Karna Counsels Open Attack

Verse 1 (1.221.1)

दुर्योधन तव प्रज्ञा न सम्यगिति मे मतिः । न ह्युपायेन ते शक्याः पाण्डवाः कुरुवर्धन ॥

duryodhana tava prajñā na samyagiti me matiḥ | na hyupāyena te śakyāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ kuruvardhana

Duryodhana, I do not think your judgement is sound. The Pandavas cannot be overcome by stratagems, prosperer of the Kurus.

Verse 2 (1.221.2)

पूर्वमेव हि ते सूक्ष्मैरुपायैर्यतितास्त्वया । निग्रहीतुं तदा वीर न चैव शकितास्त्वया ॥

pūrvameva hi te sūkṣmairupāyairyatitāstvayā | nigrahītuṃ tadā vīra na caiva śakitāstvayā

Before this, hero, you tried to subdue them by subtle schemes, and even then you could not.

Verse 3 (1.221.3)

इहैव वर्तमानास्ते समीपे तव पार्थिव । अजातपक्षाः शिशवः शकिता नैव बाधितुम् ॥

ihaiva vartamānāste samīpe tava pārthiva | ajātapakṣāḥ śiśavaḥ śakitā naiva bādhitum

When they lived here close to you, O king, mere children, fledglings without wings, they could not be harmed.

Verse 4 (1.221.4)

जातपक्षा विदेशस्था विवृद्धाः सर्वशोऽद्य ते । नोपायसाध्याः कौन्तेया ममैषा मतिरच्युता ॥

jātapakṣā videśasthā vivṛddhāḥ sarvaśo'dya te | nopāyasādhyāḥ kaunteyā mamaiṣā matiracyutā

Now they have grown their wings; they live abroad and have grown strong in every way. The sons of Kunti cannot be won by stratagems: this is my settled view.

Verse 5 (1.221.5)

न च ते व्यसनैर्योक्तुं शक्या दिष्टकृतेन च । शङ्किताश्चेप्सवश्चैव पितृपैतामहं पदम् ॥

na ca te vyasanairyoktuṃ śakyā diṣṭakṛtena ca | śaṅkitāścepsavaścaiva pitṛpaitāmahaṃ padam

Nor can they be brought to ruin by misfortunes, or by what fate ordains. They are on their guard, and they covet the seat of their fathers and grandfathers.

Note on the text: Corrected शकिताः → शङ्किताः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped nasal, perhaps by attraction to शकिताः in verses 2–3; the critical edition reads "śaṅkitāś").

Verse 6 (1.221.6)

परस्परेण भेदश्च नाधातुं तेषु शक्यते । एकस्यां ये रताः पत्न्यां न भिद्यन्ते परस्परम् ॥

paraspareṇa bhedaśca nādhātuṃ teṣu śakyate | ekasyāṃ ye ratāḥ patnyāṃ na bhidyante parasparam

Nor can a rift be opened among them by setting one against another; men who delight in one wife are not divided from one another.

Verse 7 (1.221.7)

न चापि कृष्णा शक्येत तेभ्यो भेदयितुं परैः । परिद्यूनान्वृतवती किमुताद्य मृजावतः ॥

na cāpi kṛṣṇā śakyeta tebhyo bhedayituṃ paraiḥ | paridyūnānvṛtavatī kimutādya mṛjāvataḥ

Nor could others turn Krishna away from them. She chose them when they were in a sorry state; how much less now, when they are splendidly arrayed!

Verse 8 (1.221.8)

ईप्सितश्च गुणः स्त्रीणामेकस्या बहुभर्तृता । तं च प्राप्तवती कृष्णा न सा भेदयितुं क्षमा ॥

īpsitaśca guṇaḥ strīṇāmekasyā bahubhartṛtā | taṃ ca prāptavatī kṛṣṇā na sā bhedayituṃ kṣamā

For a woman to have many husbands is something women desire, and Krishna has gained it; she cannot be turned against them.

Verse 9 (1.221.9)

आर्यव्रतश्च पाञ्चाल्यो न स राजा धनप्रियः । न संत्यक्ष्यति कौन्तेयान्राज्यदानैरपि ध्रुवम् ॥

āryavrataśca pāñcālyo na sa rājā dhanapriyaḥ | na saṃtyakṣyati kaunteyānrājyadānairapi dhruvam

The Panchala king is noble in his vows and no lover of wealth; he will surely not give up the sons of Kunti, even for the gift of a kingdom.

