Bhisma Parwa 117

Mahabharata 6.117

 

Bhisma Parwa 117

 

  1 [स]
     ततस ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे जग्मुः सवान आलयान पुनः
     तूष्णींभूते महाराजे भीष्मे शंतनुनन्दने
 2 शरुत्वा तु निहतं भीष्मं राधेयः पुरुषर्षभः
     ईषद आगतसंत्रासस तवरयॊपजगाम ह
 3 स ददर्श महात्मानं शरतल्पगतं तदा
     जन्म शय्या गतं देवं कार्त्तिकेयम इव परभुम
 4 निमीलिताक्षं तं वीरं साश्रुकण्ठस तदा वृषः
     अभ्येत्य पादयॊस तस्य निपपात महाद्युतिः
 5 राधेयॊ ऽहं कुरुश्रेष्ठ नित्यं चाष्कि गतस तव
     दवेष्यॊ ऽतयन्तम अनागाः सन्न इति चैनम उवाच ह
 6 तच छरुत्वा कुरुवृद्धः सबलात संवृत्त लॊचनः
     शनैर उद्वीक्ष्य स सनेहम इदं वचनम अब्रवीत
 7 रहितं धिष्ण्यम आलॊक्य समुत्सार्य च रक्षिणः
     पितेव पुत्रं गाङ्गेयः परिष्वज्यैक बाहुना
 8 एह्य एहि मे विप्रतीप सपर्धसे तवं मया सह
     यदि मां नाभिगच्छेथा न ते शरेयॊ भवेद धरुवम
 9 कौन्तेयस तवं न राधेयॊ विदितॊ नारदान मम
     कृष्णद्वैपायनाच चैव केशवाच च न संशयः
 10 न च दवेषॊ ऽसति मे तात तवयि सत्यं बरवीमि ते
    तेजॊवधनिमित्तं तु परुषाण्य अहम उक्तवान
 11 अकस्मात पाण्डवान हि तवं दविषसीति मतिर मम
    येनासि बहुषॊ रूक्षं चॊदितः सूर्यनन्दन
 12 जानामि समरे वीर्यं शत्रुभिर दुःसहं तव
    बरह्मण्यतां च शौर्यं च दाने च परमां गतिम
 13 न तवया सदृशः कश चित पुरुषेष्व अमरॊपम
    कुलभेदं च मत्वाहं सदा परुषम उक्तवान
 14 इष्वस्ते भारसंधाने लाघवे ऽसत्रबले तथा
    सदृशः फल्गुनेनासि कृष्णेन च महात्मना
 15 कर्ण राजपुरं गत्वा तवयैकेन धनुष्मता
    तस्यार्थे कुरुराजस्य राजानॊ मृदिता युधि
 16 तथा च बलवान राजा जला संधॊ दुरासदः
    समरे समरश्लाघी तवया न सदृशॊ ऽभवत
 17 बरह्मण्यः सत्यवादी च तेजसार्क इवापरः
    देवगर्भॊ ऽजितः संख्ये मनुष्यैर अधिकॊ भुवि
