Chapter 51
“Bhishma said, ‘Drona’s son observeth well, and Kripa, too observethrightly. As for Kama, it is only out of regard for the duties of theKshatriya order that he desireth to fight. No man of wisdom can blame thepreceptor. I, however, am of opinion that fight we must, considering boththe time and the place. Why should not that man be bewildered who hathfive adversaries effulgent as five suns, who are heroic combatants andwho have just emerged from adversity? Even those conversant with moralityare bewildered in respect of their own interests. It is for this, O king,that I tell thee this, whether my words be acceptable to you or not. WhatKarna said unto thee was only for raising our (drooping) courage. Asregards thyself, O preceptor’s son, forgive everything. The business athand is very grave. When the son of Kunti hath come, this is not the timefor quarrel. Everything should now be forgiven by thyself and thepreceptor Kripa. Like light in the sun, the mastery of all weapons dothreside in you. As beauty is never separated from Chandramas, so are theVedas and the Brahma weapon both established in you. It is often seenthat the four Vedas dwell in one object and Kshatriya attributes inanother. We have never heard of these two dwelling together in any otherperson than the preceptor of the Bharata race and his son. Even this iswhat I think. In the Vedantas, in the Puranas, and in old histories, whosave Jamadagni, O king, would be Drona’s superior? A combination of theBrahma weapon with the Vedas,–this is never to be seen anywhere else. Opreceptor’s son, do thou forgive. This is not the time for disunion. Letall of us, uniting, fight with Indra’s son who hath come. Of all thecalamities that may befall an army that have been enumerated by men ofwisdom, the worst is disunion among the leaders. Aswatthaman said, ‘Obull among men, these thy just observations, need not be uttered in ourpresence; the preceptor, however, filled with wrath, had spoken ofArjuna’s virtues. The virtues of even an enemy should be admitted, whilethe faults of even one’s preceptor may be pointed out; therefore oneshould, to the best of his power, declare the merits of a son or adisciple.’
“Duryodhana said, ‘Let the preceptor grant his forgiveness and let peacebe restored. If the preceptor be at one with us, whatever should be done(in view of the present emergency) would seem to have been already done.’
“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Then, O Bharata, Duryodhana assisted by Kamaand Kripa, and the high-souled Bhishma pacified Drona.’
“Drona said, ‘Appeased I have already been at the words first spoken byBhishma, the son of Santanu. Let such arrangements be made that Parthamay not be able to approach Duryodhana in battle. And let sucharrangements be made that king Duryodhana may not be captured by the foe,in consequence either of his rashness or want of judgment. Arjuna hathnot, to be sure, revealed himself before the expiry of the term of exile.Nor will he pardon this act (of ours) today, having only recovered thekine. Let such arrangements, therefore, be made that he may not succeedin attacking Dhritarashtra’s son and defeating our troops. Like myself(who am doubtful of the completion of period of exile) Duryodhana alsohad said so before. Bearing it in mind, it behoveth the son of Ganga tosay what is true.'”
