and immeasurable Vasudeva is like this. He always possesses the qualities. Vishnu is unassailable and infinitely valorous. Dhritarashtra’s son wishes to vanquish him. Though the evil-souled one doubts him, looking towards us, he40 has ignored it. If he thinks that he will be able to engender a quarrel between Krishna and me and make it flourish, and thus become capable of robbing the Pandavas, he will know what is true when he goes to war.

  ‘“‘I convey my respects to the king who is Shantanu’s son, to Drona and his son, and to the unrivalled son of Sharadvat.41 Wishing to obtain the kingdom, I will fight them. I think that dharma will direct weapons at those who fight against the Pandavas, who have conducted themselves in accordance with dharma. The sons of Pandu were vanquished through deceit by violent ones an
d have waited for a long period of twelve years, spending a life of hardship, as promised, in the forest. We have lived one year of concealment. While the Pandavas are still alive, how can the sons of Dhritarashtra suddenly rob them of their station? If they conquer us in a battle, with the gods headed by Indra as aides, the practice of adharma will be superior to that of dharma. Then it will be certain that being virtuous is pointless. If he thinks that a man is not bound down by his deeds, and if he does not think that we are superior to him, then, with Vasudeva as a second, I hope to kill Duryodhana and his companions. If a man is tied down by his karma, and even if a man is not tied down by his own karma, looking towards both of these possibilities, the defeat of Dhritarashtra’s son is proper. O Kurus! I am telling you what is evident. The sons of Dhritarashtra will be destroyed in this war. If the Kurus seek to attain their objectives without a war and if they do not fight, they will then survive. Having killed the sons of Dhritarashtra and Karna, I will conquer the entire kingdom of the Kurus. Do whatever you can, according to your capacity. With your wives and your sons, enjoy whatever is sweet. There are aged brahmanas among us. They are extremely learned, and possess virtuous conduct and noble lineage. They are acquainted with the astrology of the years and are certain about the knowledge of the nakshatras, the high and low of the mysteries of destiny, divine questions, mrigachakra42 and muhurtas. They have predicted the victory of the Pandavas and the great destruction of the Kurus and the Srinjayas.43 Ajatashatru44 already thinks that success has been obtained in defeating our enemies. Janardana, lion among the Vrishnis, knows what is hidden and does not see any reason for doubt. Without being distracted, I myself know and see the shape of the future. My ancient foresight has not suffered. The sons of Dhritarashtra will die in this war. The Gandiva bow yawns without being touched. Without being touched, the strings of the bow shudder. The arrows jump out from the mouths of the quivers and repeatedly wish to fly out at every instant. My happy steel45 emerges from its scabbard, like a snake that has discarded its old skin. Terrible voices are heard from my standard, “O Kiriti! When will your chariot be yoked?” Crowds of jackals are howling in the night. Rakshasas fall down from the firmament. Deer, jackals, white-necked ones,46 crows, vultures, cranes and hyenas are emerging. On seeing my chariot yoked with the white steeds, birds47 are flying at the back. I will alone shower down arrows and convey the warrior kings to the world of the dead. I will separately despatch each weapon along its route, like a fire that consumes a forest during the summer—Sthunakarna, the terrible Pashupata and Brahmastra48—all of which were given to me by Shakra. I will swiftly release them for the sake of slaying. No remnants will be left of any of the beings. I will obtain peace and supreme bliss. O son of Gavalgana!49 Tell them that is my firm resolution. Look at the delusion of Dhritarashtra’s son. He seeks to quarrel with those who have always been his aides when he has confronted his enemies, even if the gods, with Indra at the forefront, were on their side.50 Shantanu’s son, the aged Bhishma, Kripa, Drona and his son and the intelligent Vidura—all of them have said this. Let it be that way. Let all the Kurus enjoy long lives.’”’