Maha-bharata Part 23

Bhishma counsels, Drona urges, Kripa pleads for right in vain, False Duryodhan will not render sinful conquest, fraudful gain!

Open war I therefore counsel, ruthless and relentless war, Grace we seek not when we meet them speeding in our battle-car!

And our weapons, not entreaties, shall our foemen force to yield, Yield Yudhishthir's rightful kingdom or they perish on the field!

False Duryodhan and his forces fall beneath our battle's shock, As beneath the bolt of thunder falls the crushed and riven rock!

Who shall meet the helmed Arjun in the gory field of war, Krishna with his fiery discus mounted on his battle-car?

Who shall face the twin-born brothers by the mighty Bhima led, And the vengeful chief Satyaki with his bow and arrows dread?

Ancient Drupad wields his weapon peerless in the field of fight, And his brave son, born of AGNI, owns an all-consuming might!

Abhimanyu, son of Arjun, whom the fair Subhadra bore, And whose happy nuptials brought us from far Dwarka's sea-girt sh.o.r.e,

Men on earth nor bright immortals can the youthful hero face, When with more than Arjun's prowess Abhimanyu leads the race!

Dhrita-rashtra's sons we conquer and Gandhara's wily son, Vanquish Karna though world-honoured for his deeds of valour done,

Win the fierce-contested battle and redeem Yudhishthir's own, Place the exile pious-hearted on his father's ancient throne!

And no sin Satyaki reckons slaughter of the mortal foe, But to beg a grace of foemen were a mortal sin and woe!

Speed we then unto our duty, let our impious foemen yield, Or the fiery son of Sini meets them on the battle-field!"

IV

Drupad's Speech

Fair Panchala's ancient monarch rose his secret thoughts to tell, From his lips the words of wisdom with a graceful accent fell:

"Much I fear thou speakest truly, hard is Kuru's stubborn race, Vain the hope, the effort futile, to beseech Duryodhan's grace!

Dhrita-rashtra pleadeth vainly, feeble is his fitful star, Ancient Bhishma, righteous Drona, cannot stop this fatal war,

Archer Karna thirsts for battle, moved by jealousy and pride, Deep Sakuni, false and wily, still supports Duryodhan's side!

Vain is Valadeva's counsel, vainly shall our envoy plead, Half his empire proud Duryodhan yields not in his boundless greed,

In his pride he deems our mildness faint and feeble-hearted fear, And our suit will fan his glory and his arrogance will cheer!

Therefore let our many heralds travel near and travel far, Seek alliance of all monarchs in the great impending war,

Unto brave and n.o.ble chieftains, unto nations east and west, North and south to warlike races speed our message and request!

Meanwhile peace and offered friendship we before Duryodhan place, And my priest will seek Hastina, strive to win Duryodhan's grace,

If he renders Indra-prastha, peace will crown the happy land, Or our troops will shake the empire from the east to western strand!"

Vainly were Panchala's Brahmans sent with messages of peace, Vainly urged Hastina's elders that the fatal feud should cease,

Proud Duryodhan to his kinsmen would not yield their proper share, Pandu's sons would not surrender, for they had the will to dare!

Fatal war and dire destruction did the mighty G.o.ds ordain, Till the kings and armed nations strewed the red and reeking plain!

Krishna in his righteous effort sought for wisdom from above, Strove to stop the war of nations and to end the feud in love!

And to far Hastina's palace Krishna went to sue for peace, Raised his voice against the slaughter, begged that strife and feud should cease!

V

Krishna's Speech at Hastina

Silent sat the listening chieftains in Hastina's council hall, With the voice of rolling thunder Krishna spake unto them all:

"Listen, mighty Dhrita-rashtra, Kuru's great and ancient king, Seek not war and death of kinsmen, word of peace and love I bring!

'Midst the wide earth's many nations Bharats in their worth excel, Love and kindness, spotless virtue, in the Kuru-elders dwell,

Father of the n.o.ble nation, now retired from life's turmoil, Ill beseems that sin or untruth should thy ancient bosom soil!

For thy sons in impious anger seek to do their kinsmen wrong, And withhold the throne and kingdom which by right to them belong,

And a danger thus ariseth like the comet's baleful fire, Slaughtered kinsmen, bleeding nations, soon shall feed its fatal ire!

Stretch thy hands, O Kuru monarch! prove thy truth and holy grace, Man of peace! avert the slaughter and preserve thy ancient race.

Yet restrain thy fiery children, for thy mandates they obey, I with sweet and soft persuasion Pandu's truthful sons will sway.

'Tis thy profit, Kuru monarch! that the fatal feud should cease, Brave Duryodhan, good Yudhishthir, rule in unmolested peace,

Pandu's sons are strong in valour, mighty in their armed hand, INDRA shall not shake thy empire when they guard the Kuru land!

Bhishma is thy kingdom's bulwark, doughty Drona rules the war, Karna matchless with his arrows, Kripa peerless in his car,

Let Yudhishthir and stout Bhima by these n.o.ble warriors stand, And let helmet-wearing Arjun guard the sacred Kuru land,

Who shall then contest thy prowess from the sea to farthest sea, Ruler of a world-wide empire, king of kings and nations free?

Sons and grandsons, friends and kinsmen, will surround thee in a ring, And a race of loving heroes guard their ancient hero-king!

Dhrita-rashtra's lofty edicts will proclaim his boundless sway, Nations work his righteous mandates and the kings his will obey!

If this concord be rejected and the l.u.s.t of war prevail, Soon within these ancient chambers will resound the sound of wail!

Grant thy children be victorious and the sons of Pandu slain, Dear to thee are Pandu's children, and their death must cause thee pain!

But the Pandavs skilled in warfare are renowned both near and far, And thy race and children's slaughter will methinks pollute this war,