Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 2.64
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2.64.1
बिभीषिकाभिर्बह्वीभिर्भीषयन्भीष्म पार्थिवान् ।
न व्यपत्रपसे कस्माद्वृद्धः सन्कुलपांसनः ॥ २.६४.१ ॥
O Bhīṣma, frightening the kings with many terrible words, why are you not ashamed, being old, defiler of the family?
2.64.2
युक्तमेतत्तृतीयायां प्रकृतौ वर्तता त्वया ।
वक्तुं धर्मादपेतार्थं त्वं हि सर्वकुरूत्तमः ॥ २.६४.२ ॥
It is indeed fitting for you, the best of all the Kurus, dwelling in the nature of the third class, to speak words departed from righteousness.
2.64.3
नावि नौरिव सम्बद्धा यथान्धो वान्धमन्वियात् ।
तथाभूता हि कौरव्या येषां भीष्म त्वमग्रणीः ॥ २.६४.३ ॥
Like a boat bound to a boat, or a blind man following a blind man, so indeed are the Kauravas, whose leader you are, O Bhīṣma.
2.64.4
पूतनाघातपूर्वाणि कर्माण्यस्य विशेषतः ।
त्वया कीर्तयताऽस्माकं भूयः प्रव्यथितं मनः ॥ २.६४.४ ॥
Having recited his deeds, especially beginning with the slaying of Pūtanā, my mind is again deeply troubled by you.
2.64.5
अवलिप्तस्य मूर्शस्य केशवं स्तोतुमिच्छतः ।
कथं भीष्म न ते जिह्वा शतधेयं विदीर्यते ॥ २.६४.५ ॥
O Bhīṣma, arrogant fool that you are, wishing to praise Keśava, why does your tongue not split into a hundred pieces?
2.64.6
यत्र कुत्सा प्रयोक्तव्या भीष्म बालतरैर्नरैः ।
तमिमं ज्ञानवृद्धः सन्गोपं संस्तोतुमिच्छसि ॥ २.६४.६ ॥
O Bhīṣma, where reproach should be directed, it is by the most childish men; yet you, elder in wisdom, wish to praise this cowherd.
2.64.7
यद्यनेन हता बाल्ये शकुनिश्चित्रमत्र किम् ।
तौ वाऽश्ववृषभौ भीष्ण यौ न युद्धविशारदौ ॥ २.६४.७ ॥
If he killed Śakuni in childhood, what is wonderful in that? Or those two — the horse and the bull, who were not skilled in battle, O Bhīṣma.
2.64.8
चेतनारहितं काष्ठं यद्यनेन निपातितम् ।
पादेन शकटं भीष्ण तत्र किं कृतमद्भुतम् ॥ २.६४.८ ॥
If he felled with his foot lifeless wood, or a cart, O Bhīṣma, what marvelous deed was done there?
2.64.9
अर्कप्रमाणौ तौ वृक्षौ यद्यनेन निपातितौ ।
नागश्च दमितोऽनेन तत्र को विस्मयः कृतः ॥ २.६४.९ ॥
If he felled those two trees, each as large as the arka-plant, and subdued the elephant, who there was amazed?
2.64.10
वल्मीकमात्रः सप्ताहं यद्यनेन धृतोऽचलः ।
तदा गोवर्धनो भीष्म न तच्चित्रं मतं मम ॥ २.६४.१० ॥
If he held aloft a mountain no bigger than an anthill for seven days, O Bhīṣma, that is Govardhana; in my view that is no wonder.
2.64.11
भुक्तमेतेन बह्वन्नं क्रीडता नगमूर्धनि ।
इति ते भीष्ण शृण्वानाः परे विस्मयमागताः ॥ २.६४.११ ॥
He ate much food while playing on the mountain-top, so it is said; O Bhīṣma, hearing this, others were filled with wonder.
2.64.12
यस्य चानेन धर्मज्ञ भुक्तमन्नं बलीयसः ।
स चानेन हतः कंस इत्येतत्तु बलीयसः। ॥ २.६४.१२ ॥
O knower of dharma, the mighty one whose food he ate — that same Kaṃsa he killed; this is the deed of the mighty.
2.64.13
स चानेन हतः कंस इत्येतत्तु महाद्भुतम् ।
न ते श्रुतमिदं भीष्म नूनं कथयतां सताम्। ॥ २.६४.१३ ॥
That Kaṁsa was killed by him is indeed a most wondrous thing. Bhīṣma, have you not heard this, which good men surely have told?
