Critical Edition
शिशुपाल उवाच विभीषिकाभिर्बह्वीभिर्भीषयन्सर्वपार्थिवान् न व्यपत्रपसे कस्माद्वृद्धः सन्कुलपांसनः
M. N. Dutt: Shishupala said Old and infamous wretch of your race, are you not ashamed to frighten all these kings by these false terrors?
युक्तमेतत्तृतीयायां प्रकृतौ वर्तता त्वया वक्तुं धर्मादपेतार्थं त्वं हि सर्वकुरूत्तमः
M. N. Dutt: You are the foremost of the Purus-living as you do in the third state (celibacy), it is but fit that you should give such advice, which is so void of morality.
नावि नौरिव संबद्धा यथान्धो वान्धमन्वियात् तथाभूता हि कौरव्या भीष्म येषां त्वमग्रणीः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, when you are their leader the Purus are like a boat tied to a boat, or like a blind man following a blind man.
पूतनाघातपूर्वाणि कर्माण्यस्य विशेषतः त्वया कीर्तयतास्माकं भूयः प्रच्यावितं मनः
M. N. Dutt: You have once again given pains to our hearts by reciting the deeds of this (Krishna), such as his killing Putana and others.
अवलिप्तस्य मूर्खस्य केशवं स्तोतुमिच्छतः कथं भीष्म न ते जिह्वा शतधेयं विदीर्यते
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, arrogant and fool as you are, and also desirous of praising Krishna, why does not your tongue split into a hundred parts?
यत्र कुत्सा प्रयोक्तव्या भीष्म बालतरैर्नरैः तमिमं ज्ञानवृद्धः सन्गोपं संस्तोतुमिच्छसि
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, how do you, superior as you are in knowledge, desire to praise the cowherd (Krishna) whose evil repute is told even by men with childish intelligence,
यद्यनेन हता बाल्ये शकुनिश्चित्रमत्र किम् तौ वाश्ववृषभौ भीष्म यौ न युद्धविशारदौ
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, if he (Krishna) has killed a vulture in his childhood, what is there to praise in that feat? What is there also in his killing of Ashva and Vrishabha, both of whom were ignorant of the science of war?
चेतनारहितं काष्ठं यद्यनेन निपातितम् पादेन शकटं भीष्म तत्र किं कृतमद्भुतम्
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, what is there wonderful if this (Krishna) threw down by a kick an inanimate piece of wood, namely a car?
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.8 After 8, S (G4 om.) ins. (Cv glosses): *367 अर्कप्रमाणौ तौ वृक्षौ यद्यनेन निपातितौ नागश्च पातितो येन तत्र किं विस्मयं कृतम्
वल्मीकमात्रः सप्ताहं यद्यनेन धृतोऽचलः तदा गोवर्धनो भीष्म न तच्चित्रं मतं मम
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, in my opinion there was nothing remarkable in this one's holding for a week the Govardhana hill which is like an anthill.
भुक्तमेतेन बह्वन्नं क्रीडता नगमूर्धनि इति ते भीष्म शृण्वानाः परं विस्मयमागताः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, "while sporting on the hills, this one ate a large quantity of food,” hearing these words of yours, many have been much astonished.
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.10 After 10, S (G4 om.) ins.: *368 मतिमन्तो न शंसन्ति सज्जना धर्मिणः सदा
यस्य चानेन धर्मज्ञ भुक्तमन्नं बलीयसः स चानेन हतः कंस इत्येतन्न महाद्भुतम्
M. N. Dutt: O (Bhishma) learned in the precepts of religion, what could be more wonderful than this one's killing Kansa, by whose food he became fattened and strong.
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.11 After 11, K2 ins.: *369 कागहा बगहा वत्ससर्पहा खरहा तथा अग्निपो मायिक इव कथं नार्होऽग्रपूजने
न ते श्रुतमिदं भीष्म नूनं कथयतां सताम् यद्वक्ष्ये त्वामधर्मज्ञ वाक्यं कुरुकुलाधम
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, O wretch of the Puru race, you are ignorant of the precepts of religion. You have not heard from the pious men what I would now tell you.
स्त्रीषु गोषु न शस्त्राणि पातयेद्ब्राह्मणेषु च यस्य चान्नानि भुञ्जीत यश्च स्याच्छरणागतः
AI Translation: He should not throw weapons at women, cows, or Brahmins, or at one who eats his food or who has sought refuge with him.
इति सन्तोऽनुशासन्ति सज्जना धर्मिणः सदा भीष्म लोके हि तत्सर्वं वितथं त्वयि दृश्यते
AI Translation: Thus the good, the righteous, always instruct the good. O Bhishma, all that is seen in you is false in this world.
