Bhishma's Rebuke and Karna's Vow of Conquest

Verse 1 (3.254.1)

एवं गतेषु पार्थेषु वने तस्मिन्महात्मसु । धार्तराष्ट्रा महेष्वासाः किमकुर्वत सत्तमाः ॥

evaṃ gateṣu pārtheṣu vane tasminmahātmasu | dhārtarāṣṭrā maheṣvāsāḥ kimakurvata sattamāḥ

While the great-souled Parthas were living thus in that forest, what did the sons of Dhritarashtra, those excellent great archers, do?

Verse 2 (3.254.2)

कर्णो वैकर्तनश्चैव शकुनिश्च महाबलः । भीष्मद्रोणकृपाश्चैव तन्मे शंसितुमर्हसि ॥

karṇo vaikartanaścaiva śakuniśca mahābalaḥ | bhīṣmadroṇakṛpāścaiva tanme śaṃsitumarhasi

And Karna, son of Vikartana, and mighty Shakuni, and Bhishma, Drona and Kripa: tell me about them.

Verse 3 (3.254.3)

एवं गतेषु पार्थेषु विसृष्टे च सुयोधने । आगते हास्तिनपुरं मोक्षिते पाण्डुनन्दनैः । भीष्मोऽब्रवीन्महाराज धार्तराष्ट्रमिदं वचः ॥

evaṃ gateṣu pārtheṣu visṛṣṭe ca suyodhane | āgate hāstinapuraṃ mokṣite pāṇḍunandanaiḥ | bhīṣmo'bravīnmahārāja dhārtarāṣṭramidaṃ vacaḥ

When the Parthas had gone their way, and Suyodhana, freed by the sons of Pandu and sent off by them, had come back to Hastinapura, Bhishma spoke these words to the son of Dhritarashtra, O great king:

Note on the text: Corrected वच → वचः (misprint in Wikisource; lost visarga; CE vacaḥ).

Verse 4 (3.254.4)

उक्तं तात मया पूर्वं गच्छतस्ते तपोवनम् । वचनं ते न रुचितं मम तन्न कृतं च ते ॥

uktaṃ tāta mayā pūrvaṃ gacchataste tapovanam | vacanaṃ te na rucitaṃ mama tanna kṛtaṃ ca te

I told you before, my son, when you were setting out for the ascetics' forest, but my words did not please you and you did not act on them.

Verse 5 (3.254.5)

ततः प्राप्तं त्वया वीर ग्रहणं शत्रुभिर्बलात् । मोक्षितश्चासि धर्मज्ञैः पाण्डवैर्न च लज्जसे ॥

tataḥ prāptaṃ tvayā vīra grahaṇaṃ śatrubhirbalāt | mokṣitaścāsi dharmajñaiḥ pāṇḍavairna ca lajjase

As a result, hero, you were seized by force by your enemies and freed by the Pandavas, who know dharma; and you feel no shame.

Verse 6 (3.254.6)

प्रत्यक्षं तव गान्धारे ससैन्यस्य विशांपते । सूतपुत्रोऽपयाद्भीतो गन्धर्वाणां तदा रणात् ॥

pratyakṣaṃ tava gāndhāre sasainyasya viśāṃpate | sūtaputro'payādbhīto gandharvāṇāṃ tadā raṇāt

Before your very eyes, son of Gandhari, lord of the people, while you stood there with your army, the Suta's son fled in fear from the battle with the Gandharvas,

Note on the text: Corrected ससैन्यस् → ससैन्यस्य (misprint in Wikisource; lost य; CE sasainyasya). Matches the first two lines of CE 3.241.6.

Verse 7 (3.254.7)

क्रोशतस्तव राजेन्द्र ससैन्यस्य नृपात्मज । व्यपायात्पृष्ठतस्तस्मात्प्रेक्षमाणः पुनःपुनः ॥

krośatastava rājendra sasainyasya nṛpātmaja | vyapāyātpṛṣṭhatastasmātprekṣamāṇaḥ punaḥpunaḥ

while you and your army cried out, O lord of kings, O prince; he ran away from there, looking back again and again.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick and quote marks (Wikisource's marks for an added line) and a stray doubled danda around the second line. The first line is CE 3.241.6e; the second is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; it appears in the apparatus as 3.241.6f*1160).