2.64.14
यद्वक्ष्ये त्वामधर्मज्ञं वाक्यं कुरुकुलाधम ।
स्त्रीषु गोषु न शस्त्राणि पातयेद्ब्राह्मणेषु च। ॥ २.६४.१४ ॥
Vilest of the Kuru line, ignorant of dharma, I shall tell you this: weapons should not be struck against women, cows, or brahmins.
2.64.15
इति सन्तोऽनुशासन्ति सञ्जना धर्मिणः सदा ।
भीष्म लोके हि तत्सर्वं वितथं त्वयि दृश्यते ॥ २.६४.१५ ॥
Thus the good and the righteous have always taught. Bhīṣma, in the world all that appears false in you.
2.64.16
ज्ञानवृद्धं च वृद्धं च भूयांसं केशवं मम ।
अजानत इवाख्यासि संस्तुवन्कौरवाधम ॥ २.६४.१६ ॥
You praise Keśava, elder in wisdom and in years, and far greater than I, speaking as if you did not know him, vilest of the Kauravas.
2.64.17
गोघ्रः स्त्रीघ्नश्च सन्भीष्म त्वद्वाक्याद्यदि पूज्यते ।
एवम्भूतश्च यो भीष्म कथं संस्तवमर्हति ॥ २.६४.१७ ॥
Bhīṣma, if by your word one who is a cow-slayer and a woman-slayer is honoured, how can such a man deserve praise?
2.64.18
असौ मतिमतां श्रेष्ठो य एष जगतः प्रभुः ।
सम्भावयति चाप्येवं त्वद्वाक्याच्च जनार्दनः।
एवमेतत्सर्वमिति तत्सर्वं वितथं ध्रुवम् ॥ २.६४.१८ ॥
This one, the best of the wise and the lord of the world, is honoured in this way, and Janārdana too is honoured by your word. 'It is so, all of it is so' — all of that is surely false.
2.64.19
आत्मानमात्मनाऽऽधातुं यदि शक्तो जनार्दनः ।
अकामयन्तं तं भीष्म कथं साध्विव पश्यसि ॥ २.६४.१९ ॥
If Janārdana is able to direct himself by himself, how, O Bhīṣma, do you look upon him who does not desire him as though he were righteous?
2.64.20
न गाथा गाथिनं शास्ति बहुचेदपि गायति ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि कुलिङ्गशकुनिर्यथा ॥ २.६४.२० ॥
A verse does not instruct the singer, however much he sings it; creatures return to their nature, like the kuliṅga bird.
2.64.21
नूनं प्रकृतिरेषा ते जघन्या नात्र संशयटः ।
नदीसुतत्वात्ते चित्तं चञ्चलं न स्थिरं स्मृतम् ॥ २.६४.२१ ॥
Surely this, your nature, is base; there is no doubt of it. Being the son of a river, your mind is considered restless, not steady.
2.64.22
अतः पापीयसी चैषां पाण्डवानामपीष्यते ।
येषामर्च्यतमः कृष्णस्त्वं च येषां प्रदर्शकः ॥ २.६४.२२ ॥
Therefore the nature of these Pāṇḍavas, too, is held to be most wicked — they whose most honoured one is Kṛṣṇa, and whose guide is you.
2.64.23
धर्मवांस्त्वमधर्मज्ञः सतां मार्गादवप्लुतः ।
को हि धर्मिणमात्मानं जानञ्ज्ञानविदां वरः ॥ २.६४.२३ ॥
You, though righteous, know unrighteousness and have strayed from the path of the good. For who, the best of the wise, would know himself to be righteous?
2.64.24
कुर्याद्यथा त्वया भीषम कृतं धर्ममवेक्षता ।
चेत्त्वं धर्मं विजानासि यदि प्राज्ञा मतिस्तव ॥ २.६४.२४ ॥
If you understand dharma, and your intellect is wise, who else would act as you have acted, having regard to dharma?
2.64.25
अन्यकामा हि धर्मज्ञा कन्यका प्राज्ञमानिना ।
अम्बा नामेति भद्रं ते कथं साऽपहृता त्वया ॥ २.६४.२५ ॥
May good be yours! That maiden who knows dharma loved another; how, then, did you, who think yourself wise, carry off the girl named Ambā?
2.64.26
तां त्वयाऽपहृतां भीष्म कन्यां नैषितवान्नृपः ।
भ्राता विचित्रवीर्यस्ते सतां मार्गमनुस्मरन् ॥ २.६४.२६ ॥
O Bhīṣma, that maiden you carried off was not accepted by your brother, King Vichitravirya, though he should have remembered the path of the good.
