Sauptika Parva: Chapter 2

.-CONTD. Kripa's reply promising to help Ashvatthaman if the latter would fight the next morning

कृप उवाच श्रुतं ते वचनं सर्वं यद् यदुक्तं त्वया विभो। ममापि तु वचः किंचिच्छृणुष्वाद्य महाभुजा. १॥
Kripa Said “We have heard all that you have said, O powerful one! Listen, now, to a few words of mine, O mighty-armed one!

आबद्धा मानुषाः सर्वे निबद्धाः कर्मणोर्द्वयोः। दैवे पुरुषकारे च परं ताभ्यां न विद्यते॥
All men are subjected to, and governed by, these two forces, viz., Destiny and Manliness. There is nothing superior to these two.

न हि दैवेन सिध्यन्ति कार्याण्येकेन सत्तम। न चापि कर्मणैकेन द्वाभ्यां सिद्धस्तु योगतः॥
Success is not the out come of destiny alone nor of manliness alone, O best of men! Success results from the union of the two.

ताभ्यामुभाभ्यां सर्वार्था निबद्धा अधमोत्तमाः। प्रवृत्ताश्चैव दृश्यन्ते निवृत्ताश्चैव सर्वशः॥
All objects great and low, result from a union of those two. In the whole world, it is through these two that men either actor abstain.

पर्जन्यः पर्वते वर्षन् किन्नु साधयते फलम्। कृष्ट क्षेत्रे तथा वर्षन् किन्न साधयते फलम्॥
No result is produced by the clouds pouring upon a mountain. But mighty results are produced by their pouring upon a cultivated field.

उत्थानं चाप्यदैवस्य ह्यनुत्थानं च दैवतम्। ब्र्यं भवति सर्वत्र पूर्वस्तत्र विनिश्चयः॥
Manliness, where destiny is not auspicious, and want of manliness, where destiny is auspicious, both these are fruitless. What I have said before (about the union of the two) is all true.

सुवृष्टे च यथा देवे सम्यक् क्षेत्रे च कर्षिते। बीजं महागुणं भूयात् तथा सिद्धिर्हि मानुषी॥
If the rains properly moisten a wellcultivated field the seed produces great results. Such is hymen success.

तयोर्दैवं विनिश्चित्य स्वयं चैव प्रवर्तते। प्राज्ञाः पुरुषकारेषु वर्तन्ते दाक्ष्यमाश्रिताः॥
Sometimes, having settled a course of events, destiny acts of itself. For all that, the wise, always take recourse to manliness.

ताभ्यां सर्वे हि कार्यार्था मनुष्याणां नरर्षभ। विचेष्टन्तः स्म दृश्यन्ते निवृत्तास्तु तथैव च।॥
All human acts, O foremost of men, are accomplished by the aid of these two together. Influenced by these two, men either actor abstain.

कृतः पुरुषकारश्च सोऽपि दैवेन सिध्यति। तथास्य कर्मणः कर्तुरभिनिवर्तते फलम्॥
Recourse may be had to manliness. But manliness succeeds through destiny. By the influence of destiny one who sets himself to work, attain to success.

उत्थानं च मनुष्याणां दक्षाणां दैववर्जितम्। अफलं दृश्यते लोके सम्यगप्युपपादितम्॥
The exertion, however, of even a capable man, even when well-directed, is, without the help of destiny, seen to be fruitless in the world.

तत्रालसा मनुष्याणां ये भवन्त्यमनस्विनः। उत्थानं ते विगर्हन्ति प्राज्ञानां तन्न रोचते॥
Idle and dull men in this world disapprove of manliness. This, however, is not the view of the wise.

प्रायशो हि कृतं कर्म नाफलं दृश्यते भुवि। अकृत्वा च पुनर्दुःखं कर्म पश्येन्महाफलम्॥
Generally no act ever becomes fruitless in the world. The want manliness again produces grave misery.

चेष्टामकुर्वल्लभते यदि किंचिद् यदृच्छया। यो वा न लभते कृत्वा दुर्दर्शी तावुभावपि॥
There is hardly seen a person who obtains something of itself without haying made any exertion, as also one who does not obtain anything even after exertion.

शक्नोति जीवितुं दक्षो नालसः सुखमेधते। दृश्यन्ते जीवलोकेऽस्मिन् दक्षाः प्रायो हितैषिणः॥ १५
One who is active is capable of supporting life. He, who is idle, is always unhappy. It is generally seen in this world that active men are always inspired by the desire of earning good.

यदि दक्षः समारम्भात् कर्मणो नाश्नुते फलम्। नास्य वाच्यं भवेत् किंचिल्लब्धव्यं वाधिगच्छति॥
If an active man succeeds in gaining his object or fails to obtain the fruit of his acts, he does not become the but of censure in any way. one

अकृत्वा कर्म यो लोके फलं विन्दति धिष्ठितः। स तु वक्तव्यतां याति द्वेष्यो भवति भूयशः॥
If, however, any in the world luxuriously enjoys the fruits of action without exerting for the same, he generally incurs ridicule and becomes an object of hatred.

