SECTION 42
"Sanjaya said, 'The high-souled son of Adhiratha, having listened
unconvinced to these words of the ruler of the Madras, addressed Shalya,
saying, "That which Vasudeva and Arjuna are is well-known to me. The
skill of Saurin in the management of cars, and the might and the high
weapons of Arjuna, the son of Pandu are well known to me at this hour.
Thou however, O Shalya, hast no ocular proof of those matters. I shall
fearlessly fight with the two Krishnas, those two foremost of all
wielders of weapons. The curse, however, of Rama that best of regenerate
persons, paineth me greatly today. I dwelt, in the disguise of a
brahmana, with Rama in former days, desirous of obtaining celestial
weapons from him. On that occasion, O Shalya, the chief of the gods,
wishing to benefit Phalguna, caused an obstacle, by approaching my thigh
and piercing it, having assumed the dire form of a worm. When my
preceptor slept, having laid his head thereon, that worm, approaching my
thigh, began to pierce it through. In consequence of the piercing of my
thigh, a pool of thick blood flowed from my body. For fear of (disturbing
the slumber of) my preceptor I did not move my limb. Awaking, the
brahmana, however, beheld what had taken place. Witnessing my patience he
addressed me, saying, 'Thou are never a brahmana. Tell me truly who thou
art.' I then, O Shalya, truly informed him of myself, saying that I was a
Suta. Hearing my words, the great ascetic, his heart filled with rage,
cursed me, saying, 'In consequence of the deception, O Suta, by which
thou hast obtained this weapon, it will never, at the time of need, when
the hour of your death comes, occur to your memory. Brahma cannot certainly
reside in one that is not a brahmana.' I have forgotten that great weapon
in this fierce and terrible battle. He amongst the Bharatas, O Shalya,
who is accomplished, who is an effectual smiter, who is universal
destroyer, and who is exceedingly terrible, (viz., Arjuna),--that mighty
crusher,--I think, will burn many foremost of kshatriyas. Know, however,
O Shalya, that I will slay in battle that fierce bowman, that foremost of
warriors, that hero endued with activity, that terrible person whose
energy is unbearable, that warrior whose promises are accomplished, that
son of Pandu, viz., Dhananjaya. I have that weapon (at least) under my
control today with which I will be able to destroy large numbers of foes.
I will slay in battle that scorcher of enemies, that mighty warrior
accomplished in weapons, that fierce bowman of immeasurable energy, that
cruel and terrible hero, that great resister of enemies, viz.,
Dhananjaya. The immeasurable Ocean, that lord of all waters, rusheth with
fierce impetuosity for overwhelming innumerable creatures. The continent,
however, holds and checks him. Today, in this world, I will resist in
fight the son of Kunti, that foremost of all drawers of the bow-string,
while he will be engaged in ceaselessly shooting his countless shafts
equipped with goodly wings, destructive of heroes, capable of penetrating
into every limb and none of which becomes futile. Like the continent
resisting the Ocean, I will today resist that mightiest of the mighty,
that great warrior possessing the highest weapons, that hero like unto
the Ocean's self of far-reaching arrows, fierce, and having shafts for
his waves, while he will be engaged in overwhelming (hostile) kings.
Behold today the fierce battle I fight with him that hath no equal, I
think, among men wielding the bow, and that would vanquish the very gods
united with the Asuras. Exceedingly proud is that son of Pandu. Desirous
of battle he will approach me with his mighty and super-human weapons.
Baffling his weapons with my own weapons in battle, I shall today
overthrow that Partha with my own excellent shafts. Scorching his foes
like the Sun endued with fiery rays, and blazing with flame like that
dispeller of the darkness, I shall, like a mass of clouds, completely
shroud Dhananjaya today with my shafts. Like the clouds extinguishing a
blazing fire of great energy and smoke-mixed flames, that seems ready to
consume the whole Earth, I shall, with my showers of arrows, extinguish
the son of Kunti in battle. With my broad-headed shafts I shall still the
son of Kunti, that terrible snake of virulent poison, that is exceedingly
difficult of being captured, that is endued with keen fangs, that is even
like a blazing fire that flames up in wrath, and that always consumes his
foes. Like Himavat bearing the mighty, all-crushing, fierce and smiting
god of wind, I shall, without moving, bear the angry and vindictive
Dhananjaya. I shall resist in battle Dhananjaya, that foremost of all
wielders of bows in the world, that hero in fight, that warrior who is
always in the van and who is competent to meet all foes, that car-warrior
who is conversant with all car-tracks. Today I shall fight in battle with
that person who hath, I think, no equal among men wielding the bow and
who conquered the entire Earth. What other man desirous of saving his
life, except myself, will fight with that Savyasaci, who vanquished all
creatures including the very gods in the country called Khandava? Arjuna
is proud; his weapons strike deep; he is endued with great lightness of
hands; he is conversant with steeds; he agitates vast hosts; he is
regarded an Atiratha. Though such, I shall yet, with my sharp shafts,
strike his head from off his trunk today. O Shalya, ever keeping Death or
victory in battle before me, I shall today fight with Dhananjaya. There
is none else save myself that would on a single car fight with that
Pandava who resembles the destroyer himself. I myself will gladly speak
of the prowess of Phalguna in the midst of an assembly of kshatriyas. Why
however, dost thou, a fool as you are and of foolish understanding,
speak to me of Phalguna's prowess? Thou are a doer of disagreeable deeds.
