Sauptika Parva — .-Contd. Kripa tries to prevent Ashvatthama. The latter's reply and exhortation

Kripa Said "A person who is not intelligent and who has not controlled, his passions, cannot, even if he waits dutifully upon his superiors, understand morality. This is my opinion.

In the same way in intelligent person, who does not practise humility, cannot understand morality.

By waiting all his life upon a learned person, a brave man, void of understanding, cannot know his duties like a wooden ladle unable to taste the soup.

By waiting upon a learned person for even a moment, the wiseman, however, succeeds in understanding his duties like the tongue tasting the soup.

An intelligent person who waits upon his superiors and who has controlled his passions succeeds in understanding all the rules of morality and never disputes what is accepted by all.

A sinful person of ungovernable, irreverent, wicked soul, commits sin in seeking his welfare by neglecting destiny.

Well-wishers try to restrain a friend from committing sin. He who allows himself to be dissuaded succeeds in gaining prosperity. He, that does otherwise suffers misery,

As a person who has lost his brains is restrained by soothing words, so should a friend be restrained by well-wishers. He that allows himself to be so restrained, never suffers misery.

When a wise friend is about to commit a wicked act, wise well-wishers repeatedly, and according to the best of their power, try to restrain him. Making up your mind to do what is really beneficial, and restraining yourself by your own self, do by command, O son, so that you may not have to repent afterwards.

In this world the destruction of sleeping persons is not praised and sanctioned by religion. The same is the case with persons that have thrown off their arms and come down from cars and horses.

They should not also be killed who say-we are yours-and also they who surrender themselves, and they whose locks are dishevelled, and they whose animals have been killed under them or whose cars have been broken.

All the Panchalas taking of their armours will sleep to-night, O lord. When asleep, they will be taken dead man.

That wicked man who would injure them then, would sink in deep and limitless hell without a raft to save himself.

In this world you are celebrated as the foremost of all persons knowing the use of weapons, you have not as yet committed even a minute sin.

When the sun rises next morning and light shall clear up all things, you, like a second effulgent sun will vanquish the foe in battle.

This culpable deed, so impossible in one like you, will appear like a red spot on a white sheet. This my opinion.”

Ashvatthaman said “Forsooth what you say, O maternal uncle, is true. The Pandavas, however, have, before this, deviated from the path of righteousness.

Before all the kings, before your eyes also, my father after he had laid down his weapons, was killed by Dhrishtadyumna.

Karna also, that best of car-warriors after the wheel of his car had sunk and he had been assailed by great distress, was killed by the holder of Gandiva.

Similarly Shantanu's son Bhishma, after he had laid aside his weapons was killed by Arjuna with Shikhandin placed in his rear.

So also, the great bowman Bhurishravas, while observing the Praya vow on the field of battle, was killed by Yuyudhana, disregarding the voice of all the kings.

Having met Bhima is battle with the mace, Duryodhana too has been killed unfairly by the former in the very presence of all the king.

The king was all alone in the midst of a great number of powerful car-warriors cumstances was that king killed by Bhimasena.

The lamentations of the king, lying prostrate on the Earth with his thighs broken, that I have heard from the messengers circulating the news, are cutting me to the quick.

The unrighteous and sinful Panchalas, who have trumpeted virtue, are even such. Why do you not blame them who have transgressed the law of virtue.

Having killed the Panchalas, those destroyers of my father in the night when they are buried in sleep, I care not if I am born as a warın or an insect in my next birth.

My resolution is pressing me for its accomplishment. Urged on by it, how can I enjoy sleep and happiness.

That man is not yet born in the world, nor will be, who will be able to frustrate this resolution of mine."

Sanjaya continued “Having said so, O king, the brave son of Drona yoked his horses to his car at a corner and started towards the direction of his enemies.

Then Bhoja and Sharadvat's son, those great persons, addressed him saying,-'Why do you yoke the horses to your car? What do you want to do?

We are determined to accompany you tomorrow, O foremost of men! We sympathies with you in weal and woe. You should not mistrust us.'

Remembering the slaughter of his father, Ashvatthaman in anger told them truly about the work that he had resolved to accomplish.

When my father having killed hundreds and thousands of warriors with sharp arrows, had thrown out his weapons, he was then killed by Dhrishtadyumna.

I shall kill that slayer to-day under similar circumstances. I shall to-day slay the sinful son of the king of the Panchalas by a sinful act.

It is my determination to slay like an animal that sinful prince of the Panchalas in such a way that he may not attain to regions gained by persons killed with weapons.

Put on your coats of mail soon and take your bows and swords, and wait for me here, O foremost of car-warriors.'—Having said so, Ashvatthaman got upon his car started towards the enemy. The Kripa, O king, and Kritavarman of the Satwata race, both followed him.

While the three went on against the enemny, they shone like three blazing fires in sacrifice, fed with libations of clarified butter.

They proceeded, O lord, towards the encampment of the Panchalas within which everybody was asleep. Having approached the gate, Drona's son, that great car-warriors, stopped."