Chapter 3

Sanjaya said, “Hearing these words of Kripa that were auspicious andfraught with morality and profit, Ashvatthama, O monarch, becameoverwhelmed with sorrow and grief. Burning with grief as if with ablazing fire, he formed a wicked resolution and then addressed them bothsaying, “The faculty of understanding is different in different men. Eachman, however, is pleased with own understanding. Every man regardshimself more intelligent than others. Everyone respects his ownunderstanding and accords it great praise. Everyone’s own wisdom is withevery one a subject of praise. Everyone speaks ill of the wisdom ofothers, and well of his own, in all instances. Men whose judgements agreewith respect to any unattained object, even though there be a variety ofconsiderations, become gratified with and applaud one another. Thejudgements, again, of the same men, overwhelmed with reverses through theinfluence of time, become opposed to one another. More particularly, inconsequence of the diversity of human intellects, judgements necessarilydiffer when intellects are clouded.

As a skilful physician, having duly diagnosed a disease, prescribes amedicine by the application of his intelligence for effecting a cure,even so men, for the accomplishment of their acts, use theirintelligence, aided by their own wisdom. What they do is againdisapproved by others. A man, in youth, is affected by one kind ofunderstanding. In middle age, the same does not prevail with him, and inthe period of decay, a different kind of understanding becomes agreeableto him. When fallen into terrible distress or when visited by greatprosperity, the understanding of a person, O chief of the Bhojas, is seento be much afflicted. In one and the same person, through want of wisdom,the understanding becomes different at different times. Thatunderstanding which at one time is acceptable becomes the reverse of thatat another time.

Having resolved, however, according to one’s wisdom, that resolutionwhich is excellent should be endeavoured to be accomplished. Suchresolution, therefore, should force him to put forth exertion. Allpersons, O chief of the Bhojas, joyfully begin to act, even in respect ofenterprises that lead to death, in the belief that those enterprises areachievable by them. All men, relying on their own judgements and wisdom,endeavour to accomplish diverse purposes, knowing them to be beneficial.The resolution that has possessed my mind today in consequence of ourgreat calamity, as something that is capable of dispelling my grief, Iwill now disclose unto both of you.

The Creator, having formed his creatures, assigned unto each hisoccupation. As regards the different orders, he gave unto each a portionof excellence. Unto brahmanas he assigned that foremost of all things,the Veda. Unto the kshatriya he assigned superior energy. Unto thevaishya he gave skill, and unto the shudra he gave the duty of servingthe three other classes. Hence, a brahmana without self-restraint iscensurable. A kshatriya without energy is base. A vaishya without skillis worthy of dispraise, as also a shudra who is bereft of humility (tothe other orders).

I am born in an adorable and high family of brahmanas. Through ill-luck,however, I am wedded to kshatriya practices. If, conversant as I am withkshatriya duties, I adopt now the duties of a brahmana and achieve a highobject (the purification of self under such injuries), that course wouldnot be consistent with nobleness. I hold an excellent bow and excellentweapons in battle. If I do not avenge the slaughter of my sire, how shallI open my mouth in the midst of men? Paying regard to kshatriya duties,therefore, without hesitation, I shall today walk in the steps of myhigh-souled sire and the king.

The Pancalas, elated with victory, will trustfully sleep tonight, havingput off their armour and in great glee, and filled with happiness at thethought of the victory they have won, and spent with toil and exertion.While sleeping at their ease during the night within their own camp, Ishall make a great and terrible assault upon their camp. Like Maghavatslaying the danavas, I shall, attacking them while senseless and dead insleep in their camp, slay them all, putting forth my prowess. Like ablazing fire consuming a heap of dry grass, I shall slay all of themassembled in one place with their leader Dhrishtadyumna! Having slain thePancalas, I shall obtain peace of mind, O best of men! While engaged inthe act of slaughter, I shall career in their midst like the wielder ofPinaka, Rudra himself, in rage among living creatures. Having cut off andslain all the Pancalas today, I shall then, in joy, afflict the sons ofPandu in battle. Taking their lives one after another and causing theearth to be strewn with the bodies of all the Pancalas, I shall pay offthe debt I owe to my sire. I shall today make the Pancalas follow in thewake, hard to tread, of Duryodhana and Karna and Bhishma, and the rulerof the Sindhus. Putting forth my might, I shall tonight grind the head,like that of any animal, of Dhrishtadyumna, the king of the Pancalas! Ishall tonight, O son of Gautama, cut off with my sharp sword, in battle,the sleeping sons of the Pancalas and the Pandavas. Having exterminatedthe Pancalas army tonight while sunk in sleep, I shall, O thou of greatintelligence, obtain great happiness and regard myself to have done myduty!”