KARNA PARVA: Chapter 68

The harsh words of Yudhishthira

संजय उवाच श्रुत्वा कर्ण कल्पमुदारवीर्य क्रुद्धः पार्थः फाल्गुनस्यामितौजाः। धनंजयं वाक्यमुवाच चेदं युधिष्ठिरः कर्णशराभितप्तः॥
Sanjaya said Hearing that Karna of great prowess was still alive and being angry with Phalguna, Yudhishthira, the Pritha's son of incomparable energy, who had been wounded by Karna with arrows, said to Dhananjayaविप्रद्रुता तात चमूसत्वदीया

तिरस्कृता चाद्य यथा न साधु। भीतो भीमं त्यज्य चायास्तथा त्वं यन्नाशकः कर्णमथो निहन्तुम्॥
“Your army, my brother, must have been disgraced today and fled away, stricken with fear. And you have come here forsaking Bhima because you have not been able to kill Karna.

स्नेहस्त्वया पार्थ कृतः पृथाया दर्भ समाविश्यः यथा न साधु। त्यक्त्वा रणे यदापायाः स भीम यन्नाशकः सूतपुत्रं निहन्तुम्॥
Shame it is, O Partha, that you did enter into Kunti's womb. It did not become you to leave behind Bhima in the battle-field because you could not slay Karna.

यत् तद् वाक्यं द्वैतवने त्वयोक्तं कर्णं हन्तास्म्येकरथेन सत्यम्। त्यक्त्वा तं वै कथमद्यापयातः कर्णाद् भीतो भीमसेनं विहाय॥
You said to me, O Partha, in the Daita forest that you would kill Karna with no one on your car. Why have you then, afraid of Karna, come here avoiding him and leaving behind Bhima.

इदं यदि द्वैतवनेऽप्यचक्षः कर्णं योद्धं न प्रशक्ष्ये नृपेति। वयं ततः प्राप्तकालं च सर्वे कृत्यान्युपैष्याम तथैव पार्थ॥
If you had said in the Daita forest 'O king, I won't be able to kill Karna, we would have in time, O Partha, made some befitting arrangements.

मयि प्रतिश्रुत्य वदं हि तस्य न वै कृत तच तथैव वीर। आनीय नः शत्रुमध्यं स कस्मात् समुत्क्षिप्य स्थण्डिले प्रत्यपिष्ठा॥
Having promised to kill him, O hero, you have not kept your promise. Having launched us in the midst of our enemies why have you shattered us into pieces by wrecking us on a rock?

अप्याशिष्म वयमर्जुन त्वयि यियासवो बहु कल्याणमिष्टम्। तन्नः सर्व विफलं राजपुत्र फलार्थिना विफल इवातिपुष्पः॥
O Arjuna, we showered many a blessing on you because we expected much good of you. But all our hopes, O prince, are frustrated, like that of a man expecting fruits from a tree and getting flowers instead.

प्रच्छादितं बडिशमिवामिषेण संछादितं गरलमिवाशनेन। अनर्थकं मे दर्शितवानसि त्वं राज्यार्थिनो राज्यरूपं विनाशम्॥
Like a hook hidden in a fish, like poison mixed up with food, you did for nothing point out to our covetuous selves this destruction in the shape of kingdom.

त्रयोदशेमा हि समाः सदा वयं त्वामन्वजीविष्म धनंजयाशया। काले वर्षं देवमिवोप्तबीजं तन्नः सर्वान् नरके त्वं न्यमजः॥
For these thirteen years, O Dhananjaya, we have been hoping and expecting much of you on even like the seeds sown earth in expectation of rains from gods in season.

यत्तत् पृथां वागुवाचान्तरिक्षे सप्ताहजाते त्वयि मन्दबुद्धे। जातः पुत्रो वासवविक्रमोऽयं सर्वाशूराशात्रवाञ्जेष्यतीति॥ अयं जेता खाण्डवे देवसंघान् सर्वाणि भूयान्यपि चोत्तमौजाः। नयं कुरूपन् राजमध्ये निहत्या॥
O you of wicked sense, an invisible voice from the sky said to Pritha, on the seventh day from your birth; ‘This son born to you will be powerful like Vasava. He will vanquish all his powerful enemies. Gifted with a superior energy he will defeat at Khandava all the gods assisted by other creatures. He ill conquer the Madra, the Kalingas and the Kaikeyas. He will kill the Kurus in the midst of numbers of kings.

