Bhishma Makes Peace Among the Kuru Commanders

Verse 1 (4.51.1)

ततः शान्तनवस्तत्र धर्मार्थकुशलं हितम् । दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्कुरुसंसदि ॥

tataḥ śāntanavastatra dharmārthakuśalaṃ hitam | duryodhanamidaṃ vākyamabravītkurusaṃsadi

Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, spoke these words to Duryodhana in the assembly of the Kurus, words wise in dharma and statecraft and meant for his good:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). It is in its apparatus as 4.46.0*0848.

Verse 2 (4.51.2)

साधु पश्यति वै द्रोणः कृपः साध्वनुपश्यति । आचार्यपुत्रः सहजं निश्चितं साधु भाषते ॥

sādhu paśyati vai droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ sādhvanupaśyati | ācāryaputraḥ sahajaṃ niścitaṃ sādhu bhāṣate

"Drona sees rightly, and Kripa judges rightly; the teacher's son, too, speaks what is natural to him, settled and sound.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 4.46.1ab; the second is in the CE apparatus as 4.46.1b*0849. Bhishma's speech; the page prints no heading for him and the input left it under the narrator (the CE prints bhīṣma uvāca above 4.46.1).

Verse 3 (4.51.3)

कर्णस्तु क्षत्रधर्मेण केवलं योद्धुमिच्छति । आचार्यो नावमन्तव्यः पुरुषेण विजानता । देशकालौ तु संप्रेक्ष्य योद्धव्यमिति मे मतिः ॥

karṇastu kṣatradharmeṇa kevalaṃ yoddhumicchati | ācāryo nāvamantavyaḥ puruṣeṇa vijānatā | deśakālau tu saṃprekṣya yoddhavyamiti me matiḥ

Karna wishes only to fight, by the kshatriya's code. A man of understanding should not slight the teacher. My view is that one should fight after weighing the place and the time.

Note on the text: The first line is a variant of CE 4.46.1cd (केवलं for yathāvad); the second and third are a variant of CE 4.46.2 (नावमन्तव्यः for nābhiṣaktavyaḥ).

Verse 4 (4.51.4)

यस्य सूर्यसमाः पञ्च सपत्नाः स्युः प्रहारिणः । कथमभ्युदये तेषां न प्रमुह्येत पण्डितः ॥

yasya sūryasamāḥ pañca sapatnāḥ syuḥ prahāriṇaḥ | kathamabhyudaye teṣāṃ na pramuhyeta paṇḍitaḥ

How should a wise man not be troubled when five foes, like the sun in splendour and ready to strike, are on the rise?

Note on the text: Corrected प़ञ्च → पञ्च (misprint in Wikisource; a stray nukta under प; the CE reads pañca).

Verse 5 (4.51.5)

स्वार्थे सर्वे विमुह्यन्ति येऽपि धर्मविदो जनाः । तस्मात्तत्वं न जानाति यत्तु कार्यं नराधिपः ॥

svārthe sarve vimuhyanti ye'pi dharmavido janāḥ | tasmāttatvaṃ na jānāti yattu kāryaṃ narādhipaḥ

Where their own interest is at stake, all men are bewildered, even those who know dharma. That is why the king does not see the truth of what must be done.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 4.46.4ab; the second is in the CE apparatus as 4.46.4b*0850, line 1.

Verse 6 (4.51.6)

धार्तराष्ट्रोपि दुर्बुद्धिः पश्यन्नपि धनञ्जयम् । नैव पश्यति नाघ्राति मन्दः क्रोधवशं गतः ॥

dhārtarāṣṭropi durbuddhiḥ paśyannapi dhanañjayam | naiva paśyati nāghrāti mandaḥ krodhavaśaṃ gataḥ

Dhritarashtra's dull-witted son, too, though he sees Dhananjaya, neither sees him nor scents the danger — foolish and in the grip of anger."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). It is in its apparatus as 4.46.4b*0850, lines 2–3.

Verse 7 (4.51.7)

एवमुक्त्वा तु राजानं पुनर्द्रौणिमुवाच ह । प्राञ्जलिर्भरतश्रेष्ठः साम्ना बुद्धिमतांवरः ॥

evamuktvā tu rājānaṃ punardrauṇimuvāca ha | prāñjalirbharataśreṣṭhaḥ sāmnā buddhimatāṃvaraḥ

Having said this to the king, the best of the Bharatas, foremost of the wise, joined his palms and spoke again, gently, to Drona's son:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). It is in its apparatus as 4.46.4b*0850, lines 4–5.

