SAUPTIKA PARVA: Chapter 4

.—Contd. Kripa promises to help Ashvatthaman and speaks of the latter's resolution

कृप उवाच दिष्ट्या ते प्रतिकर्तव्य मतिर्जातेयमच्युत। न त्वं वारयितुं शक्तो वज्रपाणिरपि स्वयम्॥
Kripa Said “By good luck, O you of great glory, your heart is bent to-day on vengeance! The holder of the thunder himself will not succeed in dissuading you to-day.

अनुयास्यावहे त्वां तु प्रभाते सहितावुभौ। अद्य रात्रौ विश्रमस्व विमुक्तकवचध्वजः॥ अहं त्वामनुयास्यामि कृतवर्मा च सात्वतः। परानभिमुखं यान्तं रथावास्थाय दंशितौ॥
Both of us, however, shall accompany you in the morning putting off armours and taking down your standard rest for this night. I shall, clad in mail and riding on our cars, accompany you as also Kritavarman of the Satwata race, while you will proceed against the foe.

आवाभ्यां सहितः शत्रूश्वो निहन्ता समागमे। विक्रम्य रथिनां श्रेष्ठ पञ्चालान् सपदानुगान्॥
United with ourselves, you will kill the enemy, viz., the Panchalas will all their followers, tomorrow in battle, displaying your prowess, O best of car-warriors.

शक्तस्त्वमसि विक्रम्य विश्रमस्व निशामिमाम्। चिरं ते जाग्रत स्तात स्वप तावन्निशामिमाम्॥
If you display your energy your quite competent to achieve that feat! Take rest, therefore, for this night. You have kept us many a night.

विश्रान्तश्च विनिद्रश्च स्वस्थचित्तश्च मानद। समेत्य समरे शत्रून् वधिष्यसि न संशयः॥
Having rested and slept, and having become quite refreshed, O giver of honours, meet the cnemy in battle! Forsooth, you will kill then the enemy.

न हि त्वं रथिनां श्रेष्ठं प्रगृहीतवरायुधम्। जेतुमुत्सहते शश्वदपि देवेषु वासवः॥
No one, not even Vasava amongst the celestials, would venture to defeat you armed with best of weapons, O foremost of carwarriors.

कृपेण सहितं यान्तं गुप्तं च कृतवर्मणा। को द्रौणिं युधि संरब्धं योधयेदपि देवराट्॥
Who is there that would, even if he be the king of the gods himself, fight Drona's son when the latter goes, accompanied by Kripa and protected by Kritavarman.

ते वयं निशि विश्रान्ता विनिद्रा विगतज्वराः। प्रभातायां रजन्यां वै निहनिष्याम शात्रवान्॥
Therefore, having rested and slept this night, and removed fatigue, we shall kill the foe tomorrow morning.

तव शस्त्राणि दिव्यानि मम चैव न संशयः। सात्वतोऽपि महेष्वासो नित्यं युद्धेषु कोविदः॥
You are a master of celestial weapons. I also am so. This hero of Satvata's race is a great bowman, always skilled in battle.

ते वयं सहितास्तात सर्वाशत्रून् समागतान्। प्रसह्य समरे हत्वा प्रीतिं प्राप्स्याम पुष्कलाम्॥ विश्रमस्व त्वमव्यग्रः स्वप चेमां निशां सुखम्।
All of us, in a body, O son, shall succeed in killing our assembled foes in battle by displaying our powers. Great shall be our happiness then. Removing your anxiety, rest for this night and sleep happily.

अहं च कृतवर्मा च त्वां प्रयान्तं नरोत्तमम्॥ अनुयास्याव सहितौ धन्विनौ परतापनौ। रथिनं त्वरया यान्तं रथमास्थाय दंशितौ॥
Myself and Kritavarman, both armed with bows and capable of consuming our enemies, will, clad in mail, follow you, O best of men, while you will move on your car against the enemy.

स गत्वा शिविरं तेषां नाम विश्राव्य चाहवे। ततः कर्तासि शत्रूणां युध्यतां कदनं महत्॥
Proceeding to their camp, and announcing your name in battle, you will then made a great destruction of the foe.

कृत्वा च कदनं तेषां प्रभाते विमलेऽहनि। विहरस्व यथा शक्रः सूदयित्वा महासुरान्॥
Having caused tomorrow morning, a great slaughter among them you will sport like Indra after the destruction of great Asuras.

त्वं हि शक्तो रणे जेतुं पञ्चालान् वरूथिनीम्। दैत्यसेनामिव क्रुद्धः सर्वदानवसूदनः॥
You are quite competent to defeat the army of the Panchalas in battle, like the destroyer of the Danavas in defeating in anger the Danavas army.

मया त्वां सहितं संख्ये गुप्तं च कृतवर्मणा। न सहेत विभुः साक्षाद् वज्रपाणिरपि स्वयम्॥
United with myself in battle and protected by Kritavarman, you are incapable of being defcated by the holder of the thunder-bolt himself.