2.64.27
भार्ययोर्यस्य चान्येन मिषतः प्राज्ञमानिनः ।
तव जातान्यपत्यानि सज्जनाचरिते पथि ॥ २.६४.२७ ॥
Though he had two wives, and while another looked on, the child of you who think yourself wise were born on the path walked by good people.
2.64.28
को हि धर्मोऽस्ति ते भीषम ब्रह्मचर्यमिदं वृथा ।
यद्धारयसि मोहाद्वा क्लीबत्वाद्वा न संशयः ॥ २.६४.२८ ॥
O Bhīṣma, what dharma is yours? This celibacy you maintain is in vain; you keep it from delusion or from impotence—there is no doubt.
2.64.29
न त्वं तव धर्मज्ञ पश्याम्युपचरं क्वचित् ।
न हि ते सेविता वृद्धा य एवं धर्ममब्रवीः ॥ २.६४.२९ ॥
O knower of dharma, I see no courtesy in you anywhere; you have never served the elders, yet you speak of dharma in this way.
2.64.30
इष्टं दत्तमधीतं च यज्ञाश्च बहुदक्षिणाः ।
सर्वमेतदपत्यस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् ॥ २.६४.३० ॥
Sacrifices performed, gifts given, the Vedas studied, and sacrifices with abundant fees—all of these are not worth even a sixteenth part of offspring.
2.64.31
व्रतोपवासैर्बहुभिः कृतं भवति भीष्म यत् ।
सर्वं तदनपत्यस्य मोघं भवति निश्चयात् ॥ २.६४.३१ ॥
O Bhīṣma, whatever is done in many ways through vows and fasts becomes surely futile for the childless man.
2.64.32
सोऽनपत्यश्च वृद्धश्च मिथ्याधर्मानुशासनात् ।
हंसवत्त्वमपीदानीं ज्ञातिभ्यः प्राप्नुया वधम् ॥ २.६४.३२ ॥
That childless and aged one, by teaching false dharma, was like a swan; now you too shall meet death at the hands of your own kinsmen.
2.64.33
एवं हि कथयन्त्यन्ये नरा ज्ञानविदः पुरा ।
भीष्म यत्तदहं सम्यग्वक्ष्यामि तव शृण्वतः ॥ २.६४.३३ ॥
Thus, in former times, other men who knew wisdom have said; O Bhīṣma, that I will tell you fully as you listen.
2.64.34
वृद्धः किल समुद्रान्ते कश्चिद्धंसोऽभवत्पुरा ।
धर्मवागन्यथावृत्तः पक्षिणः सोऽनुशास्ति च ॥ २.६४.३४ ॥
It is said that once, at the edge of the ocean, there was an old swan, a speaker of dharma whose conduct was otherwise, who instructed the birds.
2.64.35
धर्म चरत माऽधर्ममिति तस्य वचः किल ।
पक्षिणः शुश्रुवुर्भीष्म सततं धर्मवादिनः ॥ २.६४.३५ ॥
His words, 'Practise dharma, do not do adharma,' the birds indeed heard; O Bhīṣma, the birds that always speak dharma heard them constantly.
2.64.36
हंसस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा मुदिताः सर्वपक्षिणः ।
ऊचुश्चैव स्वगा हंसं परिवार्य च सर्वशः ॥ २.६४.३६ ॥
But hearing the swan's words, all the birds rejoiced; and they surrounded the swan on every side and spoke to it.
2.64.37
कथयस्व भवान्सर्वं पक्षिणां तु समासतः ।
को हि नाम द्विजश्रेष्ठ ब्रूहि नो धर्म उत्तमः ॥ २.६४.३७ ॥
Tell us everything about it briefly, o birds. O best of the twice-born, say which is the supreme dharma.
2.64.38
प्रजास्वहिंसा धर्मो वै हिंसाऽधर्मः खगव्रजाः ।
एतदेवानुबोद्धव्यं धर्माधर्मः समासतः ॥ २.६४.३८ ॥
Non-harm toward living beings is dharma, and harm is adharma, o flocks of birds. This alone is to be understood as dharma and adharma, in brief.
2.64.39
वृद्धहंसवचः श्रुत्वा पक्षिणस्ते सुसंहिताः ।
ऊचुश्च धर्मलुब्धास्ते स्मयमाना इवाण्डजाः ॥ २.६४.३९ ॥
Having heard the words of the old swan, those birds, well gathered together and eager for dharma, spoke as if smiling.
