कामं गच्छन्तु कुरवो गाः प्रगृह्य परंतपाः । रथेषु वाऽपि तिष्ठन्तो युद्धं पश्यन्तु मामकम्
Let the Kurus, O scorcher of foes, go and seize the cows if they wish, or remain on their chariots and witness my battle.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा नीतिशास्त्रविशारदः। आचार्यः कुरुवीराणां कृपः शारद्वतोऽब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, the teacher of the Kurus, Kripa, son of Sharadvat, expert in the science of policy, spoke.
सदैव तव राधेय युद्धे क्रूरतरा मतिः। नार्थानां प्रकृतिं वेत्सि नानुबन्धमवेक्षसे
Rādheya, your mind is always most cruel in battle; you do not understand the true nature of things, nor do you consider the consequences.
नया हि बहवः सन्ति शास्त्राण्याश्रित्य चिन्तिताः । तेषां युद्धं सुपापिष्ठं वेदयन्ति पुराविदः
Indeed, many treatises on policy have been composed, and those who know the ancient lore declare that among them, war is the worst course.
देशकालेन संयुक्तं युद्धं विजयदं भवेत्। हीनकालं तदेवेह अनर्थायोपकल्पते
A battle joined at the right place and time brings victory; but if fought at the wrong time, it leads only to disaster.
देशे काले च विक्रान्तं कल्याणाय विधीयते। आनुकूल्येन कार्याणामुत्तरं तु विधीयते
A bold act, done in the right place and time, brings good fortune; but only when circumstances are favorable should one proceed to the next step.
भारं हि रथकारस्य न व्यवस्यन्ति पण्डिताः। परिचिन्त्य तु पार्थेन संनिपातो न नः क्षमः
Wise men do not assign the burden of a charioteer to a cartwright; having considered, O Partha, a confrontation is not suitable for us.
एको हि शत्रून्समरे समर्थः प्रतिबाधितुम् । एकः कुरूनभ्यरक्षदेकश्चाग्निमतर्पयत्
For alone he is able to repel enemies in battle; alone he protected the Kurus, and alone he satisfied the fire.
एकश्च पञ्च वर्षाणि ब्रह्मचर्यमधारयत् । एकः सुभद्रामारोप्य द्वैरथे कृष्णमाह्वयम्
Alone he observed celibacy for five years; alone, placing Subhadra on his chariot, he challenged Krishna to a duel.
सैन्धवं वनवासे तु जित्वा कृष्णामथानयत् । एकश्च पञ्च वर्षाणि शक्रादस्राण्यशिक्षत
In exile, alone he defeated the Sindhu king and brought Krishna; alone, for five years, he learned weapons from Indra.
एकः सपत्नाञ्जित्वा तु कुरूणामकरोद्यशः । एको गन्धर्वराजानं चित्रसेनमरिन्दमः । विजिग्ये तरसा सङ्ख्ये सेनां चास्य सुदुर्जयाम्
Alone, after conquering rivals, he brought fame to the Kurus; alone, the subduer of foes, he overpowered the Gandharva king Citraratha and his nearly invincible army in battle.
पाञ्चाली श्रीमती प्राप्ता क्षत्रं जित्वा स्वयंवरे । आदाय गतवान्पार्थो भवान्क्वनु गतस्तदा
The illustrious Draupadi was won by him at her svayamvara after conquering the kshatriyas; taking her, Partha departed—where were you then?
तथा निवातकवचाः कालकेयाश्च दानवाः । दैवतैरप्यवध्यास्ते एकेन युधि पातिताः
Likewise, the Nivatakavachas and the Danavas called Kalakeyas, who are invincible even to the gods, were struck down by him alone in battle.
एकेन हि त्वया कर्ण किं नामेह कृतं पुरा। एकैकेन यथा तेषां भूमिपाला वशे कृताः
O Karna, what deed have you done here alone in the past, as each of those kings was subdued by him single-handedly?
इन्द्रोपि हि न पार्थेन संयुगे योद्धुमर्हति । यस्तेनाशंसते योद्धुं कर्तव्यं तस्य भेषजम्
Even Indra is not worthy to fight Partha in battle; whoever desires to fight him must first seek a remedy.
