Kripa Rebukes Karna

Verse 1 (4.49.1)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा नीतिशास्त्रविशारदः । आचार्यः कुरुवीराणां कृपः शारद्वतोऽब्रवीत् ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā nītiśāstraviśāradaḥ | ācāryaḥ kuruvīrāṇāṃ kṛpaḥ śāradvato'bravīt

Hearing his words, Kripa, son of Sharadvat, teacher of the Kuru heroes and skilled in the science of policy, said:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.44.1*0830, lines 1–2.

Verse 2 (4.49.2)

सदैव तव राधेय युद्धे क्रूरतरा मतिः । नार्थानां प्रकृतिं वेत्सि नानुबन्धमवेक्षसे ॥

sadaiva tava rādheya yuddhe krūratarā matiḥ | nārthānāṃ prakṛtiṃ vetsi nānubandhamavekṣase

Radheya, where battle is concerned your mind is always set on the harshest course. You understand neither the nature of things nor where they lead.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints no speaker heading for Kripa; his speech (verses 2–26), announced in verse 1, is assigned to him (the CE heads it kṛpa uvāca).

Verse 3 (4.49.3)

नया हि बहवः सन्ति शास्त्राण्याश्रित्य चिन्तिताः । तेषां युद्धं सुपापिष्ठं वेदयन्ति पुराविदः ॥

nayā hi bahavaḥ santi śāstrāṇyāśritya cintitāḥ | teṣāṃ yuddhaṃ supāpiṣṭhaṃ vedayanti purāvidaḥ

There are many courses of policy, worked out on the basis of the treatises; of them all, those who know the old ways declare war the very worst.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.44.2 (सुपापिष्ठं for tu pāpiṣṭhaṃ).

Verse 4 (4.49.4)

देशकालेन संयुक्तं युद्धं विजयदं भवेत् । हीनकालं तदेवेह अनर्थायोपकल्पते ॥

deśakālena saṃyuktaṃ yuddhaṃ vijayadaṃ bhavet | hīnakālaṃ tadeveha anarthāyopakalpate

War joined at the right place and time brings victory; the same war at the wrong time leads only to ruin.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.44.3abcd (the second line ends differently).

Verse 5 (4.49.5)

देशे काले च विक्रान्तं कल्याणाय विधीयते । आनुकूल्येन कार्याणामुत्तरं तु विधीयते ॥

deśe kāle ca vikrāntaṃ kalyāṇāya vidhīyate | ānukūlyena kāryāṇāmuttaraṃ tu vidhīyate

Valour shown at the right place and time serves one's good; it is from the favourable turn of affairs that the upper hand is won.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 4.44.3ef; the second is a variant of CE 4.44.4ab (उत्तरं तु विधीयते for antaraṃ saṃvidhīyatām).

Verse 6 (4.49.6)

भारं हि रथकारस्य न व्यवस्यन्ति पण्डिताः । परिचिन्त्य तु पार्थेन संनिपातो न नः क्षमः ॥

bhāraṃ hi rathakārasya na vyavasyanti paṇḍitāḥ | paricintya tu pārthena saṃnipāto na naḥ kṣamaḥ

The wise do not settle on a course on a chariot-maker's word. When all is weighed, a clash with Partha is not right for us.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 4.44.4cd; the second is CE 4.44.5ab.

Verse 7 (4.49.7)

एको हि शत्रून्समरे समर्थः प्रतिबाधितुम् । एकः कुरूनभ्यरक्षदेकश्चाग्निमतर्पयत् ॥

eko hi śatrūnsamare samarthaḥ pratibādhitum | ekaḥ kurūnabhyarakṣadekaścāgnimatarpayat

He alone is able to hold back his enemies in battle. Alone he protected the Kurus, and alone he sated Agni.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 4.44.5b*0831, in a different word order); the second is CE 4.44.5cd.

Verse 8 (4.49.8)

एकश्च पञ्च वर्षाणि ब्रह्मचर्यमधारयत् । एकः सुभद्रामारोप्य द्वैरथे कृष्णमाह्वयत् ॥

ekaśca pañca varṣāṇi brahmacaryamadhārayat | ekaḥ subhadrāmāropya dvairathe kṛṣṇamāhvayat

Alone he kept the vow of celibacy for five years; alone he set Subhadra on his chariot and challenged Krishna to single combat.

Note on the text: Corrected आह्वयम् → आह्वयत् (misprint in Wikisource; म् for त्, which would make the verb first person, "I challenged", in a list of Arjuna's deeds; the CE reads āhvayat). CE 4.44.6abcd.

Verse 9 (4.49.9)

सैन्धवं वनवासे तु जित्वा कृष्णामथानयत् । एकश्च पञ्च वर्षाणि शक्रादस्त्राण्यशिक्षत ॥

saindhavaṃ vanavāse tu jitvā kṛṣṇāmathānayat | ekaśca pañca varṣāṇi śakrādastrāṇyaśikṣata

During the forest exile he defeated the Saindhava and brought Krishna back; and alone, for five years, he learned the use of weapons from Shakra.

