Droṇaparva Chapter -1 - Drona's investiture as commander

श्री जयसंहित – Śrī Jayasamhita

द्रोणपर्व - Droṇaparva

अध्यायः – 1 ::Chapter-1

Shlokas	No. of Shlokas
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥ निहतं पितरं श्रुत्वा धृतराष्ट्रो जनाधिपः । लेभे न शान्तिं कौरव्यश्चिन्ताशोकपरायणः ॥ 1॥ तस्य चिन्तयतो दुःखमनिशं पार्थिवस्य तत् । आजगाम विशुद्धात्मा पुनर्गावल्गणिस्तदा ॥ 2॥ शिबिरात्सञ्जयं प्राप्तं निशि नागाह्वयं पुरम् । आम्बिकेयो महाराज धृतराष्ट्रोऽन्वपृच्छत ॥ 3॥ श्रुत्वा भीष्मस्य निधनमप्रहृष्टमना भृशम् । पुत्राणां जयमाकाङ्क्षन्विललापातुरो यथा ॥ 4॥ धृतराष्ट्र उवाच॥ संसाध्य तु महात्मानं भीष्मं भीमपराक्रमम् । किमकार्षुः परं तात कुरवः कालचोदिताः ॥ 5॥ तस्मिन्विनिहते शूरे दुराधर्षे महौजसि । किं नु स्वित्कुरवोऽकार्षुर्निमग्नाः शोकसागरे ॥ 6॥ सञ्जय उवाच॥ शृणु राजन्नेकमना वचनं ब्रुवतो मम । यत्ते पुत्रास्तदाकार्षुर्हते देवव्रते मृधे ॥ 7॥ कर्णं हि कुरवोऽस्मार्षुः स हि देवव्रतोपमः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां श्रेष्ठं रोचमानमिवातिथिम् ॥ 8॥ बन्धुमापद्गतस्येव तमेवोपागमन्मनः चुक्रुशुः कर्ण कर्णेति तत्र भारत पार्थिवाः ॥ 9॥ राधेयं हितमस्माकं सूतपुत्रं तनुत्यजम् स हि नायुध्यत तदा दशाहानि महायशाः ॥ 10॥ सामात्यबन्धुः कर्णो वै तमाह्वयत माचिरम् भीष्मेण हि महाबाहुः सर्वक्षत्रस्य पश्यतः ॥ 11॥ । रथेषु गण्यमानेषु बलविक्रमशालिषु ॥ ॥ सङ्ख्यातोऽर्धरथः कर्णो द्विगुणः सन्नरर्षभः ॥ 12॥ श्रुत्वा तु कर्णः पुरुषेन्द्रमच्युतं; निपातितं शान्तनवं महारथम् । अथोपायात्तूर्णममित्रकर्शनो; धनुर्धराणां प्रवरस्तदा वृषः ॥ 13॥ कर्ण उवाच॥ यस्मिन्धृतिर्बुद्धिपराक्रमौजो; दमः सत्यं वीरगुणाश्च सर्वे । अस्त्राणि दिव्यान्यथ संनतिर्ह्रीः; प्रिया च वागनपायीनि भीष्मे ॥ 14॥ ब्रह्मद्विषघ्ने सततं कृतज्ञे; सनातनं चन्द्रमसीव लक्ष्म । स चेत्प्रशान्तः परवीरहन्ता; मन्ये हतानेव हि सर्वयोधान् ॥ 15॥ वसुप्रभावे वसुवीर्यसम्भवे; गते वसूनेव वसुन्धराधिपे । वसूनि पुत्रांश्च वसुन्धरां तथा; कुरूंश्च शोचध्वमिमां च वाहिनीम् ॥ 16॥ सञ्जय उवाच॥ रथस्थं पुरुषव्याघ्रं दृष्ट्वा कर्णमवस्थितम् । हृष्टो दुर्योधनो राजन्निदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 17॥ सनाथमिदमत्यर्थं भवता पालितं बलम् । मन्ये किं तु समर्थं यद्धितं तत्सम्प्रधार्यताम् ॥ 18॥ कर्ण उवाच॥ ब्रूहि तत्पुरुषव्याघ्र त्वं हि प्राज्ञतमो नृप । यथा चार्थपतिः कृत्यं पश्यते न तथेतरः ॥ 19॥ ते स्म सर्वे तव वचः श्रोतुकामा नरेश्वर । नान्याय्यं हि भवान्वाक्यं ब्रूयादिति मतिर्मम ॥ 20॥ दुर्योधन उवाच॥ भीष्मः सेनाप्रणेतासीद्वयसा विक्रमेण च । श्रुतेन च सुसम्पन्नः सर्वैर्योधगुणैस्तथा ॥ 21॥ तेनातियशसा कर्ण घ्नता शत्रुगणान्मम । सुयुद्धेन दशाहानि पालिताः स्मो महात्मना ॥ 22 तस्मिन्नसुकरं कर्म कृतवत्यास्थिते दिवम् । कं नु सेनाप्रणेतारं मन्यसे तदनन्तरम् ॥ 23॥ न ऋते नायकं सेना मुहूर्तमपि तिष्ठति । आहवेष्वाहवश्रेष्ठ नेतृहीनेव नौर्जले ॥ 24॥ यथा ह्यकर्णधारा नौ रथश्चासारथिर्यथा । द्रवेद्यथेष्टं तद्वत्स्यादृते सेनापतिं बलम् ॥ 25॥ स भवान्वीक्ष्य सर्वेषु मामकेषु महात्मसु । पश्य सेनापतिं युक्तमनु शान्तनवादिह ॥ 26॥ यं हि सेनाप्रणेतारं भवान्वक्ष्यति संयुगे । तं वयं सहिताः सर्वे प्रकरिष्याम मारिष ॥ 27॥ कर्ण उवाच॥ सर्व एव महात्मान इमे पुरुषसत्तमाः । सेनापतित्वमर्हन्ति नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ 28॥ कुलसंहननज्ञानैर्बलविक्रमबुद्धिभिः । युक्ताः कृतज्ञा ह्रीमन्त आहवेष्वनिवर्तिनः ॥ 29॥ युगपन्न तु ते शक्याः कर्तुं सर्वे पुरःसराः । एक एवात्र कर्तव्यो यस्मिन्वैशेषिका गुणाः ॥ 30॥ अन्योन्यस्पर्धिनां तेषां यद्येकं सत्करिष्यसि । शेषा विमनसो व्यक्तं न योत्स्यन्ते हि भारत ॥ 31॥ अयं तु सर्वयोधानामाचार्यः स्थविरो गुरुः । युक्तः सेनापतिः कर्तुं द्रोणः शस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥ 32॥ को हि तिष्ठति दुर्धर्षे द्रोणे ब्रह्मविदुत्तमे । सेनापतिः स्यादन्योऽस्माच्छुक्राङ्गिरसदर्शनात् ॥ 33॥	33
