जातस्य भारते वंशे तथा कुन्त्याः सुतस्य च। या वै युक्ता मतिः सेयमर्जुनेन प्रदर्शिता
Such is the resolve shown by Arjuna, born in the Bharata line and son of Kunti, as is fitting.
न स्म मृत्युं वयं विद्म रात्रौ वा यदि वा दिवा। न चापि कञ्चिदमरमयुद्धेनानुशुश्रुम
We do not know death, whether by night or by day; nor have we ever heard of anyone becoming immortal through avoidance of battle.
एतावदेव पुरुषैः कार्यं हृदयतोषणम्। नयेन विधिदृष्टेन यदुपक्रमते परान्
A man should act only to the extent that his heart is satisfied, by means of the proper policy prescribed by law, when he undertakes action against others.
सुनयस्यानपायस्य संयोगे परमः क्रमः। सङ्गत्या जायतेऽसाम्यं साम्यं च न भवेद्द्वयोः
The highest outcome in a contest joined with sound and unfailing policy is inequality; through alliance, inequality arises, and equality does not occur between two parties.
अनयस्यानुपायस्य संयुगे परमः क्षयटः। संशयो जायते साम्याज्जयश्च न भवेद्द्वयोः
The greatest loss comes in a contest joined with unsound and improper policy; from equality arises uncertainty, and victory does not come to either side.
ते वयं नयमास्थाय शत्रुदेशसमीपगाः। कथमन्तं न गच्छेम वृक्षस्येव नदीरयाः।। पररन्ध्रे पराक्रान्ताः स्वरन्ध्रावरणे स्थिताः
We, having adopted policy, are near the enemy’s territory; how can we not reach the end, like a river’s current to a tree, attacking the enemy’s weak points while guarding our own?
व्यूढानीकैरतिबलैर्न युद्व्येदरिभिः सह। इति बुद्धिमतां नीतिस्तन्ममापीह रोचते
Not with arrayed troops or great forces should we fight openly with the enemy; this is the policy that pleases the wise, and so it appeals to me here.
अनवद्या ह्यसम्बुद्धाः प्रविष्टाः शत्रुसद्म तत्। शत्रुदेशमुपाक्रम्य तं कामं प्राप्नुयामहे
For, entering the enemy’s house undetected and blameless, having reached the enemy’s land, we may indeed obtain our desired aim.
एको ह्येव श्रियं नित्यं बिभर्ति पुरुषर्षभः। अन्तरात्मेव भूतानां तत्क्षयं नैव लक्षये
For only one man, O best of men, always bears fortune; like the inner self of beings, I do not see its destruction.
अथवैनं निहत्याजौ शेषेणापि समाहताः। प्राप्नुयाम ततः स्वर्गं ज्ञातित्राणपरायणाः
Or, having slain him in battle, even if only a few of us survive, we shall attain heaven, devoted as we are to the protection of our kin.
कृष्ण कोऽयं जरासन्धः किंवीर्यः किम्पराक्रमः। यस्त्वां स्पृष्ट्वाऽग्निसदृशं न दग्धः शलभो यथा
Krishna, who is this Jarasandha? What is his strength, what his prowess, that, having touched you—like fire—he was not burned, like a moth?
शृणु राजञ्जरासन्धो यद्वीर्यो यत्पराक्रमः। यथा चोपेक्षितोऽस्माभिर्बहुशः कृतविप्रियः
Hear, O King, of Jarasandha’s strength and valor, and how he, having often wronged us, was long disregarded by us.
अक्षौहिणीनां तिसृणां पतिः समरदर्पितः। राजा बृहद्रथो नाम मगधाधिपतिर्बली
He is the lord of three akshauhinis, proud in battle, the mighty king named Brihadratha, ruler of Magadha.
रूपवान्वीर्यसम्पन्नः श्रीमानतुलविक्रमः। नित्यं दीक्षाङ्किततनुः शतक्रतुरिवापरः
Handsome, endowed with valor, glorious, unequalled in might, his body ever marked by vows, he is like another Indra.
तेजसा सूर्यसङ्काशः क्षमया पृथिवीसमः। यश्चान्तकसमः क्रोधे श्रिया वैश्रवणोपमः
In brilliance he is like the sun, in forbearance like the earth; in wrath he is like Death, and in wealth he is like Kubera.
