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Mahābhārata • Parva 10 (Sauptikaparva) • Adhyāya 3

Sauptikaparva Adhyāya 3

सौप्तिकपर्व • अध्यायः 3

Sauptikaparva Adhyāya 3 of the classical Mahābhārata with 36 verses.

Total: 36 Verses • Citations: MBh 10.3.1–36 • 250 Lexicon Terms
कृपस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा धर्मार्थसहितं शुभम् । अश्वत्थामा महाराज दुःखशोकसमन्वितः ॥
English Translation
Sanjaya Said "Hearing these auspicious, moral and profitable words of Kripa, Ashvatthaman, O king, became beside himself with sorrow and grief.
दह्यमानस्तु शोकेन प्रदीप्तेनाग्निना यथा । क्रूरं मनस्ततः कृत्वा तावुभौ प्रत्यभाषत ॥
English Translation
Burning with grief, as if with fire, he formed a wicked resolution and then addressed them both, saying, understanding is different in different men. Each man, however, is pleased with his own understanding,
पुरुषे पुरुषे बुद्धिः सा सा भवति शोभना । तुष्यन्ति च पृथक्सर्वे प्रज्ञया ते स्वया स्वया ॥
English Translation
Burning with grief, as if with fire, he formed a wicked resolution and then addressed them both, saying, understanding is different in different men. Each man, however, is pleased with his own understanding,
सर्वो हि मन्यते लोक आत्मानं बुद्धिमत्तरम् । सर्वस्यात्मा बहुमतः सर्वात्मानं प्रशंसति ॥
English Translation
Every man considers himself more intelligent than others. Every one respects and praises his own understanding.
सर्वस्य हि स्वका प्रज्ञा साधुवादे प्रतिष्ठिता । परबुद्धिं च निन्दन्ति स्वां प्रशंसन्ति चासकृत् ॥
English Translation
Every one praises his own wisdom. Every one speaks ill of the wisdom of others, and well of his own, in all cases.
कारणान्तरयोगेन योगे येषां समा मतिः । तेऽन्योन्येन च तुष्यन्ति बहु मन्यन्ति चासकृत् ॥
English Translation
Men whose opinions agree with regard to any that is not achieved, become gratified with and praise one another.
तस्यैव तु मनुष्यस्य सा सा बुद्धिस्तदा तदा । कालयोगविपर्यासं प्राप्यान्योन्यं विपद्यते ॥
English Translation
Again the opinions of the same persons, overwhelmed with reverses bought on by the influence of time, become opposed to another.
अचिन्त्यत्वाद्धि चित्तानां मनुष्याणां विशेषतः । चित्तवैकल्यमासाद्य सा सा बुद्धिः प्रजायते ॥
English Translation
On account of the diversity of human intellects, judgments necessarily differ.
यथा हि वैद्यः कुशलो ज्ञात्वा व्याधिं यथाविधि । भेषजं कुरुते योगात्प्रशमार्थमिहाभिभो ॥
एवं कार्यस्य योगार्थं बुद्धिं कुर्वन्ति मानवाः । प्रज्ञया हि स्वया युक्तास्तां च निन्दन्ति मानवाः ॥
English Translation
As a skillful physician, having duly diagnosed a disease, prescribes a medicine by his intelligence for effecting a cure, so men, for the accomplishment of their works, use their intelligence, helped by their own wisdom. What they do is not approved by others.
अन्यया यौवने मर्त्यो बुद्ध्या भवति मोहितः । मध्येऽन्यया जरायां तु सोऽन्यां रोचयते मतिम् ॥
English Translation
A man, in youth, had one kind of understanding. In middle age, he has not the same, and in the period of decay, a different kind of understanding prevails in him.
व्यसनं वा पुनर्घोरं समृद्धिं वापि तादृशीम् । अवाप्य पुरुषो भोज कुरुते बुद्धिवैकृतम् ॥
English Translation
When fallen into terrible misfortune or when enjoying great prosperity, the understanding of a person, chief of the Bhojas, undergoes changes. In one and the same person, want of wisdom, the understanding becomes different at different times. Understanding which at one time is good becomes quite the opposite at another time.
एकस्मिन्नेव पुरुषे सा सा बुद्धिस्तदा तदा । भवत्यनित्यप्रज्ञत्वात्सा तस्यैव न रोचते ॥
निश्चित्य तु यथाप्रज्ञं यां मतिं साधु पश्यति । तस्यां प्रकुरुते भावं सा तस्योद्योगकारिका ॥
English Translation
Having resolved, however, according to one's wisdom, he should try to carry out his resolution. Such resolution, therefore, should make him display his manliness.
सर्वो हि पुरुषो भोज साध्वेतदिति निश्चितः । कर्तुमारभते प्रीतो मरणादिषु कर्मसु ॥
English Translation
All persons, O chief of the Bhojas, gladly undertake enterprises that lead to death, in the belief that those enterprises will be accomplished by them.
सर्वे हि युक्तिं विज्ञाय प्रज्ञां चापि स्वकां नराः । चेष्टन्ते विविधाश्चेष्टा हितमित्येव जानते ॥
English Translation
All men, relying on their own judgment and wisdom, try to accomplish various objects, knowing them to be beneficial.
उपजाता व्यसनजा येयमद्य मतिर्मम । युवयोस्तां प्रवक्ष्यामि मम शोकविनाशिनीम् ॥
English Translation
The resolution that I have formed in my mind to-day for of great calamity and which will despell my grief, I will now disclose to both of you.