 18 वयपनीतॊ ऽदय मन्युर मे यस तवां परति पुरा कृतः
    दैवं पुरुषकारेण न शक्यम अतिवर्तितुम
 19 सॊदर्याः पाण्डवा वीरा भरातरस ते ऽरिसूदन
    संगच्छ तैर महाबाहॊ मम चेद इच्छसि परियम
 20 मया भवतु निर्वृत्तं वैरम आदित्यनन्दन
    पृथिव्यां सर्वराजानॊ भवन्त्व अद्य निरामयाः
 21 [कर्ण]
    जानाम्य अहं महाप्राज्ञ सर्वम एतन न संशयः
    यथा वदसि दुर्धर्ष कौन्तेयॊ ऽहं न सूतजः
 22 अवकीर्णस तव अहं कुन्त्या सूतेन च विवर्धितः
    भुक्त्वा दुर्यॊधनैश्वर्यं न मिथ्या कर्तुम उत्सहे
 23 वसु चैव शरीरं च यद उदारं तथा यशः
    सर्वं दुर्यॊधनस्यार्थे तयक्तं मे भूरिदक्षिण
    कॊपिताः पाण्डवा नित्यं मयाश्रित्य सुयॊधनम
 24 अवश्य भावी वै यॊ ऽरथॊ न स शक्यॊनिवर्तितुम
    दैवं पुरुषकारेण कॊ निवर्तितुम उत्सहेत
 25 पृथिवी कषयशंसीनि निमित्तानि पितामह
    भवद्भिर उपलब्धानि कथितानि च संसदि
 26 पाण्डवा वासुदेवश च विदिता मम सर्वशः
    अजेयाः पुरुषैर अन्यैर इति तांश चॊत्सहामहे
 27 अनुजानीष्व मां तात युद्धे परीतमनाः सदा
    अनुज्ञातस तवया वीर युध्येयम इति मे मतिः
 28 दुरुक्तं विप्रतीपं वा संरम्भाच चापलात तथा
    यन मयापकृतं किं चित तद अनुक्षन्तुम अर्हसि
 29 [भस]
    न चेच छक्यम अथॊत्स्रष्टुं वैरम एतत सुदारुणम
    अनुजानामि कर्ण तवां युध्यस्व सवर्गकाम्यया
 30 विमन्युर गतसंरम्भः कुरु कर्म नृपस्य हि
    यथाशक्ति यथॊत्साहं सतां वृत्तेषु वृत्तवान
 31 अहं तवाम अनुजानामि यद इच्छसि तद आप्नुहि
    कषत्रधर्मजिताँल लॊकान संप्राप्स्यसि न संशयः
 32 युध्यस्व निरहंकारॊ बलवीर्य वयपाश्रयः
    धर्मॊ हि युद्धाच छरेयॊ ऽनयत कषत्रियस्य न विद्यते
 33 परशमे हि कृतॊ यत्नः सुचिरात सुचिरं मया
    न चैव शकितः कर्तुं यतॊ धर्मस ततॊ जयः
 34 [स]
    एवं बरुवन्तं गाङ्गेयम अभिवाद्य परसाद्य च
    राधेयॊ रथम आरुह्य परायात तव सुतं परति

