None: Chapter 48

The lamentation of Dhritarashtra

जनमेजय उवाच अत्यद्भुतमिदं कर्म पार्थस्यामितेजसः। धृतराष्ट्रो महाप्राज्ञः श्रुत्वा विप्र किमब्रवीत्॥
Janamejaya said : These acts of the immeasurably effulgent Partha (Arjuna) are (no doubt) wonderful. O Brahmana, what did greatly wise Dhritarashtra say on hearing (all this)?

वैशम्पायन उवाच शक्रलोकगतं पार्थं श्रुत्वा राजाम्बिकासुतः। द्वैपायनादृषिश्रेष्ठात् संजयं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having heard from the foremost of Rishis, Krishna Dvaipayana, that Partha (Arjuna) had gone to the abode of Indra, the son of Ambika, the king Dhritarashtra, thus spoke to Sanjaya.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच श्रुतं मे सूत कात्स्न्र्येन कर्म पार्थस्यधीमतः। कच्चित् तवापि विदितं याथातथ्येन सारथे॥
Dhritarashtra said : O charioteer, O Suta, do you know in detail the acts of the wise Arjuna which I have heard from the beginning to end?

प्रमत्तो ग्राम्यधर्मेषु मन्दात्मा पापनिश्चयः। मम पुत्रः सुदुर्बुद्धिः पृथिवीं घातयिष्यति॥
Mad in performing acts of the most vulgar kind, my wicked-minded and ever sinful son of wicked policies will destroy the earth.

यस्य नित्यमृता वाचः स्वैरेष्वपि महात्मनः। त्रैलोक्यमपि तस्य स्याद् योद्धा यस्यधनंजयः॥
That high-souled one (Yudhishthira) whose words are ever true and who has Dhananjaya (Arjuna) to fight for him will certainly conquer the three worlds.

अस्यतः कर्णिनाराचांसतीक्ष्णाग्रांश्च शिलाशितान्। कोऽर्जुनस्याग्रतस्तिष्ठेदपि मृत्युर्जरातिगः॥
Is there any one who is even beyond the influence of death and decrepitude, that will be able to stand before Arjuna when he will shower his barbed and sharp-pointed arrows sharpened on the stone?

मम पुत्रा दुरात्मानः सर्वे मृत्युवशानुगाः। येषां युद्धं दुराधर्षेः पाण्डवैः प्रत्युपस्थितम्॥
My wicked-minded sons, who will have to fight with the invincible Pandavas are all under the influence of Death.

तथैव च न पश्यामि युधि गाण्डीवधन्वनः। अनिशं चिन्तयानोऽपि य एनमुदियाद् रथी।॥
Reflecting day and night I do not see amongst us that warrior who will be able to stand in battle before the wielder of the Gandiva (Arjuna).

द्रोणकर्णी प्रतीयातां यदि भीष्मोऽपि वा रणे। महान् स्यात् संशयो लोके तत्र पश्यामि नो जयम्।९॥
Even if Drona, Karna or Bhishma advance against him in battle, there will befall a great calamity over the world. But I do not see even there any chance of our Victory.

घृणी कर्णः प्रमादी च आचार्यः स्थविरो गुरुः। अमर्षी बलवान् पार्थः संरम्भी दृढविक्रमः॥ सम्भवेत् तुमुलं युद्धं सर्वशोऽप्यपराजितम्। सर्वे शस्त्रविदः शूराः सर्वं प्राप्ता महद् यशः॥
Karna is kind and forgetful, the preceptor (Drona) is old and he is (also Arjuna's) tutor. But Arjuna is wrathful, strong, proud and greatly powerful. As all these heroes are invincible, all skilled in weapons and all illustrious, a fearful battle will take place between thein.

अपि सर्वेश्वरत्वं हि ते वाञ्छन्त्यपराजिताः। वधे नूनं भवेच्छान्तिरेतेषां फाल्गुनस्य वा॥
They will not desire even the sovereignty of the whole world, if it is at all to be had by defeat; peace will be established only at the death of either of these (Bhishma etc.) or Falguni (Arjuna).

न तु हन्तार्जुनस्यास्ति जेता वास्य न विद्यते। मन्युस्तस्य कथं शाम्येन्मन्दान् प्रति समुत्थितः॥
But he, who will be able to kill Arjuna, does not exist, nor even he who will defeat him. How shall that wrath of his which has myself for its object be appeased?

त्रिदशेशसमो वीरः खाण्डवेऽग्निमतर्पयत्। जिगाय पार्थिवान् सर्वान् राजसूये महाक्रतौ॥
That hero, equal to the lord of the celestials gratified Agni at Khandava. He vanquished all the rulers of the earth at the time of the great Rajasuya sacrifice.

शेषं कुर्याद् गिरेर्वज्रो निपतन् मूर्ध्नि संजय। न तु कुर्युः शराः शेषं क्षिप्तास्तात किरीटिना॥
O Sanjaya, O child, even the thunderbolt, that falls on the mountain peak, leaves a portion unburnt, but the arrows, shot by Kirti (Arjuna) do not leave anything behind.

यथा हि किरणा भानोस्तपन्तीह चराचरम्। तथा पार्थभुजोत्सृष्टाः शरास्तप्यन्ति मत्सुतान्॥
As the rays of the sun scorch mobile and immobile universe, so will the arrows, shot by the arins of Partha, scorch all my sons.

अपि तद्रथघोषेण भयार्ता सव्यसाचिनः। प्रतिभाति विदीर्णेव सर्वतो भारती चमूः॥
It seems to me that the Chamus (armies) of the Bharatas have already run away in all directions, being terrified at the clatter of Arjuna's chariot wheels.

यदोद्वहन् प्रवपंश्चैव बाणान् स्थाताऽऽततायी समरे किरीटी। सृष्टोऽन्तकः सर्वहरो विधात्रा भवेद् यथा तद्वदपारणीयः॥
Vidhata (creator) has created Kirti (Arjuna) as our all-destroying, destroyer. He stands as a foe in the battle, scattering and vomiting swarms of arrows. Who is there that will defeat him?