Vaisampayana said, 'When King Dhritarashtra of the Kuru dynasty learned that his father had been killed, he was overwhelmed with worry and sorrow, finding no peace. As he continued to dwell on his grief, Gavalgana’s son, a man of pure spirit, visited him once more. Then, O king, Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, spoke to Sanjaya, who had returned that night from the camp to Hastinapura. Heartbroken over Bhishma’s death and hoping for his sons' victory, he expressed his deep distress.' 'Dhritarashtra said, 'After mourning for the noble Bhishma, who was a fierce warrior, what did the Kauravas do next, O son, pushed by fate? When that great, undefeated hero was lost, how did the Kauravas react, drowning in their sorrow?' Sanjaya said, 'Listen closely, O king, to my account of what your sons did after Devavrata fell in battle. The Kauravas then recalled Karna, who was indeed equal to Devavrata. Everyone’s thoughts turned to that greatest of warriors, shining like a learned and disciplined guest. Just as a distressed person looks to a true friend for help, their hearts turned to him. And, O Bharata, the kings shouted his name: Karna! Karna! The son of Radha, our ally, the son of a charioteer, always ready to give his life for battle! With immense renown, Karna, alongside his followers, had not fought for these past ten days. We must call him quickly!' The strong hero, noted among all Kshatriyas, was considered an Ardha-ratha (not equal to even to a Ratha) by Bhishma, even though he stands equal to two Maharathas.' " Sanjaya said, 'O king, upon hearing that the formidable warrior and greatest of men, Santanu's son, had been defeated, that unparalleled archer, Karna, quickly arrived on the battlefield. Addressing the soldiers, Karna declared, 'The noble Bhishma, known for his strength, wisdom, courage, integrity, self-control, and all the heroic virtues, as well as his divine weapons and humility, who spoke kindly and harbored no malice, and was ever grateful—this slayer of enemies, comparable to the moon's beauty, has now fallen. With Bhishma gone, I've lost all hope for our heroes. When he, as powerful as the Vasus and born from their energy, has reunited with them, mourn for your homes, your children, and this land, for it is lost to you all.' Sanjaya continued, 'Seeing Karna, the lion-hearted warrior, on his chariot, Duryodhana, filled with joy, expressed, 'With you leading our forces, I believe we finally have a capable commander. Let's decide now on our next steps, within our control.'' 