एवमेतदनादृत्य वर्तते यस्त्वतोऽन्यथा। स करोत्यात्मनोऽनर्थानेष बुद्धिमतां नयः॥
He, who, neglecting this rule about action, liveth otherwise, is said to injure himself. This is the opinion held by the intelligent.

हीनं पुरुषकारेण यदि दैवेन वा पुनः। कारणाभ्यामथैताभ्यामुत्थानमफलं भवेत्॥
Exertion generally becomes fruitless, because of these reasons, viz., destiny without manliness, and manliness without destiny.

हीनं पुरुषकारेण कर्म त्विह न सिद्ध्यति। दैवतेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य यस्त्वर्थान् सम्यगीहते॥ दक्षो दाक्षिण्यसम्पन्नो न स मोधैर्विहन्यते।
Without manliness, no act in this world becomes successful. An active and clever man however, who, having bowed down to the celestials, seeks to achieve his object, is never lost.

सम्यगीहा पुनरियं यो वृद्धानुपसेवते॥ आपृच्छति च यच्छ्रेयः करोति च हितं वचः।
Similarly a person is crowned with success, who duly waits upon the aged, asks of them what is for his food, and obeys their good advice.

उत्थायोत्थाय हि सदा प्रष्टव्या वृद्धसम्मताः॥ ते स्म योगे परं मूलं तन्मूला सिद्धिरुच्यते।
One engaged in a work should seek the advice of those approved by the aged. These men are the means, and success depends on means.

वृद्धानां वचनं श्रुत्वा योऽभ्युत्थानं प्रयोजयेत्॥ उत्थानस्य फलं सम्यक् तदा स लभतेऽचिरात्।
He who exert after listening to the words of the old, soon reaps abundant fruits.

रागात् क्रोधाद् भयाल्लोभाद् योऽर्थानीहति मानवः॥ अनीशचावमानी च स शीघ्रं भ्रश्यते श्रियः।
He, who, without reverence and respect for persons competent to give him good advice, seeks to accomplish his object under the influence of anger, fear, and avarice, soon loses his prosperity.

सोऽयं दुर्योधनेनार्थो लुब्धेनादीर्घदर्शिना॥ असमर्थ्य समारब्धो मूढत्वादविचिन्ततः।
Moved his covetousness and deprived of foresight, this Duryodhana had, without taking advice, foolishly sought the accomplishment of an ill-formed object.

हितबुद्धीननादृत्य सम्मन्त्रसाधुभिः सह॥ वार्यमाणोऽकरोद् वैरं पाण्डवैर्गुणवत्तरैः।
Disregarding all his well-wishers and under the advice of only the evil-minded, he had, though dissuaded, created enmities with the Pandavas, who are his superiors in all good qualities.

पूर्वमप्यतिदुःशीलो न धैर्यं कर्तुमर्हति॥ तपत्यर्थे विपन्ने हि मित्राणां न कृतं वचः।
He had, from the very commencement been very wicked. He could not check himself. He did not satisfy the wishes of friends. For all that, he is now sunk in grief and calamity.

अनुवर्तामहे यत्तु तं वयं पापपूरुषम्॥ अस्मानप्यनयस्तस्मात् प्राप्तोऽयं दारुणो महान्।
Regarding ourselves, since we have followed that sinful wretch, this great calamity has, therefore befallen us.

अनेन तु ममाद्यापि व्यसनेनोपतापिता॥ बुद्धिश्चिन्तयते किंचित् स्वं श्रेयो नावबुद्ध्यते।
This great calamity has burnt my good sense. Plunged in thought I fail to see what is for our good.

मुह्यता तु मनुष्येण प्रष्टव्याः सुहृदो जनाः॥ तत्रास्य बुद्धिर्विनयस्तत्र श्रेयश्च पश्यति।
A man that is beside himself should seek the advice of his friends. In friends consists his understanding, his humility and his prosperity.

ततोऽस्य मूलं कार्याणां बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य वै बुधाः॥३१ तेऽत्र पृष्टा यथा ब्रूयुस्तत् कर्तव्यं तथा भवेत्।
His actions should be guided by them. He should do which his intelligent friends, having settled by their understanding, should advise.

ते वयं धृतराष्ट्रं च गान्धारी च समेत्य ह॥ उपपृच्छामहे गत्वा विदुरं च महामतिम्।
Let us, therefore, repair to Dhritarashtra and gandhari and the great Vidura, and ask them as what we should do.

ते पृष्टास्तु वदेयुर्यच्छ्रेयो नः समनन्तरम्॥ तदस्माभिः पुनः कार्यमिति मे नैष्ठिकी मतिः।
Asked by us, they will advice us regarding our good. We should do what they say, this is my resolution.

अनारम्भात् तु कार्याणां नार्थः सम्पद्यते क्वचित्॥ कृते पुरुषकारे तु येषां कार्यं न सिद्ध्यति। दैवेनोपहतास्ते तु नात्र कार्या विचारणा॥
Those men whose acts do not succeed even after the exertion, should, forsooth, be regarded as afflicted by destiny."