अस्मात् परो नो भविता धनुर्धरो नैनं भूतं किंचन जातु जेता। इच्छन्नयं सर्वभूतानि कुर्याद् वशे वशी सर्वसमाप्तविद्यः॥
There will be no archer superior to him and none will be able to discomfort him. This boy, being the master of his own senses and adept in all the branches of knowledge, will subjugate all the living beings at his will.

कान्त्या शशाङ्कस्य जवेन वायोः स्थैर्येण मेरोः क्षमया पृथिव्याः। सूर्यस्य भासा धनदस्य लक्ष्म्या शौर्येण शक्रस्य बलेन विष्णोः॥ तुल्यो महात्मा तव कुन्ति पुत्रो जातोऽदितेर्विष्णुरिवारिहन्ता। स्वेषां जयाय द्विषतां वधाय ख्यातोऽमितौजाः कुलतन्तुकर्ता॥
O Kunti, this magnanimous son of yours will be handsome like the Soma, swift like the Wind, patient like Sumeru, forbearing like the Earth, effulgent like Sun. wealthy like Kubera, valiant and powerful like Vishnu. This son of yours, even like Aditi's son Vishnu, the slayer of foes, has taken his being in order to bring victory to his kins and deal destruction to the enemies. This boy of indomitable valour will be far-famed and the founder of a dynasty.'

इत्यन्तरिक्षे शतशृङ्गमूर्ध्नि तपस्विनां शृण्वतां वागुवाच। एवंविधं तच नाभूत तथा च देवापि नूनमनृतं वदन्ति॥
Even that celestial voice resounding in the skies reached the ears of the Maharsis living on the peaks of the Satasringa mountains. But now that voice comes to be untrue. It seems, therefore, that the gods too speak falsehood.

तथा परेषामृषिसत्तमानां श्रुत्वा गिरः पूजयतां सदात्वाम्। न संनति प्रेमि सुयोधनस्य न त्वां जानाम्याधिस्थेर्भयार्तम्॥
The praises which the saintly beings used to lavish upon you, never made me expect Suyodhana's success nor even did I think that you will be paralised with the fear of Karna.

पूर्व यदुक्तं हि सुयोधनेन न फाल्गुनः प्रमुखे स्थास्ययीति। कर्णस्य युद्धे हि महाबलस्य मौात् तु तन्नावबुद्धं मयाऽऽसीत्॥
"Duryodhana had already forecasted that "Arjuna will not able to stay before Karna, the great mighty warrior in battle." Owing to ignorance, I was not confirmed to my mind on such forecast.

तेनाद्य तप्स्ये भृशमप्रमेयं यच्छत्रुवर्गे नरकं प्रविष्टः। तदैव वाच्योऽस्मि ननु त्वयाहं न योत्स्येऽहं सूतपुत्र कथंचित्॥ ततो नाहं सृञ्जयान् केकयांश्च समानयेयं सुहृदो रणाय।
"This is the reason, I am in such grievous state today. I am in hellish calamity because so badly trapped in the gigantic lobby of enemies. O Arjuna! You would have better to tell earlier that you will not involve yourself in battle against Karna, the son of charioteer." Had it made clear on your part, I would have not invited in the circumstance, Srinjayas, Kekayas and other several friends for support in battle.

एवं गते किंच मयाद्य शक्यं कार्यं कर्तुं विग्रहे सूतजस्य॥ तथैव राज्ञश्च सुयोधनस्य ये वापि मां योद्धुकामाः समेताः।
When this is the situation today, what act can I perform in this battle against Karna, the son of a charioteer, king Duryodhana and other countless warriors who have gathered here for battle?

धिगस्तु मजीवितमद्य कृष्ण योऽहं वशं सूतपुत्रस्य यातः॥ मध्ये कुरूणां सुहृदां च मध्ये ये चाप्यन्ये योद्धुकामाः समेताः।
O Sri Krishna! I am now enslaved / subjugated by Karna, the son of a charioteer in the presence of all Kauravas, friends and other all who have come and assembled here for participating in the battle. Shame to such life as I am living.