Note on the text: Corrected शक्रादस्राण्य → शक्रादस्त्राण्य (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped त् in astra; the CE reads astrāṇy). The first line is a loose variant of CE 4.44.6ef (the CE does not name the Saindhava); the second is CE 4.44.7ab.

Verse 10 (4.49.10)

एकः सपत्नाञ्जित्वा तु कुरूणामकरोद्यशः । एको गन्धर्वराजानं चित्रसेनमरिन्दमः । विजिग्ये तरसा सङ्ख्ये सेनां चास्य सुदुर्जयाम् ॥

ekaḥ sapatnāñjitvā tu kurūṇāmakarodyaśaḥ | eko gandharvarājānaṃ citrasenamarindamaḥ | vijigye tarasā saṅkhye senāṃ cāsya sudurjayām

Alone he conquered his rivals and won glory for the Kurus; alone that tamer of foes overcame Chitrasena, king of the Gandharvas, by force in battle, together with his all but invincible army.

Note on the text: The first line is a variant of CE 4.44.7cd (सपत्नाञ्जित्वा for sāṃyaminīṃ jitvā; Wikisource's own footnote records the reading संयमिनीं from another manuscript); the second and third are CE 4.44.8.

Verse 11 (4.49.11)

पाञ्चाली श्रीमती प्राप्ता क्षत्रं जित्वा स्वयंवरे । आदाय गतवान्पार्थो भवान्क्वनु गतस्तदा ॥

pāñcālī śrīmatī prāptā kṣatraṃ jitvā svayaṃvare | ādāya gatavānpārtho bhavānkvanu gatastadā

The glorious Panchali was won at the svayamvara by defeating the Kshatriyas, and Partha took her and went away. Where had you gone then?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.44.8d*0834, lines 1–2 (pāñcālīṃ śrīmatīṃ prāptaḥ where Wikisource has पाञ्चाली श्रीमती प्राप्ता).

Verse 12 (4.49.12)

तथा निवातकवचाः कालकेयाश्च दानवाः । दैवतैरप्यवध्यास्ते एकेन युधि पातिताः ॥

tathā nivātakavacāḥ kālakeyāśca dānavāḥ | daivatairapyavadhyāste ekena yudhi pātitāḥ

So too the Nivatakavachas and the Kalakeya Danavas, whom even the gods could not slay, were struck down in battle by him alone.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.44.9 (कालकेयाः for kālakhañjāḥ).

Verse 13 (4.49.13)

एकेन हि त्वया कर्ण किं नामेह कृतं पुरा । एकैकेन यथा तेषां भूमिपाला वशे कृताः ॥

ekena hi tvayā karṇa kiṃ nāmeha kṛtaṃ purā | ekaikena yathā teṣāṃ bhūmipālā vaśe kṛtāḥ

But you, Karna, what have you ever done here alone, in the way each of them alone has brought kings under his sway?

Verse 14 (4.49.14)

इन्द्रोऽपि हि न पार्थेन संयुगे योद्धुमर्हति । यस्तेनाशंसते योद्धुं कर्तव्यं तस्य भेषजम् ॥

indro'pi hi na pārthena saṃyuge yoddhumarhati | yastenāśaṃsate yoddhuṃ kartavyaṃ tasya bheṣajam

Not even Indra is a match for Partha in battle. Whoever hopes to fight him ought to be given medicine.

Note on the text: Corrected इन्द्रोपि → इन्द्रोऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha).

Verse 15 (4.49.15)

आशीविषस्य क्रुद्धस्य पाणिमुद्यम्य दक्षिणम् । अवमुच्य प्रदेशिन्या दंष्ट्रामादातुमिच्छसि ॥

āśīviṣasya kruddhasya pāṇimudyamya dakṣiṇam | avamucya pradeśinyā daṃṣṭrāmādātumicchasi

You are raising your right hand to an angry venomous snake and, off your guard, mean to pluck out its fang with your forefinger.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.44.12 (अवमुच्य for avimṛśya).

Verse 16 (4.49.16)

अथवा कुञ्जरं मत्तमेकमेकचरं वने । निरङ्कुशं समारुह्य नगरं यातुमिच्छसि ॥

athavā kuñjaraṃ mattamekamekacaraṃ vane | niraṅkuśaṃ samāruhya nagaraṃ yātumicchasi

Or you mean to mount a rutting elephant that roams the forest alone, without a goad, and ride it to the city.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.44.13 (the wording differs in part).

Verse 17 (4.49.17)

समिद्धं पावकं चापि घृतमेदोवसाहुतम् । घृताक्तश्चीरवासास्त्वं मध्येनोत्सर्तुमिच्छसि ॥

samiddhaṃ pāvakaṃ cāpi ghṛtamedovasāhutam | ghṛtāktaścīravāsāstvaṃ madhyenotsartumicchasi

Or, smeared with ghee and dressed in bark, you mean to pass through the middle of a blazing fire fed with ghee, fat and marrow.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.44.14 (चापि for vāpi, उत्सर्तुम् for uttartum).

