ते त्वां ज्ञातिक्षयकरं यममार्तानुसारिणः। ज्ञातिवृद्धिनिमित्तार्थं विनिहन्तुमिहागताः
They, following the path of Yama, destroyers of your kin, have come here to slay you for the sake of increasing their own kin.
नास्ति लोके पुमानन्यः क्षत्रियोष्विति चैव तत्। मन्यसे स च ते राजन्सुमहान्बुद्धिविप्लवः
There is no other man in the world among kshatriyas, you think; but, O king, that is a great confusion of your understanding.
को हि जानन्नभिजनमात्मवान्क्षत्रियो नृप। नाविशेत्स्वर्गमतुलं रणानन्तरमव्ययम्
For what kshatriya, knowing his noble birth and possessing self-mastery, would not enter the matchless, eternal heaven after battle, O king?
स्वर्गं ह्येव समास्थाय रणयज्ञेषु दीक्षिताः। जयन्ति क्षत्रिया लोकांस्तद्विद्धि मनुजर्षभ
Indeed, having taken up the vow for the sacrifice of battle, kshatriyas attain heaven; know this, O best of men.
स्वर्गयोनिर्महद्ब्रह्म स्वर्गयोनिर्महद्यशः। स्वर्गं योनिस्तपो युद्धे मृत्युः सोऽव्यभिचारवान्
Heaven is the source of great Brahman, heaven is the source of great fame; heaven is the source—through asceticism, and in battle, death comes to the steadfast.
एष ह्यैन्द्रो वैजयन्तो गुणैर्नित्यं समाहितः। येनासुरान्पराजित्य जगत्पाति शतक्रतुः
For this Indra, ever intent on virtues, by whom the Asuras were defeated, rules the world, O hundred-sacrificed one.
स्वर्गमार्गाय कस्य स्याद्विग्रहो वै यथा तव। मागधैर्विपुलैः सैन्यैर्बाहुल्यबलदर्पितः
Who would seek conflict for the path to heaven as you do, proud with the great armies of the Magadhas, swollen with abundant strength?
माऽवमंस्थाः परान्राजन्नास्ति वीर्यं नरे नरे। समं चेजस्त्वया चैव विशिष्टं वा नरेश्वर
Do not look down on others, O king; valor is not the same in every man; some may be equal to you in energy, or even surpass you, O lord of men.
यावदेतदसम्बुद्धं तावदेव भवेत्तव। विषह्यमेतदस्माकमतो राजन्ब्रवीमि ते
As long as this remains unknown, so long it is bearable for us; therefore, O King, I speak to you thus.
जहि त्वं सदृशेष्वेव मानं दर्पं च मागध। मा गमः ससुतामात्यः सबलश्च यमक्षयम्
Abandon your pride and arrogance, O Magadha, only among your equals; do not, with your sons, ministers, and army, go to the abode of Yama.
दम्भोद्भवः कार्तवीर्य उत्तरश्च बृहद्रथः। श्रेयसो ह्यवमत्येह विनेशुः सबला नृपाः
Dambhodbhava, Kartavirya, and the later Brihadratha—all these kings, though powerful, perished here in disgrace along with their armies.
युयुक्षमाणास्त्वत्तो हि न वयं ब्राह्मणा ध्रुवम्। शौरिरस्मि हृषीकेशो नृवीरौ पाण्डवाविमौ। अनयोर्मातुलेयं च कृष्णं मां विद्धि ते रिपुम्
We are not Brahmanas seeking battle with you, but warriors: I am of the Shura clan, Hrishikesha is here, and these two are the mighty Pandavas; know Krishna, my maternal cousin, as your enemy.
त्वामाह्वयामहे राजन्स्थिरो युध्वस्व मागध। मुच्छ वा नृपतीन्सर्वान् गच्छ वा त्वं यमक्षयम्
We call you to battle, O King; stand firm and fight, O Magadha, or release all the kings, or else go to the realm of Yama.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा जरासन्धः क्रुद्धो वचनमब्रवीत्
Hearing this, Jarasandha, enraged, spoke these words:
नाहं कंसः प्रलम्बो वा न बाणो न च मुष्टिकः। नरको नेन्द्रतपनो न केशी न च पूतना
I am not Kamsa, nor Pralamba, nor Bana, nor Mushtika; not Naraka, nor Indratapana, nor Keshi, nor Putana.
