KARNA PARVA: Chapter 2

The parley between Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra

वैशम्पायन उवाच हते कर्णे महाराज निशि गावल्गणिस्तदा। दीनो ययौ नागपुरमश्वैर्वातसमैर्जवे॥
Vaishampayana said O great king, when Karna was slain, the son of Gavalgana, greatly mortified in heart, repaired that very night to the city of Nagpur, in the back of horses resembling the wind in swiftness.

स हास्तिनपुरं गत्वा भृशमुद्विग्नचेतनः। जगाम धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्षयं प्रक्षीणबान्धवम्॥
He then arrived at the city of Hastinapur; and with a greatly anxious heart, repaired to the house of Dhritarashtra which had now been vacated by all its friends.

स तमुवीक्ष्य राजानं कश्मलाभिहतौजसम्। ववन्दे प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा मूर्धा पादौ नृपस्य ह॥
He then beholding the king deprived of energy in consequence of his gloominess of mind, folded his hands; and indeed, worshipped the monarch's feet by bowing down his head.

सम्पूज्य च यथान्यायं धृतराष्ट्रं महीपतिम्। हा कष्टमिति चोक्त्वा स ततो वचनमाददे॥
Having worshipped the ruler of the earth, Dhritarashtra, according to the just rites and having uttered-Alas! and woe!-he then

संजयोऽहं क्षितिपते कचिदास्ते सुखं भवान्। स्वदोषैरापदं प्राप्य कचिन्नाद्य विमुह्यति॥
O ruler of earth, I am Sanjaya! Are you not at ease? After having obtained distress by your own faults, are you not now deprived of all your senses?

हितान्युक्तानि विदुरद्रोणगाङ्गेयकेशवैः। अगृहीतान्यनुस्मृत्य कचिन्न कुरुषे व्यथाम्॥
The good advises, uttered (given) by Vidura, Drona, son of Ganga and Keshava, were not received by you. Do you not feel pain to remember them now?

रामनारदकण्वाद्यैर्हितमुक्त सभातले। न गृहीतमनुस्मृत्य कचिन्न कुरुषे व्यथाम्॥
Also do you not feel pain to remember the rejection of the good advises given to you by Rama, Narada, Kanva and others in the assembly (of kings)?

सुहृदस्त्वद्धिते युक्तान् भीष्मद्रोणमुखान् परैः। निहतान् युधि संस्मृत्य कचिन्न कुरुषे व्यथाम्॥
Remembering that your friends, Bhishma, Drona and others, who were ever occupied in contributing to your welfare, were slain by the enemies in battle, do you not feel pain?

तमेवंवादिनं राजा सूतपुत्रं कृताञ्जलिम्। सुदीर्घमथ निःश्वस्य दुःखात इदमब्रवीत्॥
Sighing heavy and hot, the king, oppressed with grief, addressed in these words the son of Suta, who with folded hands, was telling him the above.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच आपगेये हते शूरे दिव्यास्त्रवति संजय। द्रोणे च परमेष्वासे भृशं मे व्यथितं मनः॥
Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, owing to the deaths of that heroic wielder of celestial weapons, the son of Ganga and the mighty bowman, Drona, my heart greatly aches.

यो रथानाह सहस्राणि दंशितानां दशैव तु। अहन्यहनि तेजस्वी निजघ्ने वसुसम्भवः॥
That the mighty hero, who was the incarnation of the (eighth) Vasu, killed every day ten thousand car-warriors protected by armour.

तं हतं यज्ञसेनस्य पुत्रेणेह शिखण्डिना। पाण्डवेयाभिगुप्तेन श्रुत्वा मे व्यथितं मनः॥
He (that mighty hero) was killed in the battle by the son of Yajnasena (namely) Shikhandin, who who was protected by the Pandavas. At this (occurrence) my heart greatly aches.

भार्गवः प्रददौ यस्मै परमास्त्रं महाहवे। साक्षाद् रामेण यो बाल्ये धनुर्वेद उपाकृतः॥
The son of Bhrigu gave to that lofty-minded one (that hero, Bhishma) the knowledge of the best weapons. To him also, during the childhood, the science of the bow was taught by Rama himself.