Verse 18 (4.49.18)

आत्मानं यः समाबध्य कण्ठे बद्ध्वा तथा शिलाम् । समुद्रं प्रतरेद्दोर्भ्यां तत्र किं कर्ण पौरुषम् ॥

ātmānaṃ yaḥ samābadhya kaṇṭhe baddhvā tathā śilām | samudraṃ pratareddorbhyāṃ tatra kiṃ karṇa pauruṣam

If a man ties himself up, binds a stone to his neck and swims the ocean with his arms, where is the manliness in that, Karna?

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.44.15 (the wording differs in part).

Verse 19 (4.49.19)

अकृतास्त्रः कृतास्त्रं वै बलवन्तं सुदुर्बलः । तादृशं कर्ण यः पार्थं योद्धुमिच्छेत्स दुर्मतिः ॥

akṛtāstraḥ kṛtāstraṃ vai balavantaṃ sudurbalaḥ | tādṛśaṃ karṇa yaḥ pārthaṃ yoddhumicchetsa durmatiḥ

One who, unskilled in weapons and very weak, would fight a man like Partha, so skilled in weapons and so strong, is a fool, Karna.

Verse 20 (4.49.20)

अस्माभिरेव निकृतो वर्षाणीह त्रयोदश । सिंहः पाशविनिर्मुक्तो न नः शेषं करिष्यति ॥

asmābhireva nikṛto varṣāṇīha trayodaśa | siṃhaḥ pāśavinirmukto na naḥ śeṣaṃ kariṣyati

It was we who wronged him for these thirteen years. A lion freed from the noose, he will leave nothing of us.

Verse 21 (4.49.21)

एकान्ते पार्थमासीनं कूपेऽग्निमिव संवृतम् । अज्ञानादभ्यवस्कन्द्य प्राप्ताः स्मो भयमुत्तमम् ॥

ekānte pārthamāsīnaṃ kūpe'gnimiva saṃvṛtam | ajñānādabhyavaskandya prāptāḥ smo bhayamuttamam

Partha was sitting apart, hidden like fire in a well; attacking him unawares, we have walked into the gravest danger.

Verse 22 (4.49.22)

उत्सृष्टं तूलराशौ तु एकोऽग्निं शमयेत्कथम् । सह युद्ध्यामहे पार्थमागतं युद्धदुर्मदम् ॥

utsṛṣṭaṃ tūlarāśau tu eko'gniṃ śamayetkatham | saha yuddhyāmahe pārthamāgataṃ yuddhadurmadam

How could one man put out a fire let loose on a heap of cotton? Let us fight together against Partha, who has come here mad for battle.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 4.44.18d*0836); the second is CE 4.44.19ab.

Verse 23 (4.49.23)

यत्ता वयं पराक्रान्ता व्यूढानीकाः प्रहारिणः । युद्धायावस्थितं पार्थमागतं पाकशासनिम् ॥

yattā vayaṃ parākrāntā vyūḍhānīkāḥ prahāriṇaḥ | yuddhāyāvasthitaṃ pārthamāgataṃ pākaśāsanim

Alert and bold, with our ranks arrayed and ready to strike, let us meet Partha, Indra's son, who has come and stands ready for battle.

Note on the text: The first line is a variant of CE 4.44.19cd; the second is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 4.44.19d*0837).

Verse 24 (4.49.24)

यत्ताः सर्वे रथश्रेष्ठं परिवार्य समन्ततः । षड्रथाः परिकीर्यन्तां वज्रपाणिमिवासुराः ॥

yattāḥ sarve rathaśreṣṭhaṃ parivārya samantataḥ | ṣaḍrathāḥ parikīryantāṃ vajrapāṇimivāsurāḥ

Let all of us, on our guard, six chariot-warriors, surround that best of chariot-fighters on every side, as the Asuras surrounded the wielder of the thunderbolt.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.44.22d*0839, lines 1–2.

Verse 25 (4.49.25)

द्रोणो दुर्योधनो भीष्मो भवान्द्रौणिस्तथा वयम् । सर्वे युद्ध्यामहे पार्थं कर्ण मा साहसं कृथाः ॥

droṇo duryodhano bhīṣmo bhavāndrauṇistathā vayam | sarve yuddhyāmahe pārthaṃ karṇa mā sāhasaṃ kṛthāḥ

Drona, Duryodhana, Bhishma, you, Drona's son and I: let all of us fight Partha together. Karna, do not act rashly.

Verse 26 (4.49.26)

न ह्यसंगत्य समरे पार्थं जेष्यामहे वयम् । संगत्य समरे पार्थं सर्वे जेष्यामहे वयम् ॥

na hyasaṃgatya samare pārthaṃ jeṣyāmahe vayam | saṃgatya samare pārthaṃ sarve jeṣyāmahe vayam

If we do not band together in battle we shall not conquer Partha; banded together in battle, all of us will conquer him.

Note on the text: Corrected जेष्यमाहे → जेष्यामहे (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel signs are transposed; the same verb is जेष्यामहे in the first line). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The first line is a variant of the apparatus line 4.44.20d*0838 (असंगत्य for asaṃhatya); the second appears nowhere in the CE.