Thou are cruel and mean and being thyself unforgiving, you are a
detractor of one that is forgiving. I can slay a hundred persons like
thee, but I forgive you in consequence of my forgiving disposition,
owing to the exigency of the times. Thou are of sinful deeds. Like a fool
thou hast, for the sake of Pandu's son, rebuked me and told me many
disagreeable things. Crooked-hearted as you art, you hast said all
these words unto me, that am of a sincere heart. Cursed are you for thou
art an injurer of friends,--of friends, because friendship is
seven-paced. Terrible is the hour that is now passing. Duryodhana hath
himself come to battle. I am solicitous of seeing his purposes achieved.
Thou, however, are acting in such a way that it shows you to have no
friendship (for the Kuru king)! He is a friend who shows affection for
another, who gladdens another, who makes himself agreeable to another,
who protects another, who honours another, and who rejoices in the joys
of another. I tell you that I have all those attributes, and the king
himself knows all this. He, on the other hand, that destroys, chastises,
sharpens his weapons, injures, causes us to sigh, makes us cheerless, and
wrongs us in diverse ways, is a foe. All these attributes are to be found
in you and you discoverest all of them in me. For the sake of
Duryodhana, for the sake of doing what is agreeable to thee, for the sake
of victory, for the sake of myself, and for the sake of God himself, I
will with vigorous exertion, fight with Partha and Vasudeva. Witness
today my feats. Behold today my excellent weapons, my brahmastra and
other celestial weapons, as also those that are human. I will today slay
that hero of fierce prowess, like an exceedingly infuriate elephant
slaying an infuriate compeer. I shall, by my mind alone, hurl today at
Partha, for my victory, that weapon of immeasurable energy, called the
brahmastra. Arjuna will never be able to escape that weapon, if only the
wheels of my car do not sink into the Earth in battle today. Know this, O
Shalya, that I would not take fright at Yama himself armed with his rod,
or Varuna himself armed with his noose, or Kuvera himself armed with his
mace, or Vasava himself armed with the thunderbolt, or at any other foe
whatever that may approach for slaying me. Therefore, I have no fear from
Partha, nor from Janardana. On the other hand, I shall encounter them
both in today's destructive battle. Once on a time, while wandering for
the sake of practising weapons on my bow called Vijaya, O king, I had, by
shooting many fierce shafts of terrible forms, heedlessly struck the calf
of a (brahmana's) homa cow with one of those shafts, and unwillingly
killed it white it was wandering in a solitary forest. The brahmana then
addressed me, saying, 'Since, becoming insensate, you hast slain the
offspring of my homa cow, the wheel (of your car) will sink into the Earth
while at the time of battle fear will enter your heart.' From these words
of the brahmana I am experiencing great fear. These kings of the Lunar
race that are lords of (other people's) weal and woe, offered to give
that brahmana a 1,000 kine and 600 bovine bulls. With even such a gift, O
Shalya, the brahmana would not be gratified, O ruler of the Madras. I was
then for giving him seven hundred elephants of large tusks and many
hundred of slaves male and female. That foremost of brahmana would not
still be gratified. Collecting next full 14,000 kine, each black in hue
and having a white calf I was still unable to obtain the grace of that
best of brahmana. A wealthy mansion full of every object of desire, in
fact, whatever wealth I had, I wished to give him with due worship, but
he refused to accept the gift. Unto me then that had offended and that
had begged so importunately for his pardon, the brahmana said, 'That
which, O Suta, hath been uttered by me is sure to happen. It cannot be
otherwise. A false speech would destroy creatures, and sin also would be
mine. Therefore, for the preservation of virtue I do not venture to speak
what is false. Do not, again, destroy the means of a brahmana's support.
There is none in the world that would be able to falsify my speech.
Accept those words. It will be your atonement (for the sin of having slain
a calf).' Though rebuked by thee, still for friendship's sake, I have
disclosed to you all this. I know you that are rebuking me thus. Be
silent now, and hear what I will presently say.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 42 ---------------------