यस्य प्रसादात् कौन्तेया राजपुत्र महारथाः। महारथत्वं सम्प्राप्तास्तथान्ये वसुधाधिपाः॥
Through whose (Drona's) kindness, the sons of Kunti-the royal sons-the mighty carwarriors-as well as several other rulers of earth, attained the abilities of a Maharathi (one simultaneously fighting with ten thousand

तं द्रोण निहतं श्रुत्वा धृष्टद्युम्नेन संयुगे। सत्यसंधं महेष्वासं भृशं मे व्यथितं मनः॥
Hearing of that mighty bowman, Drona, who true his aim, slain by Dhrishtadyumna in battle, my heart greatly aches.

ययोलेकि पुमानस्त्रे न समोऽस्ति चतुर्विधे। तौ द्रोणभीष्मौ श्रुत्वा तु हतौ मे व्यथितं मनः॥
Those two had not a peer in this world in ihe wielding of the four-fold weapons. Hearing that both Drona and Bhishma were slain in the battle, my mind is greatly pained. was to

त्रैलोक्ये यस्य चास्त्रेषु न पुमान् विद्यते समः। तं द्रोण निहतं श्रुत्वा किमकुर्वत मामकाः॥
In the three worlds there is no person, who is equal to him in the use of weapons. Hearing the death of this hero, Drona, what did my followers do?

संशप्तकानां च बले पाण्डवेन महात्मना। धनंजयेन विक्रम्य गमिते यमसादनम्॥
The army of the Samsaptakas was sent away to the region of Yama by Dhananjaya, the lofty-minded son of Pandu, through the exertion of his terrible prowess.

नारायणास्त्रे च हते द्रोणपुत्रस्य धीमतः। विप्रदुतेष्वनीकेषु किमकुर्वत मामकाः॥
(After the above occurrence and also) after, the Narayana weapon of the most intelligent son of Drona had been destroyed, as also after the divisions of my army had fled away (from the battle-field), what did the troops of my side do?

विप्रदुतानहं मन्ये निमग्नाशोकसागरे। प्लवमानान् हते द्रोणे सन्ननौकानिवार्णवे॥
I think that, on the death of Drona, my troops, plunged deep into the ocean of grief, ran away (from the field of battle), even as the slip-wrecked mariners float on the ocean.

दुर्योधन कर्णस्य भोजस्य कृतवर्मणः। मद्रराजस्य शल्यस्य द्रौणेश्चैव कृपस्य च ॥ मत्पुत्रस्य च शेषस्य तथाऽन्येषां च संजय। विप्रद्रुतेष्वनीकेषु मुखवर्णोऽभवत् कथम्॥
O Sanjaya, when my troops had run away (from the battle field), what had become the colour of the faces of Duryodhana, Karna, Kritavarman the ruler of the Bhojas, Shalya the king of the Madras, Ashvatthaman the son of Drona and Kripacharya, as well as of the remaining sons of mine and several other monarchs.

एतत् सर्वं यथावृत्तं तथा गावल्गणे मप। आचक्ष्व पाण्डवेयानां मामकानां च विक्रमम्॥
O son of Gavalgana, relate to me all those in detail that had actually happened in battle as to the prowess shown by Pandavas as well as by the troops of my own side.

संजय उवाच तवापराधाद् यद् वृत्तं कौरवेयेषु मारिष। तच्छ्रुत्वा मा व्यथां कार्षीर्दिष्टे न व्यथते बुधः॥
Sanjaya said O Lord of kings, you should not be pained to hear of what had taken place in respect to the Kauravas through your misconduct. For, the learned sage never feels any anguish at what is brought about by Fate.

यस्मादभावी भावी वा भवेदर्थो नरं प्रति। अप्राप्तौ तस्य वा प्राप्तौ न कश्चिद् व्यथते बुधः॥
What is not likely to happen to man (being subject to Fate) may happen to him; or what is likely to take place may, again, happen to a person. Hence at the acquisition or nonacquisition of the purposes the learned sage should not at all grieve.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच न व्यथाभ्यधिका काचिद् विद्यतेमम संजय। दिष्टमेतत् पुरा मन्ये कथयस्व यथेच्छकम्॥
Dhritarashtra said O Sanjaya, no great anguish does find place in me. For, I think that all this is (the unavoidable consequence of) superior destiny. So, do you describe according as you desire.