GOHARANA PARVA: Chapter 30

The going of Susharma and others to Matsya country

वैशम्पायन उवाच अथ राजा त्रिगर्तानां सुशर्मा रथयूथपः। प्राप्तकालमिदं वाक्यमुवाच त्वरितो बली॥ असकृनिकृताः पूर्वं मत्स्यशाल्वेयकैः प्रभो। सूतेनैव च मत्स्यस्य कीचकेन पुनः पुनः॥
Vaishampayana said Vanquished repeatedly by the Matsya king's charioteer, Kichaka, backed by other Matsya's, the powerful king of Trigartas, Susharma, owning many cars, gave vent to the following words at the opportune moment.

बाधितो बन्धुभिः सार्धं बलाद् बलवता विभो। स कर्णमभ्युदीक्ष्याथ दुर्योधनमभाषत॥
O King of the powerful, being forcibly defeated along with his relatives, he, looking askance at Karna, said to Duryodhana.

असकृन्मत्स्यराज्ञा मे राष्ट्र बाधितमोजसा। प्रणेता कीचकस्तस्य बलवानभवत् पुरा॥
My kingdom has been again and again forcibly invaded by the king of Matsya's. Formerly the mighty Kichaka was his general.

क्रूरोऽमर्षी स दुष्टात्मा भुवि प्रख्यातविक्रमः। निहतः स तु गन्धर्वैः पापकर्मा नृशंसवान्॥
Crooked, wrathful, wicked-minded, having his powers kuown all over the world, that crucl and vicious one has been slain by the Gandharvas.

तस्मिन् विनिहते राजा हतदर्पो निराश्रयः। भविष्यति निरुत्साहो विराट इति मे पतिः॥
He being slain, the king Virata, me-thinks, shorn of pride an refugc, will lose energy.

तत्र यात्रा मम मता यदि ते रोचतेऽनघ। कौरवाणां च सर्वेषां कर्णस्य च महात्मनः॥
I think, O sinless one, we should go there, if it pleases you as well as all the Kauravas and the high-souled Karna.

एतत् प्राप्तमहं मन्ये कार्यमात्ययिकं हि नः। राष्ट्रं तस्याभियास्यामो बहुधान्यसमाकुलम्॥
I consider, this accident, which has occurred, as favorable to us. Let us all go to his kingdom abounding in corn.

आददामोऽस्य रत्नानि विविधानि वसूनि च। ग्रामान राष्ट्राणि वा तस्य हरिष्यामो विभागशः॥
We will all take his various jewels and wealth and divide amongst ourselves his villages and provinces.

अथवा गोसहस्राणि शुभानि च बहूनि च। विविधानि हरिष्यामः प्रतिपीड्य पुरं बलात्॥
Invading his city by force we shall carry away his thousands of excellent kine of varicus kinds.

कौरवैः सह संगत्य त्रिगर्तेश्च विशाम्पते। गास्तस्यापहरामोऽद्य सर्वेश्चैव सुसंहताः॥
O emperor, uniting the Kaurava army with Trigarta, we will today carry away his collections of kine with all.

निबनीमोऽस्य पौरुषम्। हत्वा चास्य चमूं कृत्स्नां वशमेवानयामहे॥
Arranging our army we shall destroy his manliness; or completely destroying his army we shall bring him under our subjection.

तं वशे न्यायतः कृत्वा सुखं वत्स्यामहे वयम्। भवतां बलवृद्धिश्च भविष्यति न संशयः॥
Having brought him under our control by lawful means we shall live happily in our kingdom and undoubtedly your power shall increase.

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कर्णो राजानमब्रवीत्। सूक्तं सुशर्मणा वाक्यं प्राप्तकालं हितं च नः॥ संविभागेन कृत्वा तु
Hearing those words Karna said to the king Susharman has spoken well; it is a good opportunity and is likely to be beneficial to us.

तस्मात् क्षिप्रं विनिर्यामो योजयित्वा वरूथिनीम्। विभज्य चाप्यनीकानि यथा वा मन्यसेऽनघ॥
If you like, O sinless one, we shall speedily issue out by collecting our forces and arranging them in divisions.