स्वराज्यं कारयामास मगधेषु गिरिव्रजे'। तस्याभिजनसंयुक्तैर्गणैर्भरतसत्तम। व्याप्तेयं पृथिवी सर्वा सूर्यस्येव गभस्तिभिः
He established his own sovereignty in Magadha, at Girivraja; with his noble allies, O best of Bharatas, he spread his power over all the earth, like the sun with its rays.
स काशिराजस्य सुते यमजे भरतर्षभः। उपयेमे महावीर्यो रूपद्रविणसंयुते। तयोश्चकार समयं मिथः स पुरुषर्षभः
That mighty man, O bull among the Bharatas, married the twin daughters of the king of Kashi, both endowed with beauty and wealth; and he made a mutual agreement with them.
नातिवर्तिष्य इत्येवं पत्नीभ्यां सन्निधौ तदा। स ताभ्यां शुशुभे राजा पत्नीभ्यां वसुधाधिपः
In their presence, he vowed never to violate that agreement; and the king, lord of the earth, shone with his two wives.
प्रियाम्भामनुरूपाभ्यां करेणुभ्यामिव द्विपः। तयोर्मध्यगतश्चापि रराज वसुधाधिपः
Like an elephant with two fitting and beloved female companions, the lord of the earth shone, standing between his two wives.
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये मूर्तिमानिव सागरः। विषयेषु निमग्रस्य तस्य यौवनमत्यगात्
Like the ocean embodied between the Ganga and Yamuna, so, immersed in his domains, his youth passed away.
न च वंशकरः पुत्रस्तस्याजायत कश्चन। मङ्गलैर्बभिर्होमैः पुत्रकामाभिरिष्टिभिः
Yet no son was born to him to continue his lineage, though he performed auspicious rites, sacrifices, and ceremonies desiring a child.
नाससाद नृपश्रेष्ठः पुत्रं कुलविवर्धनम्। स भार्याभ्यां च सहितो निर्वेदमगमद्धृशम्
The best of kings did not obtain a son to increase his family; together with his wives, he fell into deep despair.
राज्यं चापि परित्यज्य तपोवनमथाश्रयत्। ' वार्यमाणः प्रकृतिभिर्नृपभक्त्या विशाम्पते
He renounced his kingdom and then took refuge in the forest of ascetics, though his subjects tried to dissuade him out of loyalty.
अथ काक्षीवतः पुत्रं गौतमस्य महात्मनः।। शुश्राव तपसि श्रेष्ठमुदारं चण्डकौशिकम्
Then he heard of the noble Canda Kaushika, the illustrious son of Kakshivat and Gautama, foremost in asceticism.
यदृच्छयाऽऽगतं तं तु वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितम्। पत्नीभ्यां सहितो राजा सर्वयत्नैरतोषयत्
That sage, who had arrived there by chance and was dwelling at the foot of a tree, the king, accompanied by his wives, sought to please by every means.
बृहद्रथं च स ऋषिर्यथावच्चाभ्यनन्दत। ' उपविष्टः स तेनाथ अनुज्ञातो महात्मना
And that sage duly welcomed Brihadratha; seated with him, the great-souled one gave his permission.
तमपृच्छत्तदा विप्रः किमागमनमित्यथ। विप्रैरनुगतस्यैव पत्नीभ्यां सहितस्य च
Then the sage asked him, 'What is the reason for your coming?' as the king, accompanied by his wives and followed by brahmins, sat before him.
स उवाच मुनिं राजा भगवन्नास्ति मे सुतः। अपुत्रस्य तु राज्येन वृद्धत्वे किं प्रयोजनम्
The king said to the sage, 'Revered one, I have no son; what use is a kingdom in old age to one without a child?'
सोऽहं तपश्चरिष्यामि पत्नीभ्यां सहितो वने। नाप्रजस्य मुने किर्तिः स्वधा चैवाक्षया भवेत्। एवमुक्तः स राज्ञा तु मुनिः कारुण्यमागतः
'Therefore, I shall undertake asceticism in the forest with my wives; for one without a son, O sage, neither fame nor lasting offerings remain.' Thus addressed by the king, the sage was moved to compassion.
तमब्रवीत्सत्यधृतिः सत्यवागृषिसत्तमः। परितुष्टोऽस्मि राजेन्द्र वरं वरय सुव्रत
The truthful and steadfast sage, best among rishis, said to him, 'I am pleased with you, O king of kings; choose a boon, O virtuous one.'