Verse 10 (1.221.10)

तथाऽस्य पुत्रो गुणवाननुरक्तश्च पाण्डवान् । तस्मान्नोपायसाध्यांस्तानहं मन्ये कथंचन ॥

tathā'sya putro guṇavānanuraktaśca pāṇḍavān | tasmānnopāyasādhyāṃstānahaṃ manye kathaṃcana

His son too is virtuous and devoted to the Pandavas. Therefore I do not think they can be won over by stratagems in any way.

Note on the text: Corrected तथाऽस्म → तथाऽस्य (misprint in Wikisource; "asma" is not a word here, and the sense requires "his son", as in the critical edition "tathāsya").

Verse 11 (1.221.11)

इदं त्वद्य क्षमं कर्तुमस्माकं पुरुषर्षभ । यावन्न कृतमूलास्ते पाण्डवेया विशांपते ॥

idaṃ tvadya kṣamaṃ kartumasmākaṃ puruṣarṣabha | yāvanna kṛtamūlāste pāṇḍaveyā viśāṃpate

But this is what we can do today, bull among men: so long as the sons of Pandu have not taken root, lord of the people,

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: this verse is its 1.194.11ab and 11cd.

Verse 12 (1.221.12)

तावत्प्रहरणीयास्ते तत्तुभ्यं तात रोचताम् । अस्मत्पक्षो महान्यावद्यावत्पाञ्चालको लघुः । तावत्प्रहरणं तेषां क्रियतां मा विचारय ॥

tāvatpraharaṇīyāste tattubhyaṃ tāta rocatām | asmatpakṣo mahānyāvadyāvatpāñcālako laghuḥ | tāvatpraharaṇaṃ teṣāṃ kriyatāṃ mā vicāraya

so long must they be attacked; let that please you, father. While our side is great and the Panchala is small, let them be struck; do not hesitate.

Note on the text: The critical edition divides these lines differently: the first line is a variant of its 1.194.11ef, and the second and third lines are its 1.194.12.

Verse 13 (1.221.13)

वाहनानि प्रभूतानि मित्राणि च कुलानि च । यावन्न तेषां गान्धारे तावद्विक्रम पार्थिव ॥

vāhanāni prabhūtāni mitrāṇi ca kulāni ca | yāvanna teṣāṃ gāndhāre tāvadvikrama pārthiva

Son of Gandhari, so long as they do not have mounts in plenty, friends and allied houses, act boldly, O king.

Verse 14 (1.221.14)

यावच्च राजा पाञ्चाल्यो नोद्यमे कुरुते मनः । सह पुत्रैर्महावीर्यैस्तावद्विक्रम पार्थिव ॥

yāvacca rājā pāñcālyo nodyame kurute manaḥ | saha putrairmahāvīryaistāvadvikrama pārthiva

So long as the Panchala king, with his mighty sons, has not set his mind on war, act boldly, O king,

Verse 15 (1.221.15)

यावन्नायाति वार्ष्णेयः कर्षन्यादववाहिनीम् । राज्यार्थे पाण्डवेयानां पाञ्चाल्यसदनं प्रति ॥

yāvannāyāti vārṣṇeyaḥ karṣanyādavavāhinīm | rājyārthe pāṇḍaveyānāṃ pāñcālyasadanaṃ prati

before the Varshneya comes to the Panchala's palace, leading the Yadava host, to win the kingdom for the sons of Pandu.

Verse 16 (1.221.16)

वसूनि विविधान्भोगान्राज्यमेव च केवलम् । नात्याज्यमस्ति कृष्णस्य पाण्डवार्थे कथंचन ॥

vasūni vividhānbhogānrājyameva ca kevalam | nātyājyamasti kṛṣṇasya pāṇḍavārthe kathaṃcana

Wealth, every kind of pleasure, even the kingdom itself: there is nothing at all Krishna would not give up for the Pandavas' sake.