प्राज्ञो वा कुरुवृद्धोऽयं सर्वेषां नः पितामहः। आचार्यश्च यथा द्रोणः कृपः शारद्वतस्तथा। मन्यन्ते ते यथा सर्वे तथा यात्रा विधीयताम्॥
Or so arrange the expedition, as is liked by Sharadvata's son Kripa, the preceptor Drona and the wise and the aged grand-father of the Kurus; O king of the earth, consulting with each other we shall speedily start to gainour end.

सम्मन्त्र्य चाशु गच्छामः साधनार्थं महीपतेः। किं च नः पाण्डवैः कार्यं हीनार्थबलपौरुषैः॥
What business have we with the Pandavas who have been shorn of wealth, army and manliness. They have either gone away for good or repaired to the abode of Yama.

अत्यन्तं वा प्रणष्टास्ते प्राप्ता वापि यमक्षयम्। यामो राजन् निरुद्विग्ना विराटनगरं वयम्। आदास्यामो हि गास्तस्य विविधानि वसूनि च॥
Shorn of anxiety, O king, we will repair to the city of Virata and bring his kine and diverse wealth.

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो दुर्योधनो राजा वाक्यमादाय तस्य तत्। वैकर्तनस्य कर्णस्य क्षिप्रमाज्ञापयत् स्वयम्॥ शासने नित्यसंयुक्तं दुःशासनमनन्तरम्। सह वृद्धस्तु सम्मन्त्र्य क्षिप्रं योजय वाहिनीम्॥
Vaishampayana said Thereupon accepting the words of Karna, the son of Vikartana, the king Duryodhana, himself speedily commanded Dushasana, born immediately after him, and always obeying his behest: “Consulting with our elders, arrange our army without any delay."

ते यथोद्देशं च गच्छामः सहितास्तत्र कौरवैः। सुशर्मा च यथोद्दिष्टं देशं यातु महारथः।
We, with all the Kauravas will go to the place, appointed. Let the mighty car-warrior Susharma also go as commanded.

त्रिगर्तेः सहितो राजा समग्रबलवानहः॥ प्रागेव हि सुसंवीतो मत्स्यस्य विषयं प्रति।
Accompanied by Trigartas and the entire army and conveyances to the kingdom of Matsya concealing his intention.

जघन्यतो वयं तत्र यास्यामो दिवसान्तरे! विषयं मत्स्यराजस्य सुसमृद्धं सुसंहताः॥
Following them, we will start the next day, well-prepared, for the prosperous territory of the king of Matsya's.

यान्तु सहितास्तत्र विराटनगरं प्रति। क्षिप्रं गोपान् समासाद्य गृह्णन्तु विपुलं धनम्॥
Let them with (Trigarta) go to the city of Virata and securing speedily his kine, let them take his immense wealth.

गवां शतसहस्राणि श्रीमन्ति गुणवन्ति च। वयमप्यनुगृहीमो द्विधा कृत्वा वरूथिनीम्॥
Going there in two detachments we will also take his thousand excellent kine endued with all qualities.

वैशम्पायन उवाच ते स्म गत्वा यथोद्दिष्टां दिशं वह्वेर्महीपते। संनद्धा रथिनः सर्वे सपदाता बलोत्कटाः॥ प्रति वैरं चिकीर्षन्तो गोषु गृद्धा महाबलाः। आदातुं गा: सुशर्माथ कृष्णपक्षस्य सप्तमीम्॥ अपरे दिवसे सर्वे राजन् सम्भूय कौरवाः। अष्टम्यां ते न्यगृह्णन्त गोकुलानि सहस्रशः॥
king, those heroes, Trigartas, accompanied by their terribly powerful infantry, proceeded towards the south east। wishing to fight with Virata in order to take possession of his kine. Susharma also started on the dark half of the month. Then on the day following the Kauravas, accompanied by their army, began to seize kine by thousands.