 

 1 [s]
     tatas te pārthivāḥ sarve jagmuḥ svān ālayān punaḥ
     tūṣṇīṃbhūte mahārāje bhīṣme śaṃtanunandane
 2 śrutvā tu nihataṃ bhīṣmaṃ rādheyaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ
     īṣad āgatasaṃtrāsas tvarayopajagāma ha
 3 sa dadarśa mahātmānaṃ śaratalpagataṃ tadā
     janma śayyā gataṃ devaṃ kārttikeyam iva prabhum
 4 nimīlitākṣaṃ taṃ vīraṃ sāśrukaṇṭhas tadā vṛṣaḥ
     abhyetya pādayos tasya nipapāta mahādyutiḥ
 5 rādheyo 'haṃ kuruśreṣṭha nityaṃ cāṣki gatas tava
     dveṣyo 'tyantam anāgāḥ sann iti cainam uvāca ha
 6 tac chrutvā kuruvṛddhaḥ sabalāt saṃvṛtta locanaḥ
     śanair udvīkṣya sa sneham idaṃ vacanam abravīt
 7 rahitaṃ dhiṣṇyam ālokya samutsārya ca rakṣiṇaḥ
     piteva putraṃ gāṅgeyaḥ pariṣvajyaika bāhunā
 8 ehy ehi me vipratīpa spardhase tvaṃ mayā saha
     yadi māṃ nābhigacchethā na te śreyo bhaved dhruvam
 9 kaunteyas tvaṃ na rādheyo vidito nāradān mama
     kṛṣṇadvaipāyanāc caiva keśavāc ca na saṃśayaḥ
 10 na ca dveṣo 'sti me tāta tvayi satyaṃ bravīmi te
    tejovadhanimittaṃ tu paruṣāṇy aham uktavān
 11 akasmāt pāṇḍavān hi tvaṃ dviṣasīti matir mama
    yenāsi bahuṣo rūkṣaṃ coditaḥ sūryanandana
 12 jānāmi samare vīryaṃ śatrubhir duḥsahaṃ tava
    brahmaṇyatāṃ ca śauryaṃ ca dāne ca paramāṃ gatim
 13 na tvayā sadṛśaḥ kaś cit puruṣeṣv amaropama
    kulabhedaṃ ca matvāhaṃ sadā paruṣam uktavān
 14 iṣvaste bhārasaṃdhāne lāghave 'strabale tathā
    sadṛśaḥ phalgunenāsi kṛṣṇena ca mahātmanā
 15 karṇa rājapuraṃ gatvā tvayaikena dhanuṣmatā
    tasyārthe kururājasya rājāno mṛditā yudhi
 16 tathā ca balavān rājā jalā saṃdho durāsadaḥ
    samare samaraślāghī tvayā na sadṛśo 'bhavat
 17 brahmaṇyaḥ satyavādī ca tejasārka ivāparaḥ
    devagarbho 'jitaḥ saṃkhye manuṣyair adhiko bhuvi
 18 vyapanīto 'dya manyur me yas tvāṃ prati purā kṛtaḥ
    daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa na śakyam ativartitum
 19 sodaryāḥ pāṇḍavā vīrā bhrātaras te 'risūdana
    saṃgaccha tair mahābāho mama ced icchasi priyam
 20 mayā bhavatu nirvṛttaṃ vairam ādityanandana
    pṛthivyāṃ sarvarājāno bhavantv adya nirāmayāḥ
 21 [karṇa]
    jānāmy ahaṃ mahāprājña sarvam etan na saṃśayaḥ
    yathā vadasi durdharṣa kaunteyo 'haṃ na sūtajaḥ
 22 avakīrṇas tv ahaṃ kuntyā sūtena ca vivardhitaḥ
    bhuktvā duryodhanaiśvaryaṃ na mithyā kartum utsahe
 23 vasu caiva śarīraṃ ca yad udāraṃ tathā yaśaḥ
    sarvaṃ duryodhanasyārthe tyaktaṃ me bhūridakṣiṇa
    kopitāḥ pāṇḍavā nityaṃ mayāśritya suyodhanam
 24 avaśya bhāvī vai yo 'rtho na sa śakyonivartitum
    daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa ko nivartitum utsahet
 25 pṛthivī kṣayaśaṃsīni nimittāni pitāmaha
    bhavadbhir upalabdhāni kathitāni ca saṃsadi
 26 pāṇḍavā vāsudevaś ca viditā mama sarvaśaḥ
    ajeyāḥ puruṣair anyair iti tāṃś cotsahāmahe
 27 anujānīṣva māṃ tāta yuddhe prītamanāḥ sadā
    anujñātas tvayā vīra yudhyeyam iti me matiḥ
 28 duruktaṃ vipratīpaṃ vā saṃrambhāc cāpalāt tathā
    yan mayāpakṛtaṃ kiṃ cit tad anukṣantum arhasi
 29 [bhs]
    na cec chakyam athotsraṣṭuṃ vairam etat sudāruṇam
    anujānāmi karṇa tvāṃ yudhyasva svargakāmyayā
 30 vimanyur gatasaṃrambhaḥ kuru karma nṛpasya hi
    yathāśakti yathotsāhaṃ satāṃ vṛtteṣu vṛttavān
 31 ahaṃ tvām anujānāmi yad icchasi tad āpnuhi
    kṣatradharmajitāṁl lokān saṃprāpsyasi na saṃśayaḥ
 32 yudhyasva nirahaṃkāro balavīrya vyapāśrayaḥ
    dharmo hi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyate
 33 praśame hi kṛto yatnaḥ sucirāt suciraṃ mayā
    na caiva śakitaḥ kartuṃ yato dharmas tato jayaḥ
 34 [s]
    evaṃ bruvantaṃ gāṅgeyam abhivādya prasādya ca
    rādheyo ratham āruhya prāyāt tava sutaṃ prati

 