Verse 17 (1.221.17)

विक्रमेण मही प्राप्ता भरतेन महात्मना । विक्रमेण च लोकांस्त्रीञ्जितवान्पाकशासनः ॥

vikrameṇa mahī prāptā bharatena mahātmanā | vikrameṇa ca lokāṃstrīñjitavānpākaśāsanaḥ

By valour the great-souled Bharata won the earth; by valour the chastiser of Paka conquered the three worlds.

Verse 18 (1.221.18)

विक्रमं च प्रशंसन्ति क्षत्रियस्य विशांपते । स्वको हि धर्मः शूराणां विक्रमः पार्थिवर्षभ ॥

vikramaṃ ca praśaṃsanti kṣatriyasya viśāṃpate | svako hi dharmaḥ śūrāṇāṃ vikramaḥ pārthivarṣabha

Valour is what is praised in a kshatriya, lord of the people; valour, bull among kings, is the very duty of the brave.

Verse 19 (1.221.19)

ते बलेन वयं राजन्महता चतुरङ्गिणा । प्रमथ्य द्रुपदं शीघ्रमानयामेह पाण्डवान् ॥

te balena vayaṃ rājanmahatā caturaṅgiṇā | pramathya drupadaṃ śīghramānayāmeha pāṇḍavān

With a great army of four divisions, O king, let us swiftly crush Drupada and bring the Pandavas here.

Verse 20 (1.221.20)

न हि साम्ना न दानेन न भेदेन च पाण्डवाः । शक्याः साधयितुं तस्माद्विक्रमेणैव ताञ्जहि ॥

na hi sāmnā na dānena na bhedena ca pāṇḍavāḥ | śakyāḥ sādhayituṃ tasmādvikrameṇaiva tāñjahi

The Pandavas cannot be mastered by conciliation, by gifts or by sowing dissension; therefore destroy them by valour alone.

Note on the text: Corrected भदेन → भेदेन (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, as in the critical edition "bhedena").

Verse 21 (1.221.21)

तान्विक्रमेण जित्वेमामखिलां भुङ्क्ष्व मेदिनीम् । अतो नान्यं प्रपश्यामि कार्योपायं जनाधिप ॥

tānvikrameṇa jitvemāmakhilāṃ bhuṅkṣva medinīm | ato nānyaṃ prapaśyāmi kāryopāyaṃ janādhipa

Conquer them by valour and enjoy this whole earth. I see no other way to accomplish our purpose, ruler of men.

Verse 22 (1.221.22)

श्रुत्वा तु राधेयवचो धृतराष्ट्रः प्रतापवान् । अभिपूज्य ततः पश्चादिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

śrutvā tu rādheyavaco dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ pratāpavān | abhipūjya tataḥ paścādidaṃ vacanamabravīt

Hearing Radheya's words, the mighty Dhritarashtra praised him and then said this:

Verse 23 (1.221.23)

उपपन्नं महाप्राज्ञे कृतास्त्रे सूतनन्दने । त्वयि विक्रमसंपन्नमिदं वचनमीदृशम् ॥

upapannaṃ mahāprājñe kṛtāstre sūtanandane | tvayi vikramasaṃpannamidaṃ vacanamīdṛśam

Such words, full of valour, befit you, son of a charioteer, wise as you are and a master of weapons.

Note on the text: Dhritarashtra's speech (verses 23–24) has no printed speaker heading in Wikisource, which carries "वैशंपायन" over; verse 22 introduces it.

Verse 24 (1.221.24)

भूय एव तु भीष्मश्च द्रोणो विदुर एव च । युवां च कुरुतं बुद्धिं भवेद्या नः सुखोदया ॥

bhūya eva tu bhīṣmaśca droṇo vidura eva ca | yuvāṃ ca kurutaṃ buddhiṃ bhavedyā naḥ sukhodayā

But let Bhishma, Drona and Vidura, and you two as well, consider once more, and settle on a course that will bring us happiness.

Verse 25 (1.221.25)

तत आनाय्य तान्सर्वान्मन्त्रिणः सुमहायशाः । धृतराष्ट्रो महाराज मन्त्रयामास वै तदा ॥

tata ānāyya tānsarvānmantriṇaḥ sumahāyaśāḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭro mahārāja mantrayāmāsa vai tadā

Then the illustrious Dhritarashtra, great king, had all those counsellors brought in and took counsel with them.