06004001a evam ukto munis tattvaGM kavIndro rAjasattama --'O best of kings, thus addressed by his son dhRtarASTra, that prince of poets, the Muni (vyAsa)
06004001c putreNa dhRtarASTreNa dhyAnam anvagamat param concentrated his mind in supreme Yoga.
06004002a punar evAbravId vAkyaGM kAlavAdI mahAtapAH Having contemplated for only a short space of time, vyAsa once more said,
06004002c asaMzayamM pArthivendra kAlasH saGMkSipate jagat --'Without doubt, O king of kings, it is Time that destroyeth the universe.
06004003a sRjate ca punar lokAn neha vidyati zAzvatam It is Time also that createth the worlds. There is nothing here that is eternal.
06004003c jJAtInAJM ca kurUNAJM ca samMbandhisuhRdAnM tathA to the kurus, to thy kinsmen, relatives, and friends.
06004004a dharmyanM dezaya panthAnam Show the path of righteousness.
06004004b samartho hy asi vAraNe Thou art competent to restrain them.
06004004c kSudraJM jJAtivadhamM prAhus The slaughter of kinsmen hath been said to be sinful.
06004004d mA kuruSva mamApriyam Do not do that which is disagreeable to me.
06004005a kAlo 'yamM putrarUpeNa tava jAto vizAmM pate O king, Death himself hath been born in the shape of thy son.
06004005c na vadhaH pUjyate vede hitaM naitat kathaM cana Slaughter is never applauded in the Vedas. It can never be beneficial.
06004006a hanyAt sa eva yo hanyAt kuladharmaM svakAnM tanum Who destroys the usages of his clan destroys his own body.
06004006c kAlenotpathagantAsi zakye sati yathApathi Those usages slay him that destroyeth them.
note: misprints?
06004007a kulasyAsya vinAzAya For the destruction of this race
06004007b tathaiva ca mahIkSitAm and of those kings of the earth it is Time that maketh thee deviate into the wrong path like one in distress, although thou art competent (to walk along the path of righteousness).
06004007c anartho rAjyarUpeNa tyajyatAm asukhAvahaH O king, in the shape of thy kingdom hath calamity come to thee. Thy virtue is sustaining a very great diminution.
06004008a luptaprajJaH pareNAsi
06004008b dharmanM darzaya vai sutAn Show what righteousness is unto thy sons.
06004008c kinM te rAjyena durdharSa O thou that art invincible, of what value is that kingdom to thee
06004008d yena prApto 'si kilbiSam which bringeth sin to thee?
06004009a yazo dharmaJM ca kIrtiJM ca Take care of thy good name, thy virtue, and thy fame.
06004009b pAlayan svargam Apsyasi Thou wilt then win heaven. and let the kauravas have peace.'
06004009c labhantAmM pANDavA rAjyam Let the pANDavas have their kingdom,
06004009b zamaGM gacchantu kauravAH Thou wilt then win heaven. and let the kauravas have peace.'
06004010a evamM bruvati viprendre dhRtarASTro 'mbikAsutaH 'While that best of brAhmaNas was saying these words in a sorrowful tone, dhRtarASTra, the son of ambikA,
06004010c AkSipya vAkyaM vAkyajJo vAkpathenApy ayAt punaH accomplished in speech, once more addressed him, saying --
06004011 dhRtarASTra uvAca
06004011a yathA bhavAn veda tathAsmi vettA bhAvAbhAvau viditau me yathAvat ---'My knowledge of life and death is similar to thine. The truth is known to me as regards these.
06004011c svArthe hi samMmuhyati tAta loko mAJM cApi lokAtmakam eva viddhi Man, however, in what concerns his own interests, is deprived of judgment. O sire, know me to be one who is an ordinary person.
06004012a prasAdaye tvAm atulaprabhAvanM tvanM no gatir darzayitA ca dhIraH Of immeasurable power thou art. I pray thee to extend thine towards us. Of soul under complete control, thou art our refuge and instructor.
06004012c na cApi te vazagA me maharSe na kalmaSaGM kartum ihArhase mAm My sons are not obedient to me, O great RSi. My understanding too is not inclined to commit sin.