न चाहं समरे तात कृतवर्मा न चैव हि। अनिर्जित्य रणे पाण्डून् न च यास्यामि कर्हिचित्।। १८
Neither I, O son, nor Kritavarman will ever retreat from battle without having defeated the Pandus.

हत्वा च समरे क्रुद्धान् पञ्चालान् पाण्डुभिः सह। निवर्तिध्यामहे सर्वे हता वा स्वर्गगा वयम्॥
Having killed the angry Panchalas along with the Pandavas, we shall come away, or killed by them we shall go to heaven.

सर्वोपायैः सहायास्ते प्रभाते वयमाहवे। सत्यमेतन्महाबाहो प्रब्रवीमि तनावघ॥ एवमुक्तस्ततो द्रौणिर्मातुलेन हितं वचः। अब्रवीन्मातुलं राजन् क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः॥ आतुरस्य कुतो निद्रा नरस्यामर्षितस्य च। अर्थाश्चिन्तयतश्चापि कामयानस्य वा पुनः।
By every means in our power, we two shall help you in battle tomorrow morning. O you of mighty-arms, I tell you the truth, O innocent one."-Addressed in these wholesome words by his maternal uncle, the son of Drona, with eyes reddened in anger answered his uncle, O king, saying,-"Can a person who is afflicted, or one who is under the influence of anger, or one whose heart is always engaged in making plans for the acquisition of wealth, or one who is under the power of lust, get sleep.

तदिदं समनुप्राप्तं पश्य मेऽद्य चतुष्टयम्॥ यस्य भागश्चतुर्थो मे स्वप्नमह्नाय नाशयेत्।
See, all these four causes are present in my case. Any one of these, can singly spoil sleep.

किं नाम दुःखं लोकेऽस्मिन् पितुर्वधमनुस्मरन्॥ हृदयं निर्दहन्मेऽद्य रात्र्यहानि न शाम्यति।
How great is the sorrow of that person who is always thinking of the death of his father. My heart is now burning day and night! I cannot enjoy peace.

यथा च निहतः पापैः पिता मम विशेषतः॥ प्रत्यक्षमपि ते सर्वं तन्मे मर्माणि कृन्तति।
The way in which my father particularly killed by those sinful wretches has been seen by you all. The thought of that destruction is cutting me to the quick.

कथं हि मादृशो लोके मुहूर्तमपि जीवति॥ द्रोणो हतेति यद्वाचः पञ्चालानां शृणोम्यहम्।
How could a person like me live for even a moment after hearing the Panchalas say that they have killed by father?

धृष्टद्युम्नमहत्वा तु नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे॥ स मे पितुर्वधाद् वध्यः पञ्चाला ये च संगताः। विलापो भग्नसक्थस्य यस्तु राज्ञो मया श्रुतः॥
was I cannot bear the thought of maintaining life without having killed Dhristadyumna in battle! For the slaughter of my father, he and those who are with him should be killed me.

स पुनर्हदयं कस्य क्रूरस्यापि न निर्दहेत्। कस्य ह्यकरुणस्यापि नेत्राभ्यामश्रु नाव्रजेत्॥
Who is there so hard-hearted that would not fire up after having heard the cries of the king lying with broken thighs?

नृपतेर्भग्नसक्थस्य श्रुत्वा तादृग् वचः पुनः। यश्चायं मित्रपक्षो मे मयि जीवति निर्जितः॥
Who is there somerciless whose eyes would not be filled with tears after hearing such words uttered by the king with broken thighs.

शोकं मे वर्धयत्येष वारिवेग इवार्णवम्। एकाग्रमनसो मेऽद्य कुतो निद्रा कुतः सुखम्॥
They, whom, I sided have been defeated. The thought of this increases my sorrow as a rush of waters increases the ocean.

वासुदेवार्जुनाभ्यां च तानहं परिरक्षितान्। अविषह्यतमान् मन्ये महेन्द्रेणापि सत्तम॥
Protected, as they are by Vasudeva, and Arjuna, I consider, them O uncle, as irresistible by the great Indra himself.

न चापि शक्तः संयन्तुं कोपमेतं समुत्थितम्। तं न पश्यामि लोकेऽस्मिन् यो मां कोपान्निवर्तयेत्।।
I am unable to check this rising anger in my heart. I do not see the man in this world than can suppress this wrath of mine.

तथैव निश्चिता बुद्धिरेषा साधु मता मम। वार्तिकैः कथ्यमानस्तु मित्राणां मे पराभवः॥ पाण्डवानां च विजयो हृदयं दहतीव मे।
I am infouned by the messengers of the defeat of my friends and the victory of the Pandavas. That is consuming my heart.

अहं तु कदनं कृत्वा शत्रूणामद्य सौप्तिके। ततो विश्रमिता चैव स्वप्ता च विगतज्वरः॥
Having, however, caused a destruction of my enemies during their sleep, I shall then take rest and shall then sleep without anxiety.”