आशीविषस्य क्रुद्धस्य पाणिमुद्यम्य दक्षिणम्। अवमुच्य प्रदेशिन्या दंष्ट्रामादातुमिच्छसि
You wish, raising your right hand, to seize the fangs of an enraged venomous serpent after it has opened its mouth.
अथवा कुञ्जरं मत्तमेकमेकचरं वने। निरङ्कुशं समारुह्य नगरं यातुमिच्छसि
Or you wish to mount a single wild elephant, roaming alone in the forest without a goad, and ride it into a city.
समिद्धं पावकं चापि घृतमेदोवसाहुतम्। घृताक्तश्चीरवासास्त्वं मध्येनोत्सर्तुमिच्छसि
Or, clad in garments soaked with ghee, you wish to leap through the midst of a blazing fire, fed with ghee, marrow, and fat.
आत्मानं यः समाबध्य कण्ठे बद्ध्वा तथा शिलाम् । समुद्रं प्रतरेद्दोर्भ्यां तत्र किं कर्ण पौरुषम्
If someone, binding a stone to his neck, ties himself and tries to cross the ocean with his arms—what valor is there in that, O Karna?
अकृतास्त्रः कृतास्त्रं वै बलवन्तं सुदुर्बलः। तादृशं कर्ण यः पार्थं योद्धुमिच्छेत्स दुर्मतिः
He who, unskilled in weapons, wishes to fight Partha, who is skilled and mighty, is truly foolish, O Karna.
अस्माभिरेव निकृतो वर्षाणीह त्रयोदश। सिंहः पाशविनिर्मुक्तो न नः शेषं करिष्यति
For thirteen years we ourselves have restrained him here; now, like a lion freed from its bonds, he will not leave any of us remaining.
एकान्ते पार्थमासीनं कूपेऽग्निमिव संवृतम् । अज्ञानादभ्यवस्कन्द्य प्राप्ताः स्मो भयमुत्तमम्
Having ignorantly attacked Partha, who sat apart like fire covered in a well, we have come into the greatest danger.
उत्सृष्टं तूलराशौ तु एकोऽग्निं शमयेत्कथम् । सह युद्ध्यामहे पार्थमागतं युद्धदुर्मदम्
How can one alone extinguish a fire cast into a heap of cotton? Let us together fight Partha, who has come, mad for battle.
यत्ता वयं पराक्रान्ता व्यूढानीकाः प्रहारिणः। युद्धायावस्थितं पार्थमागतं पाकशासनिम्
Though we are valiant, arrayed in formation, and skilled in striking, Partha has come for battle, like the thunderbolt of the lord of the gods.
यत्ताः सर्वे रथश्रेष्ठं परिवार्य समन्ततः। षड्रथाः परिकीर्यन्तां वज्रपाणिमिवासुराः
Let all six of you, having surrounded the foremost chariot on every side, scatter, like the demons around the wielder of the thunderbolt.
द्रोणो दुर्योधनो भीष्मो भवान्द्रौणिस्तथा वयम्। सर्वे युद्ध्यामहे पार्थं कर्ण मा साहसं कृथाः
Drona, Duryodhana, Bhishma, myself, Drona's son, and all of us together will fight against Partha; Karna, do not act rashly.
न ह्यसंगत्य समरे पार्थं जेष्यामहे वयम्। संगत्य समरे पार्थं सर्वे जेष्यमाहे वयम् ।। 26
For without uniting in battle, we will not defeat Partha; but united in battle, we all will surely defeat him.
कृपस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा कर्णो राजन्युधांपतिः । पुनः प्रोवाच संरब्धो गर्हयन्ब्राह्मणं कृपम्
Hearing Kripa's words, Karna, the lord of warriors, spoke again, agitated, reproaching the Brahmin Kripa.
लक्षयाम्यहमाचार्यं भयाद्भक्तिं गतं रिपौ । भीतेन हि न योद्धव्यमहं योत्स्ये धनञ्जयम् ।। 2
I perceive, O teacher, that out of fear you have become devoted to the enemy; for the fearful should not fight, but I will fight Dhananjaya.
ननु वारुणमाग्नेयं याम्यं वायव्यमेव च। अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरश्चैव सत्वहीनस्य ते वृथा
Indeed, whether it is the Varuna, Agneya, Yama, or Vayu weapon, or even the Brahmashira, all are useless to one who lacks spirit.