Verse 8 (4.51.8)

कर्णो हि यदवोचत्त्वां तेजस्संजननाय तत् । आचार्यपुत्रः क्षमतां महत्कार्यमुपस्थितम् ॥

karṇo hi yadavocattvāṃ tejassaṃjananāya tat | ācāryaputraḥ kṣamatāṃ mahatkāryamupasthitam

"What Karna said to you was meant to kindle your fire. Let the teacher's son forgive; a great task is at hand.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.46.5 (the first line differs in wording). Bhishma's speech; the page prints no heading and the input left it under the narrator.

Verse 9 (4.51.9)

नायं कालो विरोधस्य कौन्तेये समुपस्थिते । क्षन्तव्यं भवता सर्वमाचार्येण कृपेण च ॥

nāyaṃ kālo virodhasya kaunteye samupasthite | kṣantavyaṃ bhavatā sarvamācāryeṇa kṛpeṇa ca

This is no time for quarrels, with the son of Kunti upon us. Everything should be forgiven — by you, by the teacher and by Kripa.

Verse 10 (4.51.10)

भवतां हि कृतास्त्रत्वं यथाऽऽदित्ये प्रभा तथा । यथा चन्द्रमसो लक्ष्मीः सर्वथा नापकृष्यते । एवं भवत्सु ब्राह्मण्यं ब्रह्मास्त्रं च प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

bhavatāṃ hi kṛtāstratvaṃ yathā''ditye prabhā tathā | yathā candramaso lakṣmīḥ sarvathā nāpakṛṣyate | evaṃ bhavatsu brāhmaṇyaṃ brahmāstraṃ ca pratiṣṭhitam

Mastery of weapons is in you as light is in the sun; and as beauty is never taken from the moon, so brahminhood and the Brahma weapon are firmly established in you.

Verse 11 (4.51.11)

चत्वार एकतो वेदाः क्षात्रमेकत्र दृश्यते । नैतत्समस्तमुभयं कस्मिंश्चिदनुशुश्रुम । अन्यत्र भारताचार्यात्सुपुत्रादिति मे मतिः ॥

catvāra ekato vedāḥ kṣātramekatra dṛśyate | naitatsamastamubhayaṃ kasmiṃścidanuśuśruma | anyatra bhāratācāryātsuputrāditi me matiḥ

The four Vedas are found in one man, the kshatriya's craft in another; we have never heard of both together in anyone except the Bharatas' teacher and his good son — such is my view.

Note on the text: The first two lines are CE 4.46.8; the third is a variant of CE 4.46.9ab (सुपुत्रात् for saputrāt).

Verse 12 (4.51.12)

वेदान्ताश्च पुराणानि इतिहासं पुरातनम् । जामदग्न्यमृते राजन्को द्रोणादधिको भवेत् ॥

vedāntāśca purāṇāni itihāsaṃ purātanam | jāmadagnyamṛte rājanko droṇādadhiko bhavet

In the Vedanta, the Puranas and the ancient histories — leaving aside Jamadagni's son, O king, who could surpass Drona?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). It is in its apparatus as 4.46.9b*0852.

Verse 13 (4.51.13)

ब्रह्मास्त्रं चैव वेदाश्च नैतदन्यत्र दृश्यते ॥

brahmāstraṃ caiva vedāśca naitadanyatra dṛśyate

The Brahma weapon and the Vedas together — this is seen nowhere else.

Note on the text: A one-line verse, printed so on the page. It is CE 4.46.9cd.

Verse 14 (4.51.14)

आचार्यपुत्रः क्षमतां नायं कालो विभेदने । सर्वे संहत्य युद्ध्यामः पाकशासनिमागतम् ॥

ācāryaputraḥ kṣamatāṃ nāyaṃ kālo vibhedane | sarve saṃhatya yuddhyāmaḥ pākaśāsanimāgatam

Let the teacher's son forgive; this is no time for division. Let us all join together and fight Indra's son, who has come.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.46.10 (विभेदने for svabhedane).

Verse 15 (4.51.15)

बलस्य व्यसनानीह यान्युक्तानि मनीषिभिः । मुख्यो भेदोहि तेषां तु पापिष्ठो विदुषां मतः ॥

balasya vyasanānīha yānyuktāni manīṣibhiḥ | mukhyo bhedohi teṣāṃ tu pāpiṣṭho viduṣāṃ mataḥ

Of all the calamities that the wise say can befall an army, division is the chief, and the learned hold it the worst."