प्रजापतिः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा कर्म तासु विधाय च । वर्णे वर्णे समाधत्त एकैकं गुणवत्तरम् ॥
English Translation
Having created his creatures, the Creator assigned to each his occupation. As regards the different castes he gave to each a portion of excellence.
ब्राह्मणे दममव्यग्रं क्षत्रिये तेज उत्तमम् । दाक्ष्यं वैश्ये च शूद्रे च सर्ववर्णानुकूलताम् ॥
English Translation
To Brahmanas he assigned that foremost of all things, viz., the Veda. To the Kshatriya he gave superior energy. To the Vaishya he gave skill, and to the Shudra he gave the duty of serving the three other castes.
अदान्तो ब्राह्मणोऽसाधुर्निस्तेजाः क्षत्रियोऽधमः । अदक्षो निन्द्यते वैश्यः शूद्रश्च प्रतिकूलवान् ॥
English Translation
Hence a Brahmana without self-restraint is an object of censure. A Kshatriya who has no energy is mean. A Vaishya without skill is an object of blame, as also a Shudra who is void of humility.
सोऽस्मि जातः कुले श्रेष्ठे ब्राह्मणानां सुपूजिते । मन्दभाग्यतयास्म्येतं क्षत्रधर्ममनु ष्ठितः ॥
English Translation
I am born in a worshipful and high family of Brahmanas. Through ill-luck, however, I am loading the life of a Kshatriya.
क्षत्रधर्मं विदित्वाहं यदि ब्राह्मण्यसंश्रितम् । प्रकुर्यां सुमहत्कर्म न मे तत्साधु संमतम् ॥
English Translation
If, conversant as I am with Kshatriya duties, I revert now to the order of a Brahmana and achieve a great object (by assuming selfrestraint under such injuries), that course would not be compatible.
धारयित्वा धनुर्दिव्यं दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि चाहवे । पितरं निहतं दृष्ट्वा किं नु वक्ष्यामि संसदि ॥
English Translation
I hold an excellent bow and excellent weapons in battle. If I do not avenge the death of my father, how shall I be able to speak in the assembly of men?
सोऽहमद्य यथाकामं क्षत्रधर्ममुपास्य तम् । गन्तास्मि पदवीं राज्ञः पितुश्चापि महाद्युतेः ॥
English Translation
Following Kshatriya duties, therefore, without hesitation, I shall to-day walk in the steps of my great father and the king.
अद्य स्वप्स्यन्ति पाञ्चाला विश्वस्ता जितकाशिनः । विमुक्तयुग्यकवचा हर्षेण च समन्विताः । वयं जिता मताश्चैषां श्रान्ता व्यायमनेन च ॥
English Translation
The Panchalas, elated with victory, will sleep in confidence to-night, having put off their armour and in great joy at the thought of the victory they have gained, and exhausted with toil and exertion.
तेषां निशि प्रसुप्तानां स्वस्थानां शिबिरे स्वके । अवस्कन्दं करिष्यामि शिबिरस्याद्य दुष्करम् ॥
तानवस्कन्द्य शिबिरे प्रेतभूतान्विचेतसः । सूदयिष्यामि विक्रम्य मघवानिव दानवान् ॥
अद्य तान्सहितान्सर्वान्धृष्टद्युम्नपुरोगमान् । सूदयिष्यामि विक्रम्य कक्षं दीप्त इवानलः । निहत्य चैव पाञ्चालाञ्शान्तिं लब्धास्मि सत्तम ॥
English Translation
Like a burning fire consuming a heap of dry grass, I shall kill all of them collected in one place with their leader Dhrishtadyumna. Having killed the Panchalas, I shall obtain peace of mind, O best of men.
पाञ्चालेषु चरिष्यामि सूदयन्नद्य संयुगे । पिनाकपाणिः संक्रुद्धः स्वयं रुद्रः पशुष्विव ॥
English Translation
While engaged in the act of destruction I shall move about in their midst like the holder of Pinaka, viz., the angry Rudra himself, among living creatures!
अद्याहं सर्वपाञ्चालान्निहत्य च निकृत्य च । अर्दयिष्यामि संक्रुद्धो रणे पाण्डुसुतांस्तथा ॥
English Translation
Having cut off and killed all the Panahalas to-day, I shall then, in joy, assail the sons of Pandu in battle!
अद्याहं सर्वपाञ्चालैः कृत्वा भूमिं शरीरिणीम् । प्रहृत्यैकैकशस्तेभ्यो भविष्याम्यनृणः पितुः ॥
English Translation
Taking their lives one after another and causing the Earth to be covered with the bodies of all the Panchalas, I shall satisfy the debt I owe to my father!
दुर्योधनस्य कर्णस्य भीष्मसैन्धवयोरपि । गमयिष्यामि पाञ्चालान्पदवीमद्य दुर्गमाम् ॥
English Translation
I shall to-day made the Panchalas follow Duryodhana and Karna and Bhishma and the King of the Sindhus!
अद्य पाञ्चालराजस्य धृष्टद्युम्नस्य वै निशि । विरात्रे प्रमथिष्यामि पशोरिव शिरो बलात् ॥
English Translation
Displaying my power, I shall tonight grind the head, like that any animal, of Dhrishtadyumna the king of the Panchalas.
अद्य पाञ्चालपाण्डूनां शयितानात्मजान्निशि । खड्गेन निशितेनाजौ प्रमथिष्यामि गौतम ॥
English Translation
I shall to-night, O son of Gotama, strike with my sharp sword, in battle, the sleeping sons of the Panchalas and the Pandavas.
अद्य पाञ्चालसेनां तां निहत्य निशि सौप्तिके । कृतकृत्यः सुखी चैव भविष्यामि महामते ॥
English Translation
Having rooted out the Panchala army tonight while asleep, I shall, enjoy great happiness and consider myself to have done my duty!
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