न कालयवनो वाऽपि ये त्वया निहता युधि। त्वं तु गोपकुलोत्पन्नो जातिं वै पौर्विकीं स्मर
Nor am I even Kalayavana or any of those you have slain in battle; you, born in the cowherd clan, remember your former lineage.
योऽस्मद्भयादतिक्रम्य सागरानूपमाश्रितः। जन्मभूमिं परित्यज्य मधुरां प्राकृतो यथा
You, out of fear of me, crossed to the seashore, abandoning your birthplace and Madhu’s city, like an ordinary man.
सोऽधुना कत्थसे शौरे शरदीव यथा घनः। अद्यानृण्यं करिष्यामि भोजराजस्य धीमतः
Now you boast, O descendant of Shura, like a cloud in autumn; today I shall settle my debt to the wise king of the Bhojas.
जामातुरौग्रसेनस्य त्वां निहत्याद्य माधव। चिरकाङ्क्षितो मे सङ्ग्रामस्त्वां हन्तुं समुहृद्गुणम्
By killing you today, O Madhava, the son-in-law of Ugrasena, I shall fulfill my long-held desire to slay you, who are praised for your virtues.
दिष्ट्या मे सफलो यत्नः कृतो देवैः सवासवैः। क्लीबाविमौ च गोविन्द भीमसेनार्जुनावुभौ
By fortune, my effort, made together with the gods and Vasava, has succeeded; and these two, Bhimasena and Arjuna, O Govinda, are both unmanly.
हिंस्यासि युधि विक्रम्य सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगाविव
You will slay them in battle, O mighty one, like a lion slays small deer.
सर्वभूतानि वित्रेमुषे तत्रासन्समागताः
All the assembled beings there trembled with fear.
मम निर्देशकर्तृभ्यां पाण्डवाभ्यां नृपाधम। मात्यं ससुतं चाद्य घातयिष्याम्यहं रणे। न कथञ्चन जीवन्वै प्रवेक्ष्यसि पुरोत्तमम्
By the command of these two Pandavas, O lowest of kings, today I shall slay you with your sons in battle; you shall by no means enter the foremost city alive.
नाजितान्वै नरपतीनहमादद्मि काश्चन। अजितः पर्यवस्थाता कोऽत्र यो न मया जितः
I do not seize any kings who are not defeated; who here is undefeated and has not been subdued by me?
क्षत्रियस्यैतदेवाहुर्धर्म्यं कृष्णोपजीवनम्। विक्रम्य वशमानीय कामतो यत्समाचरेत्
This alone is said to be the proper duty of a Kshatriya, O Krishna: to subdue others by strength and act as he desires.
देवातार्थमुपाहृत्य राज्ञः कृष्ण कथं भयात्। अहमद्य विमुच्येयं क्षात्रं व्रतमनुस्मरन्
Having brought the kings for the sake of the gods, O Krishna, how could I, out of fear, release them today, remembering my Kshatriya vow?
सैन्यं सैन्येन व्यूढेन एक एकेन वा पुनः। द्वाभ्यां त्रिभिर्वा योत्स्येऽहं युगत्पृथगेव वा
I will fight army against army, or one against one, or again, with two or three together, or separately, as you wish.
एवमुक्त्वा जरासन्धः सहदेवाभिषेचनम्। अज्ञापयत्तदा राजा ययुत्सुर्भीमकर्मभिः
Having spoken thus, Jarasandha then ordered the consecration of Sahadeva, desiring to do battle with the mighty warriors.
स तु सेनापतिं राजा सस्मार भरतर्षभ। कौशिकं चित्रसेनं च तस्मिन्युद्ध उपस्थिते
Then the king remembered his commanders, O bull among the Bharatas—Kaushika and Citraseṇa—when that battle was at hand.
ययोस्ते नामनी राजन्हंसेति डिबिकेति च। पूर्वं सङ्कथिते पुम्भिर्नृलोके लोकसत्कृते
Their names, O king, were Hamsa and Dibhika, which had previously been spoken of among men in the world, honored by people.