Verse 16 (4.51.16)

नैवं न्याय्यमिदं वाच्यमस्माकं पुरुषर्षभ । किंतु रोषपरीतेन गुरुणा भाषिता गुणाः ॥

naivaṃ nyāyyamidaṃ vācyamasmākaṃ puruṣarṣabha | kiṃtu roṣaparītena guruṇā bhāṣitā guṇāḥ

"Bull among men, it is not fair that this should be said to us. It was the teacher, overcome with anger, who spoke of Arjuna's merits.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). It is in its apparatus as 4.46.12*0853, lines 1–2.

Verse 17 (4.51.17)

शत्रोरपि गुणा ग्राह्या दोषा वाच्या गुरोरपि । सर्वथा सर्वयत्नेन पुत्रे शिष्ये हितं वदेत् ॥

śatrorapi guṇā grāhyā doṣā vācyā gurorapi | sarvathā sarvayatnena putre śiṣye hitaṃ vadet

Even an enemy's virtues should be acknowledged, and even a teacher's faults spoken of; and one should in every way, with every effort, tell a son or a pupil what is for his good.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). It is in its apparatus as 4.46.12*0853, lines 3–4.

Verse 18 (4.51.18)

आचार्य एष क्षमतां शान्तिरत्र विधीयताम् । अभिद्यमाने तु गुरौ निवृत्तं रोषकारितम् ॥

ācārya eṣa kṣamatāṃ śāntiratra vidhīyatām | abhidyamāne tu gurau nivṛttaṃ roṣakāritam

Let the teacher forgive, and let peace be made here; if the teacher is not set apart from us, what anger brought about is at an end."

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.46.12 (the second line differs in wording).

Verse 19 (4.51.19)

ततो दुर्योधनो द्रोणं क्षमयामास भारत । सह कर्णेन भीष्मेण कृपं चैव महाबलम् ॥

tato duryodhano droṇaṃ kṣamayāmāsa bhārata | saha karṇena bhīṣmeṇa kṛpaṃ caiva mahābalam

Then Duryodhana, O Bharata, together with Karna and Bhishma, begged pardon of Drona, and of mighty Kripa too.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.46.13 (the last words differ).

Verse 20 (4.51.20)

यदेतत्प्रथमं वाक्यं भीष्मः शान्तनवोऽब्रवीत् । तेनैवाहं प्रसन्नो वै परमत्र विधीयताम् ॥

yadetatprathamaṃ vākyaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo'bravīt | tenaivāhaṃ prasanno vai paramatra vidhīyatām

"I was appeased by the very first words that Bhishma, son of Shantanu, spoke. Now let what comes next be arranged.

Verse 21 (4.51.21)

यथा दुर्योधनं पार्थो नोपसर्पति संगरे । साहसाद्यदि वा मोहात्तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम् ॥

yathā duryodhanaṃ pārtho nopasarpati saṃgare | sāhasādyadi vā mohāttathā nītirvidhīyatām

Let a plan be made such that Partha, whether in rashness or in folly, does not come at Duryodhana in the fight.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.46.15 (the first line differs: in the CE no elephant is to touch the soldiers while Duryodhana is exposed).

Verse 22 (4.51.22)

वनवासे ह्यनिर्वृत्ते दर्शयेन्न धनञ्जयः । धनं चालभमानोऽत्र नाद्य तत्क्षन्तुमर्हति ॥

vanavāse hyanirvṛtte darśayenna dhanañjayaḥ | dhanaṃ cālabhamāno'tra nādya tatkṣantumarhati

Had the term of exile not been completed, Dhananjaya would not have shown himself; and without regaining his wealth he will not forgive this today.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.46.16.

Verse 23 (4.51.23)

यथा नायं समायुञ्ज्याद्धार्तराष्ट्रं कथंचन । न च सेनां पराजय्यात्तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम् ॥

yathā nāyaṃ samāyuñjyāddhārtarāṣṭraṃ kathaṃcana | na ca senāṃ parājayyāttathā nītirvidhīyatām

Let a plan be made such that he can in no way come to grips with Dhritarashtra's son, and cannot defeat the army.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.46.17.

Verse 24 (4.51.24)

उक्तं दुर्योधनेनापि पुरस्ताद्वाक्यमीदृशम् । तदनुस्मृत्य गाङ्गेय यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि ॥

uktaṃ duryodhanenāpi purastādvākyamīdṛśam | tadanusmṛtya gāṅgeya yathāvadvaktumarhasi

Duryodhana too said something of this kind earlier. Bearing it in mind, son of Ganga, tell us rightly what should be done."