Verse 8 (3.254.8)

दृष्टस्ते विक्रमश्चैव पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । कर्णस्य च महाबाहो सूतपुत्रस्य दुर्मते ॥

dṛṣṭaste vikramaścaiva pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | karṇasya ca mahābāho sūtaputrasya durmate

You have seen the valour of the great-souled Pandavas, mighty-armed one, and that of Karna, the Suta's son, O evil-minded one.

Verse 9 (3.254.9)

न चापि पादभाक्कर्णः पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । धनुर्वेदे च शौर्ये च धर्मे वा धर्मवत्सल ॥

na cāpi pādabhākkarṇaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | dhanurvede ca śaurye ca dharme vā dharmavatsala

Karna is not worth even a quarter of the great-souled Pandavas, in the science of the bow, in courage or in dharma, O lover of dharma.

Verse 10 (3.254.10)

तस्मादहं क्षमं मन्ये पाण्डवैस्तैर्महात्मभिः । सन्धिं सन्धिविदां श्रेष्ठ कुलस्यास्य विवृद्धये ॥

tasmādahaṃ kṣamaṃ manye pāṇḍavaistairmahātmabhiḥ | sandhiṃ sandhividāṃ śreṣṭha kulasyāsya vivṛddhaye

Therefore, best of those who know how to make peace, I think it fitting to make peace with those great-souled Pandavas, for the growth of this family.

Note on the text: Corrected रसन्धिं सन्धिविदांश्रेष्ठ → सन्धिं सन्धिविदां श्रेष्ठ (misprint in Wikisource; stray र and missing word break; CE saṃdhiṃ saṃdhividāṃ śreṣṭha).

Verse 11 (3.254.11)

एवमुक्तश्च भीष्मेण धार्तराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः । प्रहस्य सहसा राजन्विप्रतस्थे ससौबलः ॥

evamuktaśca bhīṣmeṇa dhārtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ | prahasya sahasā rājanvipratasthe sasaubalaḥ

Addressed thus by Bhishma, the son of Dhritarashtra, lord of men, suddenly burst out laughing, O king, and walked away with Subala's son.

Verse 12 (3.254.12)

तं तु प्रस्थितमाज्ञाय कर्णदुःशासनादयः । अनुजग्मुर्महेष्वासा धार्तराष्ट्रं महाबलम् ॥

taṃ tu prasthitamājñāya karṇaduḥśāsanādayaḥ | anujagmurmaheṣvāsā dhārtarāṣṭraṃ mahābalam

Seeing him leave, Karna, Duhshasana and the other great archers followed the mighty son of Dhritarashtra.

Verse 13 (3.254.13)

तांस्तु संप्रस्थितान्दृष्ट्वा भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः । लज्जया व्रीडितो राजञ्जगाम स्वं निवेशनम् ॥

tāṃstu saṃprasthitāndṛṣṭvā bhīṣmaḥ kurupitāmahaḥ | lajjayā vrīḍito rājañjagāma svaṃ niveśanam

Seeing them depart, Bhishma, grandsire of the Kurus, ashamed and abashed, went to his own dwelling, O king.

Verse 14 (3.254.14)

गते भीष्मे महाराज धार्तराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः । पुनरागम्य तं देशममन्त्रयत मन्त्रिभिः ॥

gate bhīṣme mahārāja dhārtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ | punarāgamya taṃ deśamamantrayata mantribhiḥ

When Bhishma had gone, great king, the son of Dhritarashtra, lord of men, came back to that place and took counsel with his ministers:

Verse 15 (3.254.15)

किमस्माकं भवेच्छ्रेयः किं कार्यमवशिष्यते । कथं च सुकृतं तत्स्यान्मन्त्रयामास भारत ॥

kimasmākaṃ bhavecchreyaḥ kiṃ kāryamavaśiṣyate | kathaṃ ca sukṛtaṃ tatsyānmantrayāmāsa bhārata

"What would be best for us? What remains to be done? How can it be done well?" So he deliberated, O Bharata.

