आरिराधयिषुर्धर्मः पूजयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान्। महदादित्यसङ्काशमासनं च जगत्पतेः। ददौ नासादितं कैश्चित्तस्मिन्नुपविवेश सः
Desiring to please Dharma, after honoring the foremost brahmins, he offered a seat to the lord of the world, shining like the great sun, which none had yet occupied, and he sat there.
ततो भीष्मोऽब्रवीद्राजन्धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्। क्रियतामर्हणं राज्ञां यथार्हमिति भारत
Then Bhishma spoke to King Yudhishthira, the king of dharma: 'Let the honoring of the kings be performed as is proper, O Bharata.'
आचार्यमृत्विजं चैव संयुजं च युधिष्ठिर। स्नातकं च प्रियं प्राहुः षडर्घार्हान्नृपं तथा
O Yudhishthira, the teacher, the officiating priest, the companion, the graduate, the dear one, and the king—these six are said to be worthy of the arghya offering.
एतानर्घ्यानभिगतानाहुः संवत्सरोषितान्। त इमे कालपूगस्य महतोऽस्मानुपागताः
Those who have not received the arghya and have dwelled for a year are said to be such; now, these have come to us at this great gathering.
एषामेकैकशो राजन्नर्घ आनीयतामिति। अथ तैषां वरिष्ठाय समर्थायोपनीयताम्
For each of these, O king, let the arghya be brought individually; then, let it be presented to the most distinguished and worthy among them.
कस्मै भवान्मन्यतेऽर्घमेकस्मै कुरुनन्दन। उपनीयमानं युक्तं च तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
To whom, O descendant of Kuru, do you think the arghya should be given first? Tell me, grandfather, to whom it is fitting to present it.
ततो भीष्मः शान्तनवो बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य वीर्यवान्। वार्ष्णेयं मन्यते कृष्णमर्हणीयतमं भुवि
Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, resolute and wise, judged with his intellect that Krishna, the Vrishni, was the most worthy of honor on earth.
एष ह्येषां समस्तानां तेजोबलपराक्रमैः। मध्ये तपन्निवाभाति ज्योतिषामिव भास्करः
For among them all, by brilliance, strength, and valor, he shines in the midst like the sun among the stars.
असूर्यमिव सूर्येण निर्वातमिव वायुना। भासितं ह्लादितं चैव कृष्णेनेदं सदो हि नः
Just as the sun illumines the asuryas, or the wind enlivens the still, so has Krishna brightened and gladdened this assembly of ours.
तस्मै भीष्माभ्यनुज्ञातः सहदेवः प्रतापवान्। उपजह्रेऽथ विधिवद्वार्ष्णेयायार्घ्यमुत्तमम्
Then, authorized by Bhishma, the mighty Sahadeva duly presented the highest arghya to Krishna, the son of the Vrishni.
गामर्घ्यं मधुपर्कं च ह्यानीयोपाहरत्तदा। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजन्निदमासीत्तदाऽद्भुतम्
He brought the arghya—cow, honey, and curds—and offered it; at that moment, O king, a marvelous event occurred.
तां दृष्ट्वा क्षत्रियाः सर्वे पूजां कृष्णस्य भूयसीम्। सम्प्रेक्ष्यान्योन्यमासीना हृदयैस्तामधारयन्
Seeing that great honor paid to Krishna, all the assembled kshatriyas looked at one another and bore it in their hearts.
प्रतिजग्राह तां कृष्णः शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा। शिशुपालस्तु तां पूजां वासुदेवे न चक्षमे
Krishna accepted that honor in accordance with the injunctions of the scriptures; but Shishupala could not tolerate that worship being offered to Vasudeva.
उपालभ्य स भीष्मं च धर्मराजं च संसदि। अवाक्षिपद्वासुदेवं चेदिराजो महाबलः
Thereupon, the mighty king of Chedi reproached both Bhishma and the king of righteousness in the assembly, and he harshly criticized Vasudeva.
तेषामाकारभावज्ञः सहदेवो न चक्षमे। मानिनां बलिनां राज्ञां पुरुः सन्दर्शिते पदे
Sahadeva, who understood their expressions and intentions, did not accept this, for a proud and powerful king had been shown his place before all.