यदि स्म जीवेत् स भवेनिहन्ता महारथानां प्रवरो रथोत्तमः। तवाभिमन्युस्तनयोऽद्य पार्थ न चास्मि गन्ता समरे पराभवम्॥ स्तथापि नाहं समरे पराङ्मुखः।
O Partha! Had Abhimanyu, the best chariot fighter still living, the enemies would have severely killed by him. So, gross humiliation would not have to born with were he lived. Had Ghatotkaca living I would have not shown back to battle-field.

मम ह्यभाग्यानि पुरा कृतानि पापानि नूनं बलवन्ति युद्धे॥ तृणं च कृत्वा समरे भवन्तं ततोऽहमेवं निकृतो दुरात्मना। वैकर्तनेनैव तथा कृतोऽहं यथा ह्यशक्तः क्रियते ह्यबान्धवः॥
It seems with certainty that the debited account of sins committed earlier coupled with misfortune have gathered momentum to harass me at this juncture of life. Wicked Kara has humiliated me by treating you as brittle as a straw. Karna had behead with me as if I am without siblings and relations and a helpless man.

आपद्गतं कश्चन यो विमोक्षेत् स बान्धवः स्नेहयुक्तः सुहृच। एवं पुराणा मुनयो वदन्ति धर्मः सदा सद्भिरनुष्टितश्च॥
Our ancient sages have stated that sibling is the man who defends the man from adversity befallen and he is real friend also. This is the everlasting deed (religion) observed by the gentlemen.

त्वष्ट्रा कृतं वाहमकूजनाक्षं शुभं समास्थायं कपिध्वजं तम्। खङ्ग गृहीत्वा हेमपट्टानुबद्धं धनुश्चेदं गाण्डिवं तालमात्रम्॥ स केशवेनोहमानः कथं त्वं कर्णाद् भीतो व्यपयातोऽस्मि पार्थ।
You ride upon a car especially made by the celestial artisan (Visvakarma) himself, the axles of which move smoothly and without any noise. You have the standard of an ape, you hold a sword bedecked with gold and tied with silk and your bow Gandiva is as lengthy as the palm tree, even you have Kesava for your charioteer. Why then, O Partha, have you come back from the field of battle, for fear of Karna?

धनुश्च तत् केशवाय प्रयच्छ यन्ता भविष्यस्त्वं रणे केशवस्य॥ तदाहनिष्यत् केशवः कर्णमुग्रं मरुत्पतिवृत्रमिवात्तवज्रः।
If you, O wretch, had even made over your bow to Kesava and contented yourself by being his charioteer, he would have slain that fearful Karna, as the lords of the Maruts (Shakra) slew with thunder the Asura known by the name of Vritra.

श्चरन्तमुग्रं प्रतिबाधनाय॥ प्रयच्छान्यस्मै गाण्डिवमेदद्य त्वत्तो योऽस्त्रैरभ्यधिको वा नरेन्द्रः।
If you are unable to resist the fearful Karna in his march on the field today, then do make over this your Gandiva to any other king who is your superior in the use of weapons.

अस्मान् नैवं पुत्रदारैर्विहीनान् सुखाद्धृष्टान् राज्यनाशाच भूयः॥ द्रष्टा लोकः पतिनानप्यगाधे पापैर्जुष्टे नरके पाण्डवेय।
The world will not then seen us bereft of family and children, deprived of our happiness and kingdom and sunk, O son of Pandu, into the fathomless abyss of the hell of torment.

मासेऽपतिष्यः पञ्चमे त्वं सुकृच्छ्रे न वा गर्भे आभविष्यः पृथायाः॥ तत् ते श्रेयो राजपुत्राभविष्यन्न चेत् संग्रामदपयानं दुरात्मन्।
It would have been better had come out in the fifth months as an abortion, or better still, if you would not have taken your being in the womb of Kunti, than, O vile wretch, being born of a royal line, to show your back in the battle-field.

मसंख्येयान् बाणगणांश्च धिक् ते। धिक् ते केतुं केसरिणः सुतस्य कृशानुदत्तं च रथं च धिक् ते॥
Fie to your Gandiva! Fie to the strength of your arms, fie to your numberless arrows, fie to your standard bearing the ensign of an ape on it and fie to your car presented to you by the god of fire!