'Karna said, 'Share your wisdom with us, O noble one, for you are the wisest of kings. No one can understand what must be done better than those who are personally invested in it. All the kings are eager to hear your thoughts. I trust that you will speak nothing but the truth.' Duryodhana replied, 'Bhishma was our commander, wise and skilled, supported by our warriors. He fought valiantly and protected us for ten days, achieving numerous victories. Now that he is leaving us for the heavens, whom do you think should lead us next, O Karna? An army without a leader cannot last in battle, like a ship adrift without a captain. Just as a rudderless boat or a car without a driver would find itself lost, so would our forces be if we lack direction. A merchant faces many troubles in unfamiliar lands, and so too does an army without guidance. Therefore, look among our brave warriors and identify a worthy leader to succeed the son of Santanu. Whoever you deem fit to lead us, we shall all unite behind him.' " Karna said, 'All these great men are honourable and deserving of leadership. There's no need for lengthy scrutiny; each one is skilled in noble traditions and the art of combat. They are all brave, intelligent, well-versed in the scriptures, wise, and unyielding in battle. However, not all can lead at once. We must choose one leader who stands out for specific qualities. They see each other as equals, so if one is elevated above the rest, the others may feel discontent and will fight not from loyalty, but from resentment. Nevertheless, Drona is the teacher of these warriors, respected for his age and wisdom. Thus, Drona, the greatest of all warriors, should be appointed as our leader. Who else could be more fitting to lead than Drona, the unparalleled expert who stands alongside the likes of Shukra and Brihaspati?'
सञ्जय उवाच॥ कर्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । सेनामध्यगतं द्रोणमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 1॥ वर्णश्रैष्ठ्यात्कुलोत्पत्त्या श्रुतेन वयसा धिया । वीर्याद्दाक्ष्यादधृष्यत्वादर्थज्ञानान्नयाज्जयात् ॥ 2॥ तपसा च कृतज्ञत्वाद्वृद्धः सर्वगुणैरपि । युक्तो भवत्समो गोप्ता राज्ञामन्यो न विद्यते ॥ 3॥ स भवान्पातु नः सर्वान्विबुधानिव वासवः । भवन्नेत्राः पराञ्जेतुमिच्छामो द्विजसत्तम ॥ 4॥ रुद्राणामिव कापाली वसूनामिव पावकः । कुबेर इव यक्षाणां मरुतामिव वासवः ॥ 5॥ वसिष्ठ इव विप्राणां तेजसामिव भास्करः । पितॄणामिव धर्मोऽथ आदित्यानामिवाम्बुराट् ॥ 6॥ नक्षत्राणामिव शशी दितिजानामिवोशनाः । श्रेष्ठः सेनाप्रणेतॄणां स नः सेनापतिर्भव ॥ 7॥ अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च वशगाः सन्तु तेऽनघ । ताभिः शत्रून्प्रतिव्यूह्य जहीन्द्रो दानवानिव ॥ 8॥ प्रयातु नो भवानग्रे देवानामिव पावकिः । अनुयास्यामहे त्वाजौ सौरभेया इवर्षभम् ॥ 9॥ उग्रधन्वा महेष्वासो दिव्यं विस्फारयन्धनुः । अग्रे भवन्तं दृष्ट्वा नो नार्जुनः प्रसहिष्यते ॥ 10॥ ध्रुवं युधिष्ठिरं सङ्ख्ये सानुबन्धं सबान्धवम् । जेष्यामि पुरुषव्याघ्र भवान्सेनापतिर्यदि ॥ 11॥ एवमुक्ते ततो द्रोणे जयेत्यूचुर्नराधिपाः । सिंहनादेन महता हर्षयन्तस्तवात्मजम् ॥ 12॥ सैनिकाश्च मुदा युक्ता वर्धयन्ति द्विजोत्तमम् । दुर्योधनं पुरस्कृत्य प्रार्थयन्तो महद्यशः ॥ 13॥ द्रोण उवाच॥ वेदं षडङ्गं वेदाहमर्थविद्यां च मानवीम् । त्रैयम्बकमथेष्वस्त्रमस्त्राणि विविधानि च ॥ 