पुष्पवृष्टिर्महत्यासीत्सहदेवस्य मूर्धनि। जन्मप्रभृति वृष्णीना सुनीथः शत्रुरब्रवीत्
A great shower of flowers fell upon Sahadeva's head; from birth, the enemy of the Vrishnis, Sunitha, spoke thus.
प्रष्टा वियोनिजो राजा प्रतिवक्ता नदीसुतः। प्रतिग्रहीता गोपालः प्रदाता च वियोनिजः
The king born of the sky is the questioner, the son of the river is the responder, the cowherd is the recipient, and the one born of the sky is the giver.
सदस्या मूकवत्सर्वे आसतेऽत्र किमुच्यते। इत्युक्त्वा स विहस्याशु पाण्डुं पुनरब्रवीत्
All the members sat there silent as if mute—what is there to say? Having spoken thus and laughing, he quickly addressed Pandu's son again.
अतिपश्यसि वा सर्वान्न वा पश्यसि पाण्डव। तिष्ठत्स्वन्येषु पूज्येषु गोपमर्चितवानसि
Do you consider all, or do you not see, O Pandava? While others worthy of honor stand here, you have honored a cowherd.
एते चैवोभये तात कार्यस्य तु विनाशके। अतिदृष्टिरदृष्टिर्वा तयोः किं त्वं समास्थितः
Both of these, dear one, either excessive regard or disregard, lead to the destruction of the task; which of these two have you chosen?
नायमर्हति वार्ष्णेयस्तिष्ठत्स्विह महात्मसु। महीपतिषु कौरव्य राजवत्पार्थिवार्हणम्
This descendant of the Vrishnis does not deserve the royal honor among these great souls and kings present here, O son of Kuru.
नायं युक्तः समाचारः पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु। यत्कामाद्देवकीपुत्रं पाण्डवार्चितवानसि
This conduct is not proper among the noble Pandavas, that out of desire you have honored Devaki's son.
बाला यूयं न जानीध्वं धर्मः सूक्ष्मो हि पाण्डवाः। अयं तत्राभ्यतिक्रान्तो ह्यापगेयोऽल्पदर्शनः
You are young and do not understand, O Pandavas, for righteousness is subtle; in this, the son of the river has overstepped, being short-sighted.
त्वादृशो धर्मयुक्तो हि कुर्वाणः प्रियकाम्यया। भवत्यभ्यधिकं भीष्मो लोकेष्ववमतः सताम्
One like you, devoted to righteousness, acting out of desire to please, becomes, like Bhishma, disregarded among the virtuous in the world.
कथं ह्यराजा दाशार्हो मध्ये सर्वमहीक्षिताम्। अर्हणामर्हति तथा यथा युष्माभिरर्चितः
How can the Dasharha, who is not a king, deserve such honor among all the rulers of the earth, as you have honored him?
अथवा मन्यसे कृष्णं स्थविरं कुरुपुङ्गवः। वसुदेवे स्थिते वृद्धे कथमर्हति तत्सुतः
Or, if you consider Krishna to be an elder, O best of the Kurus, with Vasudeva, the aged, present, how does his son deserve that honor?
अथवा वासुदेवोऽपि प्रियकामोऽनुवृत्तवान्। द्रुपदे तिष्ठति कथं माधवोऽर्हति पूजनम्
Or, if Vasudeva too is one whom you wish to please, with Drupada present, how does Madhava deserve the worship?
आचार्यं मन्यसे कृष्णमथवा कुरुनन्दन। द्रोणे तिष्ठति वार्ष्णेयं कस्मादर्चितवानसि
If you consider Krishna to be the teacher, O joy of the Kurus, with Drona present, why have you honored the descendant of the Vrishnis?
ऋत्विजं मन्यसे कृष्णमथवा कुरुनन्दन। द्वौपायने स्थिते वृद्धे कथं कृष्णोऽर्चितस्त्वया
If you consider Krishna to be the priest, O joy of the Kurus, with the aged Vyasa present, how has Krishna been honored by you?
भीष्मे शान्तनवे राजन्स्थिते पुरुषसत्तमे। स्वच्छन्दमृत्युके राजन्कथं कृष्णोऽर्चितस्त्वया
With Bhishma, son of Shantanu, the foremost of men, present—one who chooses his time of death—how has Krishna been honored by you, O king?