YANASANDHI PARVA: Chapter 60

The speech of Dhritarashtra

वैशम्पायन उवाच संजयस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्जनेश्वरः। ततः संख्यातुमारेभे तद्वचो गुणदोषतः॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing the words of Sanjaya, then that lord of men having eyes of wisdom then commenced to count the merits and defects of that speech.

प्रसंख्याय च सौक्ष्म्येण गुणदोषान् विचक्षणः। यथावन्मतितत्त्वेन जयकामः सुतान् प्रति॥ बलाबलं विनिश्चित्य याथातथ्येन बुद्धिमान्। शक्ति संख्यातुमारेभे तदा वै मनुजाधिपः॥
Having skillfully counted the merits and defeats as far as in his power that wise and intelligent king of men, desirous of victory for his sons and having ascertained the strength and weakness of both parties by suitable means, commanded counting the army of each.

देवमानुषयोः शक्त्या तेजसा चैव पाण्डवान्। कुरून् शक्त्याल्पतरया दुर्योधनमथाब्रवीत्॥
And having concluded that the Pandavas had strength and prowess, both human and divine on, their side and that the Kurus were weaker in strength, he said to Duryodhana!

दुर्योधनेयं चिन्ता मे शश्वन्न व्युपशाम्यति। सत्यं ह्येतदहं मन्ये प्रत्यक्षं नानुमानतः॥
O Duryodhana, this thought never leaves my mind; it is very true that I see with my own eyes and do not infer it from my imagination.

आत्मजेषु पुरं स्नेहं सर्वभूतानि कुर्वते। प्रियाणि चैषां कुर्वन्ति यथाशक्ति हितानि च॥
All creatures have excessive affection for their offsprings; and they also do what is agreeable to the latter to the best of their power and also what leads to their good.

एवमेवोपकर्तृणां प्रायशो लक्षयामहे। इच्छान्ति बहुलं सन्तः प्रतिकर्तुं महत् प्रियम्॥
The same is also seen in benefactors generally. Good men always have a great inclination to repay the great good done them and to do what is highly agreeable to their benefactors.

अग्निः साचिव्यकर्ता स्यात् खाण्डवे तत्कृतं स्मरन्। अर्जुनस्यापि भीमेऽस्मिनं कुरुपाण्डुसमागमे॥
Agni, recollecting the doings of Arjuna at Khandava, will help him and Bhima in this vas.

जातिगृद्ध्याभिपन्नाश्च पाण्डवानामनेकशः। धर्मादयः समेष्यन्ति समाहूता दिवौकसः॥
Out of affection for those born of them Dharma and many other dwellers of the heaven will, when invoked, come on the side of the Pandavas.

भीष्मद्रोणकृपादीनां भयादशनिसंनिभम्। रिरक्षिषन्तः संरम्भं गमिष्यन्तीति मे मतिः॥
Desirous of protecting them from the fear of Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and others they will be filled with wrath equal to the thunderbolt (in its effects).

ते देवैः सहिताः पार्था न शक्याः प्रतिवीक्षितुम्। मानुषेण नरव्याघ्रा वीर्यवन्तोऽस्त्रपारगाः॥
The sons of Pritha, those heroic tigers among men, capable of using the weapons, united with the gods, will be incapable of being even gazed at by a human being.

दुरासदं यस्य दिव्यं गाण्डीवं धनुरुत्तमम्। वारुणौ चाक्षयौ दिव्यौ शरपूर्णी महेषुधी॥ वानस्श्च ध्वजो दिव्यो निःसङ्गो धूमवद्गतिः। रथश्च चतुरन्तायां यस्य नास्ति समः क्षितौ।॥ महामेघनिभश्चापि निर्घोषः श्रूयते जनैः। महाशनिसमः शब्दः शात्रवाणां भयंकरः॥ यं चातिमानुषं वीर्ये कृत्स्नो लोको व्यवस्यति। देवानामपि जेतारं यं विदुः पार्थिवा रणे॥ शतानि पञ्च चैवेषून् यो गृह्णन् नैव दृश्यते। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण मुञ्चन् दूरं च पातयन्॥ यमाह भीष्मो द्रोणश्च कृपो द्रौणिस्तथैव च। मद्रराजस्तथा शल्यो मध्यस्था ये च मानवाः॥ युद्धायावस्थितं पार्थं पार्थिवैरतिमानुषैः। अशक्यं नरशार्दूलं पराजेतुमरिंदमम्॥ क्षिपत्येकेन वेगेन पञ्च बाणशतानि यः। सदृशं बाहुवीर्येण कार्तवीर्यस्य पाण्डवम्॥ तमर्जुनं महेष्वासं महेन्द्रोपेन्द्रविक्रमम्। निघ्नन्तमिव पश्यामि विमर्देऽस्मिन् महाहवे॥
He who has the excellent and invincible Gandiva bow and two inexhaustible arrow holders of heavenly make and always filled with shafts, he who has the figure of a monkey on his heavenly banner which can proceed as smoothly as a column of smoke and whose car has no equal in the earth, bounded by the four seas and the sound of which is heard by men, similar to the roaring of a large mass of clouds and which, like death itself, frightens the enemy. He who is known in this world as of superhuman strength and he who is known by the rulers of the earth as the victor over the gods even in battle, he, who unnoticed by others takes up five hundred arrows and but in a moment shoots them and makes them fall at a distance, he, who is said by Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and the son of Drona and by Shalya the king of Madras and by all disinterested persons, to be invisible by superhuman rulers of the earth when standing on the field of battle, as a tiger arnong car-warriors and a subduer of enemies, he at one effort shoots five hundred arrows and in strength of arms is equal to Kartavirya. In this great battle do I see that great bowmen Arjuna equal in might to Indra united with Upendra working havoc.

इत्येवं चिन्तयत् कृत्स्नमहोरात्राणि भारत। अनिद्रो निःसुखश्चास्मि कुरूणां शमचिन्तया॥
Thinking this day and night, O Bharata, am I sleepless and unhappy through anxiety for the good of the Kurus.

क्षयोदयोऽयं सुमहान् कुरूणां प्रत्युपस्थितः। अस्त चेत् कलहस्यान्तः शमादन्यो न विद्यते॥ शमो मे रोचते नित्यं पार्थस्तात न विग्रहः। कुरुभ्यो हि सदा मन्ये पाण्डवान् शक्तिमत्तरान्॥
A great cause of the destruction of the Kurus is now come. If there is no other means of an end to this quarrel, than peace, peace seems desirable to me and not war with the sons of Pritha. I have ever been of opinion that the Pandavas are possessed of greater strength than the Kurus.