2.64.40
धर्मं यः कुरुते नित्यं लोके धीरतरोऽण्डजः ।
स यत्र गच्छेद्धर्मात्मा तन्मे ब्रूहीह तत्त्वतः ॥ २.६४.४० ॥
The bird who constantly performs dharma in the world and is most steadfast — where does that dharma-souled one go? Tell me truly here.
2.64.41
बाला यूयं न जानीध्वं धर्मसूक्ष्मं विहङ्गमाः ।
धर्मं यः कुरुते लोके सततं शुभबुद्धिना।
न चायुषोऽन्ते स्वं देहं त्यक्त्वा स्वर्गं स गच्छति ॥ २.६४.४१ ॥
You birds are children and do not know the subtle nature of dharma. He who constantly does dharma in the world with a good mind, at the end of life, abandons his own body and goes to heaven.
2.64.42
तथाऽहमपि च त्यक्त्वा काले देहमिमं द्विजाः ।
स्वर्गलोकं गमिष्यामि इयं धर्मस्य वै गतिः ॥ २.६४.४२ ॥
Likewise, I too, in due time, having abandoned this body, shall go to the world of heaven. This is the course of dharma.
2.64.43
एवं धर्मकथां चक्रे स हंसः पक्षिणां भृशम् ।
पक्षिणः शुश्रुवुर्भीष्म सततं धर्ममेव ते ॥ २.६४.४३ ॥
Thus the swan told the birds a great deal of teaching on dharma; O Bhīṣma, the birds always heard only dharma.
2.64.44
अथास्य भक्ष्यमाजह्रुः समुद्रजलचारिणः ।
अण्डजा भीष्म तस्यान्ये धर्मार्थमिति शुश्रुम ॥ २.६४.४४ ॥
Then the egg-born creatures that move in the sea-water brought food for him; O Bhīṣma, we have heard that others too brought it for the sake of dharma.
2.64.45
ते च तस्य समभ्याशे निक्षिप्याण्डानि सर्वशः ।
समुद्राम्भस्यमोदन्त चरन्तो भीष्म पक्षिणः ॥ २.६४.४५ ॥
And they, placing all their eggs near it, rejoiced as they moved about in the sea-water; O Bhīṣma.
2.64.46
तेषामण्डानि सर्वेषां भक्षयामास पापकृत् ।
स हंसः सम्प्रमत्तानामप्रमत्तः स्वकर्मणि ॥ २.६४.४६ ॥
The wicked one ate all their eggs; that swan, among the heedless ones, was watchful in its own duty.
2.64.47
ततः प्रक्षीयमाणेषु तेषु तेष्वण्डजोऽपरः ।
अशङ्कत महाप्राज्ञः स कदाचिद्ददर्श ह ॥ २.६४.४७ ॥
Then, as their eggs dwindled one by one, another egg-born creature, very wise, grew suspicious; and once he indeed saw it.
2.64.48
ततः सङ्कथयामास दृष्ट्वा हंसस्य किल्बिषम् ।
तेषां परमदुःखार्तः स पक्षी सर्वपक्षिणाम् ॥ २.६४.४८ ॥
Then, having seen the swan's wrongdoing, that bird, tormented by their great sorrow, began to tell all the birds about it.
2.64.49
ततः प्रत्यक्षतो दृष्ट्वा पक्षिणस्ते समीपगाः ।
निजघ्नस्तं तदा हंसं मिथ्यावृत्तं कुरूद्वह ॥ २.६४.४९ ॥
Then those birds nearby, having seen it openly, struck down that swan who had acted falsely, at that very moment, O best of the Kurus.
2.64.50
एवं त्वां हंसधर्माणमपीमे वसुधाधिपाः ।
निहन्युर्भीष्म सङ्क्रुद्धाः पक्षिणस्तं यथाण्डजम् ॥ २.६४.५० ॥
Thus, even you, who have the nature of a swan, these lords of the earth, greatly enraged, would slay, O Bhīṣma, just as birds slay an egg-born creature.
2.64.51
गाथामप्यत्र गायन्ति ये पुराणविदो जनाः ।
भीष्म यां तां च ते सम्यक्वथयिष्यामि भारत ॥ २.६४.५१ ॥
And that verse which the people knowing the ancient lore sing here, that too I shall tell you fully, O Bhīṣma, O descendant of Bharata.
2.64.52
अन्तरात्मन्यभिहते रौषि पत्ररथाशुचि ।
अण्डभक्षणकर्मैतत्तव वाचमतीयते ॥ २.६४.५२ ॥
When the inner self is struck, you roar impurely, O bird-chariot; this deed of eating eggs goes beyond your own words.