Sanjaya said,--'After Santanu's son Bhishma, O monarch, had become silent, all those rulers of earth, there present, then returned to their respective quarters. Hearing of Bhishma's slaughter that bull among men, viz., Radha's son (Karna), partially inspired with fear quickly came there. He beheld that illustrious hero lying on his bed of reeds. Then Vrisha (Karna) endued with great glory, with voice choked in tears, approaching that hero lying with eyes closed, fell at his feet. And he said,--O chief of the Kurus, I am Radha's son, who while before thy eyes, was everywhere looked upon by thee with hate!--Hearing these words, the aged chief of the Kurus, the son of Ganga, whose eyes were covered with film slowly raising his eyelids, and causing the guards to be removed, and seeing the place deserted by all, embraced Karna with one arm, like a sire embracing his son, and said these words with great affection:--Come, come! Thou art an opponent of mine who always challengest comparison with me! If thou hadst not come to me, without doubt, it would not have been well with thee! Thou art Kunti's son, not Radha's! Nor is Adhiratha thy father! O thou of mighty arms, I heard all this about thee from Narada as also from Krishna-Dwaipayana! Without doubt, all this is true! I tell thee truly, O son, that I bear thee no malice! It was only for abating thy energy that I used to say such harsh words to thee! O thou of excellent vows without any reason thou speakest ill of all the Pandavas! Sinfully didst thou come into the world. It is for this that thy heart hath been such. Through pride, and owning also to thy companionship with the low, thy heart hateth even persons of merit! It is for this that I spoke such harsh words about thee in the Kuru camp! I know thy prowess in battle, which can with difficulty be borne on earth by foes! I know also thy regard for Brahmanas. thy courage, and thy great attachment to alms-giving! O thou that resemblest a very god, amongst men there is none like thee! For fear of intestine dissensions I always spoke harsh words about thee. In bowmanship, in aiming weapon, in lightness of hand and in strength of weapons, thou art equal to Phalguni himself, or the high-souled Krishna! O Karna, proceeding to the city of Kasi, alone with thy bow, thou hadst crushed the kings in battle for procuring a bride for the Kuru king! The mighty and invincible king Jarasandha also, ever boastful of his prowess in battle, could not become thy match in fight! Thou art devoted to Brahmanas; thou always fightest fairly! In energy and strength, thou art equal to a child of the celestials and certainly much superior to men. The wrath I cherished against thee is gone. Destiny is incapable of being avoided by exertion. O slayer of foes, the heroic sons of Pandu are thy uterine brothers! If thou wishest to do what is agreeable to me, unite with them, O thou of mighty arms! O son of Surya, let these hostilities end with me! Let all the kings of Earth be to-day freed from danger!--

 

"'Karna said I know this, O thou of mighty arms! All this without doubt, is (as thou sayest)! As thou tellest me, O, Bhishma, I am Kunti's son, and not the son of a Suta! I was, however, abandoned by Kunti, and I have been reared by a Suta. Having (so long) enjoyed the wealth of Duryodhana, I dare not falsify it now. Like Vasudeva's son who is firmly resolved for the sake of the Pandavas, I also, O thou that makest profuse presents to Brahmanas, am prepared to cast away my possessions, my body itself, my children, and my wife, for Duryodhana's sake! Death from disease, O thou of Kuru's race, doth not become a Kshatriya! Relying upon Suyodhana I have always offended the Pandavas! This affairs is destined to take its course. It is incapable of being prevented. Who was there that would venture to overcome Destiny by exertion? Various omens indicating the destruction of the Earth. O grandsire, were noticed by thee and declared in the assembly. It is well known to me that the son of Pandu, and Vasudeva, are incapable of being conquered by other men. Even with them we venture to fight! I will vanquish the son of Pandu in battle! Even this is my firm resolve! I am not capable, of casting off this fierce animosity (that I cherish against the Pandavas)! With a cheerful heart, and keeping the duties of my order before my eye, I will contend against Dhananjaya. Firmly resolved that I am on battle, grant me thy permission, O hero! I will fight. Even this is my wish. It behoveth thee to forgive me also any harsh words that I may have at any time uttered against thee or any act that I may have done against thee from anger or inconsiderateness!--"

 

"'Bhishma said,--If, indeed, thou art unable to cast off this fierce animosity, I permit thee, O Karna! Fight, moved by the desire of heaven! Without anger and without vindictiveness, serve thou the king according to thy power and according to thy courage and observant of the conduct of the righteous! Have then my permission, O Karna! Obtain thou that which thou seekest! Through Dhananjaya thou wilt obtain all those regions (hereafter) which are capable of being had by fulfilling the duties of a Kshatriya! Freed from pride, and relying on thy (own) might and energy, engage in battle, since a Kshatriya cannot have a (source of) greater happiness than a righteous battle. For a long while I made great efforts for bringing about peace! But I succeeded not, O Karna, in the task! Truly do I say this unto thee!--"

 

"'Sanjaya continued,--'After the son of Ganga had said this, Radha's son (Karna) having saluted Bhishma and obtained his forgiveness, got up on his car and proceeded towards (the quarters of) thy son.'