Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 2.16
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2.16.1
सम्राड्गुणमभीप्सन्वै युष्मान्स्वार्थपरायणः ।
कथं प्रहिणुयां कृष्ण सोऽहं केवलसाहसात् ॥ २.१६.१ ॥
Kṛṣṇa, desiring the merit of sovereignty, intent on my own advantage, how could I send you? That would be mere recklessness on my part.
2.16.2
भीमार्जुनावुभौ नेत्रे मनो मन्ये जनार्दनम् ।
मनश्चक्षुर्विहीनस्य कीदृशं जीवितं भवेत् ॥ २.१६.२ ॥
Bhīma and Arjuna are my two eyes, and I consider Janārdana my mind. What kind of life would it be for one deprived of mind and eyes?
2.16.3
जरासन्धबलं प्राप्य दुष्पारं भीमविक्रमम् ।
यमोपि न विजेताऽऽजौ तत्र वः किं विचेष्टितम् ॥ २.१६.३ ॥
Having met the strength of Jarāsandha, hard to overcome, of terrible valor, even Yama would not conquer him in battle. What could your undertaking accomplish there?
2.16.4
अस्मिंस्त्वर्थान्तरे युक्तमनर्थः प्रतिपद्यते ।
तस्मान्न प्रतिपत्तिस्तु कार्या युक्ता मता मम ॥ २.१६.४ ॥
But in this other matter, what seems fitting brings about harm. Therefore, in my judgment, that course should not be undertaken; that alone is appropriate.
2.16.5
यथाऽहं विमृशाम्येकस्तत्तावच्छ्रूयतां मम ।
संन्यासं रोचये साधु कार्यस्यास्य जनार्दन।
प्रतिहन्ति मनो मेऽद्य राजसूयो दूराहरः ॥ २.१६.५ ॥
Hear first what I, alone, consider. O Janārdana, for this undertaking I prefer renunciation as the better course. Today the Rājasūya sacrifice, so hard to attain, holds back my mind.
2.16.6
पार्थः प्राप्य धनुः श्रेष्ठमक्षय्यौ च महेषुधी ।
रथं ध्वजं हयांश्चैव युधिष्ठिरमभाषत ॥ २.१६.६ ॥
Pārtha obtained an excellent bow and two great inexhaustible quivers. Having also obtained a chariot, a banner, and horses, he spoke to Yudhiṣṭhira.
2.16.7
धनुः शस्त्रं शरा वीर्यं पक्षो भूमिर्यशो बलम् ।
प्राप्तमेतन्मय राजन्दुष्प्रापं यदभीप्सितम्। ॥ २.१६.७ ॥
Bow, weapon, arrows, valour, allies, land, fame and strength — O king, what was hard to obtain and what I desired, all this has been obtained by me.
2.16.8
कुले जन्म प्रशंसन्ति वैद्याः साधु सुनिष्ठिताः ।
बलेन सदृशं नास्ति वीर्यं तु मम रोचते। ॥ २.१६.८ ॥
Learned men, well established, praise birth in a noble family; yet nothing equals strength, and valour is what pleases me.
2.16.9
कृतवीर्यकुले जातो निर्वीर्यः किं करिष्यति ।
निर्वीर्ये तु कुले जातो वीर्यवांस्तु विशिष्यते ॥ २.१६.९ ॥
What will one without valour do, though born in the line of Kṛtavīrya? But one who is valiant, though born in a family without valour, is indeed distinguished.
2.16.10
क्षत्रियः सर्वशो राजन्यस्य वृत्तिर्द्विषज्जये ।
सर्वैगुणैर्विहीनोऽपि वीर्यवान्हि तरेन्द्रिपून् ॥ २.१६.१० ॥
The duty of a kṣatriya is wholly that of a royal warrior: the conquest of enemies. Even one lacking all good qualities, if he is valiant, indeed overcomes his foes.
2.16.11
सर्वैरपि गुणैर्युक्तो निर्वीर्यः किं करिष्यति ।
जयस्य हेतुः सिद्धिर्हि कर्म दैवं च संश्रितम् ॥ २.१६.११ ॥
What will one without valour do, though endowed with all good qualities? The cause of victory is success, and success indeed rests upon action and upon fate.
2.16.12
संयुक्तो हि बलैः कश्चित्प्रमादान्नोपयुज्यते ॥ २.१६.१२ ॥
Someone endowed with strengths, through negligence, does not put them to use.
2.16.13
तेन द्वारेण शत्रुभ्यः क्षीयते सबलो रिपुः ॥ २.१६.१३ ॥
Through that gate the enemy, with his army, is worn down by his foes.
2.16.14
दैन्यं यथा बलवति तथा मोहो बलान्विते ।
तावुभौ नाशकौ हेतू राज्ञा त्याज्यौ जयार्थिना ॥ २.१६.१४ ॥
As weakness is in the strong, so delusion is in the one endowed with power; these two are causes of ruin, and a king who seeks victory must abandon them.
2.16.15
जरासन्धिविनाशं च राज्ञां च परिरक्षणम् ।
यदि कुर्याम् यज्ञार्थं किं ततः परमं भवेत् ॥ २.१६.१५ ॥
If I were to bring about the destruction of Jarāsandha and the protection of kings for the sake of the sacrifice, what could be higher than that?
2.16.16
अनारम्भे हि नियतो भवेदगुणनिश्चयः ।
गुणान्निः संशयाद्राजन्नैर्गुण्यं मन्यसे कथम् ॥ २.१६.१६ ॥
For if one does not begin action, lack of merit is surely settled; yet from merit, beyond doubt — how do you regard it as lack of merit, O king?
2.16.17
काषायं सुलभं पश्चान्मुनीनां शममिच्छताम् ।
साम्राज्यं तु भवेच्छक्यं वयं योत्स्यामहे परान् ॥ २.१६.१७ ॥
The ochre robe is easily had afterwards by sages who desire calm; but empire may be attainable. We shall fight the enemies.