06004013a tvaM hi dharmaH pavitraM ca yazaH kIrtir dhRtiH smRtiH Thou art the cause of the fame, the achievements, and the inclination for virtue, of the bharatas.
06004013c kurUNAmM pANDavAnAJM ca mAnyaz cAsi pitAmahaH Thou art the reverend grandsire of both the kurus and the pANDavas.'
06004014 vyAsa uvAca 'vyAsa said,--
06004014a vaicitravIrya nRpate yat te manasi vartate 'O royal son of vicitravIrya, tell me freely what is in thy mind.
06004014c abhidhatsva yathAkAmaJM chettAsmi tava saMzayam I will remove thy doubts.'
06004015 dhRtarASTra uvAca
06004015a yAni liGgAni saGMgrAme bhavanti vijayiSyatAm
06004015c tAni sarvANi bhagavaJ zrotum icchAmi tattvataH 'dhRtarASTra said,--'O holy one, I desire to hear from thee of all those indications that happen unto those that become victorious in battle.'
06004016 vyAsa uvAca 'vyAsa said,--
06004016a prasannabhAH pAvaka UrdhvarazmiH 'The (sacred) fire assumes a cheerful radiance. Its light ascends upwards.
06004016b pradakSiNAvartazikho vidhUmaH Its flame bends towards the right. It blazes up without being smoky.
06004016c puNyA gandhAz cAhutInAmM pravAnti The libations poured on it yield a fragrant scent.
06004016d jayasyaitad bhAvino rUpam AhuH It is said that these are the indications of future success.
06004017a gambhIraghoSAz ca mahAsvanAz ca
06004017b zaGkhA mRdaGgAz ca nadanti yatra Where the conches and cymbals yield sounds that are deep and loud,
06004017c vizuddharazmis tapanazH zazI ca and the Sun and Moon give pure rays,
06004017d jayasyaitad bhAvino rUpam AhuH It is said that these are the indications of future success.
06004018a iSTA vAcaH pRSThato vAyasAnAm
06004018b samMprasthitAnAJM ca gamiSyatAJM ca Crows, whether stationary or on their wings, utter cries that are agreeable.
06004018c ye pRSThatas te tvarayanti rAjan They again that are behind, urge the warriors to advance;
06004018d ye tv agratas te pratiSedhayanti while they that are ahead, forbid all advance.
06004019a kalyANavAcazH zakunA rAjahaMsAH Where vultures, swans,
06004019b zukAH krauJcAH zatapatrAz ca yatra parrots, cranes, and wood-peckers utter delightful cries,
06004019c pradakSiNAz caiva bhavanti saGMkhye and wheel towards the right,
06004019d dhruvaJM jayanM tatra vadanti viprAH the brAhmaNas say that their victory in battle is certain.
06004020a alaGMkAraiH kavacaiH ketubhiz ca mukhaprasAdair hemavarNaiz ca nRRNAm They whose divisions, in consequence of ornaments, coats of mail, and standards,
06004020c bhrAjiSmatI duSpratiprekSaNIyA yeSAJM camUs te vijayanti zatrUn or the melodious neigh of their steeds, become resplendent and incapable of being gazed at, always conquer their foes.
06004021a hRSTA vAcas tathA sattvam They who utter cheerful shouts,
06004021b yodhAnAM yatra bhArata those warriors, O bharata, whose energies are not damped
06004021c na mlAyante srajaz caiva and whose garlands do not fade,
06004021d te taranti raNe ripUn always cross the ocean of battle.
06004022a iSTo vAtaH praviSTasya dakSiNA pravivikSataH
06004022c pazcAt saMsAdhayaty arthamM purastAt pratiSedhate They who utter cheerful shouts having penetrated into the divisions of the foe, who utter even kind words, 3 to the enemy, and who, before striking, forewarn the foe, win victory.
note: uh ???
06004023a zabdarUparasasparzagandhAz cAviSkRtAzH zubhAH The objects of hearing, vision, taste, touch, and smell, without undergoing any change for the worse, become auspicious.