Verse 16 (3.254.16)

दुर्योधन निबोधेदं यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि कौरव । भीष्मोऽस्मान्निन्दति सदा पाण्डवांश्च प्रशंसति ॥

duryodhana nibodhedaṃ yattvāṃ vakṣyāmi kaurava | bhīṣmo'smānnindati sadā pāṇḍavāṃśca praśaṃsati

Duryodhana, listen to what I shall tell you, O Kaurava. Bhishma always reviles us and praises the Pandavas.

Note on the text: The speaker heading "कर्ण उवाच" (with Wikisource's opening bracket and asterisk) had slipped into the text; it is now the speaker. Corrected भीष्मोस्मान् → भीष्मोऽस्मान् (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha; apparatus bhīṣmo 'smān). The first line is CE 3.241.15a. The second line, and everything from here to the end of the adhyaya, is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; Wikisource's footnote says this passage of an adhyaya and a half is found only in the Jha manuscript); the CE gives it in Appendix I.24, line 1.

Verse 17 (3.254.17)

त्वद्वेषाच्च महाबाहो मामपि द्वेष्टुमर्हति । विगर्हते च मां नित्यं त्वत्समीपे नरेश्वर ॥

tvadveṣācca mahābāho māmapi dveṣṭumarhati | vigarhate ca māṃ nityaṃ tvatsamīpe nareśvara

Out of hatred for you, mighty-armed one, he chooses to hate me too, and he is forever disparaging me in your presence, lord of men.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 2–3.

Verse 18 (3.254.18)

सोऽहं भीष्मवचस्तद्वै न मृष्यामीह भारत । त्वत्समक्षं यदुक्तं च भीष्मेणामित्रकर्शन ॥

so'haṃ bhīṣmavacastadvai na mṛṣyāmīha bhārata | tvatsamakṣaṃ yaduktaṃ ca bhīṣmeṇāmitrakarśana

I cannot bear those words of Bhishma, O Bharata, which he spoke in your presence, O tormentor of foes,

Note on the text: Corrected त्वत्समं → त्वत्समक्षं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the sense is "in your presence"; Appendix I.24 reads tvatsamakṣaṃ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 4–5.

Verse 19 (3.254.19)

पाण्डवानां यशो राजंस्तव निन्दां च भारत । अनुजानीहि मां राजन्सभृत्यबलवाहनम् ॥

pāṇḍavānāṃ yaśo rājaṃstava nindāṃ ca bhārata | anujānīhi māṃ rājansabhṛtyabalavāhanam

praising the Pandavas' fame and reproaching you, O king, O Bharata. Give me leave, O king, with my servants, troops and mounts,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 6–7.

Verse 20 (3.254.20)

जेष्यामि पृथिवीं राजन्सशैलवनकाननाम् । जिता च पाण्डवैर्भूमिश्चतुर्भिर्बलशालिभिः ॥

jeṣyāmi pṛthivīṃ rājansaśailavanakānanām | jitā ca pāṇḍavairbhūmiścaturbhirbalaśālibhiḥ

and I will conquer the earth, O king, with its mountains, woods and forests. The earth was conquered by four of the Pandavas, mighty men;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 8–9.

Verse 21 (3.254.21)

तामहं ते विजेष्यामि एक एव न संशयः । संपश्यतु सुदुर्बुद्धिर्भीष्मः कुरुकुलाधमः ॥

tāmahaṃ te vijeṣyāmi eka eva na saṃśayaḥ | saṃpaśyatu sudurbuddhirbhīṣmaḥ kurukulādhamaḥ

I will conquer it for you alone; there is no doubt of it. Let Bhishma, that great fool, the lowest of the Kuru line, look on!

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 10–11.

Verse 22 (3.254.22)

अनिन्द्यं निन्दते यो हि अप्रशंस्यं प्रशंसति । स पश्यतु बलं मेऽद्य आत्मानं तु विगर्हतु ॥

anindyaṃ nindate yo hi apraśaṃsyaṃ praśaṃsati | sa paśyatu balaṃ me'dya ātmānaṃ tu vigarhatu

He who blames the blameless and praises the unpraiseworthy, let him see my strength today and reproach himself.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 12–13.