14॥ ये चाप्युक्ता मयि गुणा भवद्भिर्जयकाङ्क्षिभिः । चिकीर्षुस्तानहं सत्यान्योधयिष्यामि पाण्डवान् ॥ 15॥ सञ्जय उवाच॥ स एवमभ्यनुज्ञातश्चक्रे सेनापतिं ततः । द्रोणं तव सुतो राजन्विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥ 16॥ अथाभिषिषिचुर्द्रोणं दुर्योधनमुखा नृपाः । सेनापत्ये यथा स्कन्दं पुरा शक्रमुखाः सुराः ॥ 17॥ ततो वादित्रघोषेण सह पुंसां महास्वनैः । प्रादुरासीत्कृते द्रोणे हर्षः सेनापतौ तदा ॥ 18॥ ततः पुण्याहघोषेण स्वस्तिवादस्वनेन च । संस्तवैर्गीतशब्दैश्च सूतमागधबन्दिनाम् ॥ 19॥ जयशब्दैर्द्विजाग्र्याणां सुभगानर्तितैस्तथा । सत्कृत्य विधिवद्द्रोणं जितान्मन्यन्त पाण्डवान् ॥ 20॥	20 (53)
Sanjaya said, ‘ Duryodhana continued, 'Due to your noble birth, impressive lineage, wisdom, experience, and intelligence, along with your unmatched skills, bravery, understanding of worldly matters, strategic insight, and self-discipline, you stand out among these kings as the best leader. Therefore, protect us as Vasava protects the gods. With you leading us, we aim to defeat our enemies, O foremost of Brahmanas. Just as Kapali is to the Rudras, Pavaka is to the Vasus, Kubera to the Yakshas, Vasava to the Maruts, Vasishtha to Brahmanas, the Sun to luminous bodies, Yama to the Pitris, Varuna to aquatic beings, the Moon to stars, and Ushanas to the sons of Diti, you are the greatest of all leaders. We ask you to lead us. O sinless one, let these eleven divisions of troops heed your command. Arrange our forces for battle and defeat our foes, just as Indra defeated the Danavas. Lead us like Kartikeya leads the celestial armies. We will follow you into battle, like bulls follow their leader. As a fierce archer, your presence with bow in hand will deter Arjuna. Without a doubt, if you take on the leadership, I will defeat Yudhishthira along with all his allies.' "Sanjaya continued, 'After Duryodhana spoke these words, the kings in the Kaurava army shouted in triumph for Drona. They thrilled Duryodhana with a loud, lion-like roar. Filled with happiness and led by Duryodhana, eager for glory, the troops began to praise that greatest of Brahmanas. Drona declared, 'I know the Vedas and their six branches. I also understand human affairs and am skilled with the Shaiva weapon and many other types of arms. To truly show the virtues attributed to me by those of you seeking victory, I will battle the Pandavas. I will fight them and defeat the Somakas. As for the Pandavas, they will not face me with joyful spirits.' Sanjaya continued, 'Thus, granted permission by Drona, the son, O king, appointed him as commander of his forces following the sacred rites. The kings, led by Duryodhana, performed Drona's investiture as commander with a ceremony like that of the gods, led by Indra, in ancient times honouring Skanda. With Drona's appointment, joyous sounds filled the army with drumbeats and the loud blast of conch shells. Amid joyous cries like those heard on festive occasions, blessed by Brahmanas chanting 'Victory' and with celebratory dances, Drona was honoured properly. The Kaurava warriors viewed the Pandavas as already defeated.''