06004023c sadA yodhAz ca hRSTAz ca yeSAnM teSAnM dhruvaJM jayaH This also is another indication of a victorious army, viz., there is joy among the combatants at all time.
06004024a anv eva vAyavo vAnti tathAbhrANi vayAMsi ca This also is another indication of success, viz. the winds that blow, the clouds,
06004024c anuplavante meghAz ca tathaivendradhanUMSi ca and the birds, all become favourable; while the clouds (so favourable) and the rain-bows drop beneficial showers.
06004025a etAni jayamAnAnAM lakSaNAni vizAmM pate These, O king, are the indications of armies to be crowned with victory,
06004025c bhavanti viparItAni mumUrSUNAJM janAdhipa and those that are about to be destroyed get the opposite ones, O monarch.
06004026a alpAyAM vA mahatyAM vA senAyAm iti nizcitam
06004026c harSo yodhagaNasyaikaJM jayalakSaNam ucyate Whether the army be small or large, cheerfulness, as an attribute of the combatants, is said to be a certain indication of victory.
06004027a eko dIrNo dArayati senAM sumahatIm api One soldier, struck with panic, can cause even a large army to take fright and fly.
06004027c tanM dIrNam anudIryante yodhAzH zUratamA api And when an army, struck with panic, takes to flight, it causes even heroic warriors to take fright.
06004028a durnivAratamA caiva
06004028b prabhagnA mahatI camUH If a large army is once broken and put to rout,
06004028c apAm iva mahAvegas
06004028d trastA mRgagaNA iva it cannot like a herd of deer disordered in fright or a mighty current of water be easily checked.
06004029a naiva zakyA samAdhAtum
06004029b sanMnipAte mahAcamUH If a large army is once routed, it is incapable of being rallied;
06004029c dIrNA ity eva dIryante
06004029d yodhAzH zUratamA api on the other hand, beholding it broken, even those well-skilled in battle, O bharata, become heartless.
06004029e bhItAn bhagnAMz ca samMprekSya Beholding soldiers struck with fear and flying,
06004029f bhayamM bhUyo vivardhate the panic spreads in other directions,
06004030a prabhagnA sahasA rAjan dizo vibhrAmitA paraiH and soon, O king, the whole army is broken and flies in all directions.
06004030c naiva sthApayituM zakyA zUrair api mahAcamUH
06004031a samMbhRtya mahatIM senAJM caturaGgAmM mahIpatiH And when an army is routed, even brave leaders, O king, at the head of large divisions consisting of the four kinds of forces, are incapable of rallying them.
06004031c upAyapUrvamM medhAvI yateta satatotthitaH An intelligent man, always exerting himself with activity, should strive (to win success) by the aid of the proper means.
06004032a upAyavijayaM zreSTham Ahur bhedena madhyamam It is said that that success which is won by negotiation and other means is the very best. That which is achieved by producing disunion (among the foe) is indifferent.
06004032c jaghanya eSa vijayo yo yuddhena vizAmM pate While that success, O king, which is won by battle, is the worst.
06004032e mahAdoSasH sanMnipAtas tato vyaGgasH sa ucyate In battle are many evils, the initial one, as it is said, being slaughter.
06004033a parasparajJAsH saMhRSTA vyavadhUtAsH sunizcitAH Even fifty brave men who know one another, who are undepressed, who are free from family ties, and who are firmly resolved,
06004033c paJcAzad api ye zUrA mathnanti mahatIJM camUm can crush a large army.
06004033e atha vA paJca SaT sapta vijayanty anivartinaH Even five, six, seven men, who are unretreating, win victory.
06004034a na vainateyo garuDaH prazaMsati mahAjanam vinatA's son Garuda, asketh not the aid of many followers,
06004034c dRSTvA suparNopacitimM mahatIm api bhArata even beholding even a large concourse of birds, O bharata.
06004035a na bAhulyena senAyA jayo bhavati bhArata The strength in number, therefore of an army is not always the cause of victory.
06004035c adhruvo hi jayo nAma daivaJM cAtra parAyaNam Victory is uncertain. It depends on chance.
06004035e jayanto hy api saGMgrAme kSayavanto bhavanty uta Even they that become victorious have to sustain loss.''