ज्ञानवृद्धं च वृद्धं च भूयांसं केशवं मम अजानत इवाख्यासि संस्तुवन्कुरुसत्तम गोघ्नः स्त्रीघ्नश्च सन्भीष्म कथं संस्तवमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: Owretch of the Kuru race, wishing to praise Keshava (Krishna), you describe him before me as great and superior in knowledge and age, as if I know nothing.
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.15 After 15e, K4 Dn (!) D6 ins.: *370 त्वद्वाक्याद्यदि पूज्यते एवंभूतश्च यो भीष्म
असौ मतिमतां श्रेष्ठो य एष जगतः प्रभुः संभावयति यद्येवं त्वद्वाक्याच्च जनार्दनः एवमेतत्सर्वमिति सर्वं तद्वितथं ध्रुवम्
M. N. Dutt: "This one is the foremost of all wise men," and "This one is the lord of the universe," hearing these words of yours, Janardana (Krishna) believes that they are all true. But they are surely all false.
न गाथा गाथिनं शास्ति बहु चेदपि गायति प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि भूलिङ्गशकुनिर्यथा
M. N. Dutt: The verses that a chaunter chaunts, though he chants them often, would produce no impression on him. every creature acts according to his own disposition like the bird Bhulinga.
नूनं प्रकृतिरेषा ते जघन्या नात्र संशयः अतः पापीयसी चैषां पाण्डवानामपीष्यते
AI Translation: This is certainly your natural disposition, there is no doubt about it. Therefore, this is considered to be the most sinful of the Pandavas.
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.18 After 18ab, T1 G3.5.6 ins.: *371 नदीसुतत्वात्ते चित्तं चञ्चलं न स्थिरं स्मृतम्
येषामर्च्यतमः कृष्णस्त्वं च येषां प्रदर्शकः धर्मवाक्त्वमधर्मज्ञः सतां मार्गादवप्लुतः
AI Translation: You are the most worshipped of those who worship Krishna, and you are the one who shows them the way. You are the one who speaks of dharma, but you know nothing of adharma. You have strayed from the path of the good.
को हि धर्मिणमात्मानं जानञ्ज्ञानवतां वरः कुर्याद्यथा त्वया भीष्म कृतं धर्ममवेक्षता
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, who will so act as you have from the motives of virtue, knowing himself to be virtuous and superior in knowledge?
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.20 After 20, Dn (!) D5 ins.: *372 चेत्त्वं धर्मं विजानासि यदि प्राज्ञा मतिस्तव
अन्यकामा हि धर्मज्ञ कन्यका प्राज्ञमानिना अम्बा नामेति भद्रं ते कथं सापहृता त्वया
AI Translation: "For, O knower of dharma, a maiden of other desires, proud of her wisdom," "O well-being to you, by what name is she called? How was she abducted by you?"
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.21 After 21ab, S (G4 om.) ins.: *373 गृहीता पाणिधर्मेण राज्ञा साल्वेन धीमता
यां त्वयापहृतां भीष्म कन्यां नैषितवान्नृपः भ्राता विचित्रवीर्यस्ते सतां वृत्तमनुष्ठितः
AI Translation: O Bhishma, the king who was to marry the girl whom you abducted, your brother, Vichitravirya, has followed the conduct of the good.
दारयोर्यस्य चान्येन मिषतः प्राज्ञमानिनः तव जातान्यपत्यानि सज्जनाचरिते पथि
M. N. Dutt: Knowing her state of mind, did not marry her, though she was brought by you. Proud as you are of your virtue, in your very sight sons were begotten by another on the widow of your brother according to the ways of the pious.
न हि धर्मोऽस्ति ते भीष्म ब्रह्मचर्यमिदं वृथा यद्धारयसि मोहाद्वा क्लीबत्वाद्वा न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, where is your virtue? your Brahmacharya is in vain. Your celibacy is no doubt the result of your ignorance or impotence.
न त्वहं तव धर्मज्ञ पश्याम्युपचयं क्वचित् न हि ते सेविता वृद्धा य एवं धर्ममब्रुवन्
M. N. Dutt: O (Bhishma), learned in Dharma, I do not see your prosperity. You who thus preach moralịty does not seem to have ever waited upon the old.
इष्टं दत्तमधीतं च यज्ञाश्च बहुदक्षिणाः सर्वमेतदपत्यस्य कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्
M. N. Dutt: Worship, gift, study, large-Dakshina giving sacrifices, these all are not equal to sixteenth part of that merit which is obtained by the possession of a son.
व्रतोपवासैर्बहुभिः कृतं भवति भीष्म यत् सर्वं तदनपत्यस्य मोघं भवति निश्चयात्
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, the merit that is obtained by observing many vows and fasts surely goes all in vain if one is childless.
सोऽनपत्यश्च वृद्धश्च मिथ्याधर्मानुशासनात् हंसवत्त्वमपीदानीं ज्ञातिभ्यः प्राप्नुया वधम्
M. N. Dutt: You are childless, you are old, you are an expounder of false morality. Like the swan in ne the story, you shall now be killed by your own relatives.