Verse 23 (3.254.23)

अनुजानीहि मां राजन्ध्रुवो हि विजयस्तव । प्रतिजानामि ते सत्यं राजन्नायुधमालभे ॥

anujānīhi māṃ rājandhruvo hi vijayastava | pratijānāmi te satyaṃ rājannāyudhamālabhe

Give me leave, O king; your victory is certain. I make you a true promise, O king, as I touch my weapon.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 14–15.

Verse 24 (3.254.24)

तच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचो राजन्कर्णस्य भरतर्षभ । प्रीत्या परमया युक्तः कर्णमाह नराधिपः ॥

tacchrutvā tu vaco rājankarṇasya bharatarṣabha | prītyā paramayā yuktaḥ karṇamāha narādhipaḥ

Hearing Karna's words, O king, O bull of the Bharatas, the lord of men was filled with the greatest joy and said to Karna:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 16–17.

Verse 25 (3.254.25)

धन्योऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि यस्य मे त्वं महाबलः । हितेषु वर्तसे नित्यं सफलं जन्म चाद्य मे ॥

dhanyo'smyanugṛhīto'smi yasya me tvaṃ mahābalaḥ | hiteṣu vartase nityaṃ saphalaṃ janma cādya me

I am blessed, I am favoured, since you, mighty one, are always intent on my good. Today my birth has borne fruit.

Note on the text: Corrected धन्योस्म्यनुगृहीतोस्मि → धन्योऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि (missing avagrahas) and सफलंजन्म → सफलं जन्म (missing word break) (misprints in Wikisource; Appendix I.24 dhanyo 'smy anugṛhīto 'smi, saphalaṃ janma). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 18–19.

Verse 26 (3.254.26)

यदा च मन्यसे वीर सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् । तदा निर्गच्छ भद्रं ते ह्यनुशाधि च मामिति ॥

yadā ca manyase vīra sarvaśatrunibarhaṇam | tadā nirgaccha bhadraṃ te hyanuśādhi ca māmiti

Whenever you judge the time right, hero, for the destruction of all our enemies, then go forth, good fortune to you, and give me your instructions.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 20–21.

Verse 27 (3.254.27)

एवमुक्तस्तदा कर्णो धार्तराष्ट्रेण धीमता । सर्वमाज्ञापयामास प्रायात्रिकमरिंदम ॥

evamuktastadā karṇo dhārtarāṣṭreṇa dhīmatā | sarvamājñāpayāmāsa prāyātrikamariṃdama

Addressed thus by the wise son of Dhritarashtra, Karna gave orders for everything needed for the march, O tamer of foes.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वमज्ञापयामास → सर्वमाज्ञापयामास (misprint in Wikisource; lost vowel sign; Appendix I.24 sarvam ājñāpayām āsa). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 22–23.

Verse 28 (3.254.28)

प्रययौ च महेष्वासो नक्षत्रे शुभदैवते । शुभे तिथौ मुहूर्ते च पूज्यमानो द्विजातिभिः ॥

prayayau ca maheṣvāso nakṣatre śubhadaivate | śubhe tithau muhūrte ca pūjyamāno dvijātibhiḥ

And the great archer set out under a constellation with an auspicious presiding deity, on an auspicious lunar day and at an auspicious hour, honoured by the twice-born.

Note on the text: Corrected शुभेतिथौ → शुभे तिथौ (missing word break) and पुज्यमानो → पूज्यमानो (short for long vowel) (misprints in Wikisource; Appendix I.24 śubhe tithau, pūjyamāno). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 24–25.

Verse 29 (3.254.29)

मङ्गलैश्च शुभैः स्नातो वाग्भिश्चापि प्रपूजितः । नादयन्रथघोषेण त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ॥

maṅgalaiśca śubhaiḥ snāto vāgbhiścāpi prapūjitaḥ | nādayanrathaghoṣeṇa trailokyaṃ sacarācaram

Bathed with auspicious substances and honoured with words of blessing, he made the three worlds, with all that moves and all that is still, resound with the roar of his chariot.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the CE gives it only in Appendix I.24, lines 26–27.