एवं हि कथयन्त्यन्ये नरा ज्ञानविदः पुरा भीष्म यत्तदहं सम्यग्वक्ष्यामि तव शृण्वतः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, the learned men have said this (story) of old. I shall presently narrate it in full in your hearing.
वृद्धः किल समुद्रान्ते कश्चिद्धंसोऽभवत्पुरा धर्मवागन्यथावृत्तः पक्षिणः सोऽनुशास्ति ह
M. N. Dutt: In the days of yore there lived an old swan on the coast of the sea. He always spoke of morality and used to instruct all the birds, but his conduct was otherwise.
धर्मं चरत माधर्ममिति तस्य वचः किल पक्षिणः शुश्रुवुर्भीष्म सततं धर्मवादिनः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, “Practice virtue and forego sin", these were the words that the truthful (birds) heard him say.
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.31 After 31ab, B5 ins.: *374 घोरां मायां प्रविष्टाः स्थ तस्माज्जाग्रत जाग्रत अहिंसा परमो धर्म इति तस्य वचः किल
अथास्य भक्ष्यमाजह्रुः समुद्रजलचारिणः अण्डजा भीष्म तस्यान्ये धर्मार्थमिति शुश्रुम
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, it has been heard by us that oviparous creatures, (all) dwelling in the sea, brought him food for the sake of virtue.
तस्य चैव समभ्याशे निक्षिप्याण्डानि सर्वशः समुद्राम्भस्यमोदन्त चरन्तो भीष्म पक्षिणः
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, all those birds left their eggs with him, ranged and dived in the waters of the sea. But that sinful wretch ate them (eggs) all.
तेषामण्डानि सर्वेषां भक्षयामास पापकृत् स हंसः संप्रमत्तानामप्रमत्तः स्वकर्मणि
AI Translation: The sinful one ate the eggs of all of them. That swan, while the others were careless, was careful in his own duty.
ततः प्रक्षीयमाणेषु तेष्वण्डेष्वण्डजोऽपरः अशङ्कत महाप्राज्ञस्तं कदाचिद्ददर्श ह
M. N. Dutt: That swan, always attentive to his own purpose, ate the eggs foolishly trusted to him, Some time after seeing the eggs decreased in number, another greatly intelligent bird suspected him, and one day he saw him (eat those eggs).
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.35 After 35c, T1 ins.: *375 कर्मास्येदं भवेदिति ततो गतेषु हंसेषु सर्वेषु चरितुं तदा स्थित आत्मानमावृत्य After 35, K2 (erroneously) reads 37cd, repeating it in its proper place; while G5 ins.: *376 ततो गतेषु हंसेषु सर्वेषु चरितं तदा स्थित आत्मानमावृत्य तं कदाचिद्ददर्श ह
ततः स कथयामास दृष्ट्वा हंसस्य किल्बिषम् तेषां परमदुःखार्तः स पक्षी सर्वपक्षिणाम्
M. N. Dutt: Having witnessed the sinful act of the swan, that bird spoke of it to all the other birds in great sorrow.
ततः प्रत्यक्षतो दृष्ट्वा पक्षिणस्ते समागताः निजघ्नुस्तं तदा हंसं मिथ्यावृत्तं कुरूद्वह
M. N. Dutt: O excellent Puru, then all those birds, witnessing with their own eyes the act of the (old), swan, came to him, and they then killed that wretch of false conduct.
Supplementary Passages:
2.38.37 After 37, Ś1 K4 Dn D4-6 T1 G1.2 M ins. (cf. v.l. 38ab): *377 हंसवत्त्वमपीदानीं ज्ञातिभ्यो वधमाप्नुयाः M1 ins. before 377*, and M2 after it: *378 वृद्धहंसो हतस्तत्र मिथ्यावृत्तो दुरात्मवान्
ते त्वां हंससधर्माणमपीमे वसुधाधिपाः निहन्युर्भीष्म संक्रुद्धाः पक्षिणस्तमिवाण्डजम्
M. N. Dutt: O Bhishma, your conduct is like that of the old swan. These kings might kill you in anger as the birds killed the old swan.
गाथामप्यत्र गायन्ति ये पुराणविदो जनाः भीष्म यां तां च ते सम्यक्कथयिष्यामि भारत
M. N. Dutt: 0. Bhishma, the Purana-knowing men mention a proverb as regard this occurrence. O descendant of Bharata, I shall repeat it to you in detail.
अन्तरात्मनि विनिहिते; रौषि पत्ररथ वितथम् अण्डभक्षणमशुचि ते; कर्म वाचमतिशयते
M. N. Dutt: It is this “O bird, though your heart is affected, yet you preach. But your this sinful act of eating the eggs transgresses of your speeches".