अश्वत्थाम्नि स्थिते वीरे सर्वशास्त्रविशारदे। कथं कृष्णस्त्वया राजन्नर्चितः कुरुनन्दन
With the mighty warrior Aśvatthāman present, master of all weapons and scriptures, how, O king, did you honor Kṛṣṇa, O joy of the Kurus?
दुर्योधने च राजेन्द्रे स्थिते पुरुषसत्तमे। कृपे च भारताचार्ये कथं कृष्णस्त्वयाऽर्चितः
With Duryodhana, foremost among men, present, and with Kṛpa, the teacher of the Bhāratas, O king of kings, how did you honor Kṛṣṇa?
द्रुमं कम्पुरुषाचार्यमतिक्रम्य तथाऽर्चितः। भीष्मके चैव दुर्धर्षे पाण्डुवत्कृतलक्षणे
Passing over Droṇa, the supreme teacher of heroes, and also the indomitable Bhīṣma, marked by kingly virtues like a Pāṇḍava, you thus honored Kṛṣṇa.
नृपे च रुक्मिणि श्रेष्ठे एकलव्ये तथैव च। शल्ये मद्राधिपे चैव कथं कृष्णस्त्वयार्चितः
With King Rukmiṇī's illustrious father present, and likewise Ekalavya, and with Śalya, the ruler of Madra, how did you honor Kṛṣṇa?
अयं च सर्वराज्ञां वै बलश्लाघी महाबलः। जामदग्न्यस्य दयितः शिष्यो विप्रस्य भारत
Here is one who boasts of his strength among all kings, mighty in power, the beloved disciple of Jāmadagnya, O Bhārata, son of a Brāhmaṇa.
येनात्मबलमाश्रित्य राजानो युधि निर्जिताः। तं च कर्णमतिक्रम्य कथं कृष्णस्त्वयार्चितः
By relying on his own strength, he has conquered kings in battle; passing over Karṇa as well, how did you honor Kṛṣṇa?
नैवर्त्विङ्नैव चाचार्यो न राजा मधुसूदनः। अर्चितश्च कुरुश्रेष्ठ किमन्यत्प्रियकाम्यया
He is neither officiating priest, nor teacher, nor king, O Madhusūdana; yet, O best of Kurus, you have honored him—what else but favoritism could be the reason?
अथवाऽभ्यर्चनीयोऽयं युष्माकं मधुसूदनः। किं राजभिरिहानीतैरवमानाय भारत
Or perhaps this Madhusūdana is worthy of your worship; then why have these kings been brought here, O Bhārata, only to be insulted?
वयं तु न भयादस्य कौन्तेयस्य महात्मनः। प्रयच्छामः करान्सर्वे न लोभान्न च सान्त्वनात्
But we do not offer tribute to this high-souled son of Kuntī out of fear, nor out of greed, nor for conciliation.
अस्य धर्मप्रवृत्तस्य पार्थिवत्वं चिकीर्षतः। करानस्मै प्रयच्छामः सोऽयमस्मान्न मन्यते
To this one devoted to righteousness, who seeks sovereignty, we offer tribute; yet he does not regard us.
किमन्यदवमनानाद्धे यदेनं राजसंसदि। अप्राप्तलक्षणं कृष्णमर्घ्येणार्चितवानसि
What else but contempt could it be, that in this royal assembly you have honored Kṛṣṇa with the arghya, though he lacks the proper qualifications?
अकस्माद्धर्मपुत्रस्य धर्मात्मेति यशो गतम्। को हि धर्मच्युते पूजामेवं युक्तां नियोजयेत्
Suddenly, the fame of the son of Dharma has spread as 'righteous'; but who would assign such fitting honor to one who has strayed from righteousness?
योयं वृष्णिकुले जातो राजानं हतवान्पुरा। जरासन्धं महात्मानमन्यायेन दुरात्मवान्
This one, born in the Vṛṣṇi clan, who once slew the noble king Jarāsandha by unjust means—how can he be called righteous?
अद्य धर्मात्मता चैव व्यपकृष्टा युधिष्ठिरात्। दर्शितं कृपणत्वं च कृष्णेऽर्घ्यस्य निवेदनात्
Today, Yudhiṣṭhira's righteousness has been diminished, and his meanness displayed, by offering the arghya to Kṛṣṇa.
यदि भीताश्च कौन्तेयाः कृपणाश्च तपस्विनः। ननु त्वयाऽपि बोद्धव्यं यां पूजां माधवार्हसि
If the sons of Kuntī are fearful and weak, though ascetic, still you should know what honor Mādhava truly deserves.
अथवा कृपणैरेतामुपनीतां जनार्दन। पूजामनर्हः कस्मात्त्वमभ्यनुज्ञातवानसि
Or if this honor, O Janārdana, was brought to you by the weak, why did you, unworthy of it, consent to accept it?
अयुक्तामात्मनः पूजां त्वं पुनर्बहुमन्यसे। हविषः प्राप्य निष्यन्दं प्राशिता श्वेव निर्जने
You esteem for yourself an honor that is unfitting, like a dog eating the clarified butter offered in sacrifice, left unattended in the wilderness.
न त्वं पार्थिवेन्द्राणामपमानः प्रयुज्यते। त्वामेव कुरवो व्यक्तं प्रलम्भन्ते जनार्दन
No insult is intended to the foremost of kings; it is clear, O Janārdana, that the Kurus are only flattering you.
क्लीबे दारक्रिया यादृगन्धे वा रूपदर्शनम्। अराज्ञो राजवत्पूजा तथा ते मधुसूदन
Just as a eunuch's marriage, or fragrance in a scentless thing, or beauty in what is ugly, so is the worship of one who is not a king as if he were a king, O Madhusudana.
दृष्टो युधिष्ठिरो राजा दृष्टो भीष्मश्च यादृशः। वासुदेवोऽप्ययं दृष्टः सर्वमेतद्यथातथम्
Yudhishthira the king has been seen, and Bhishma as he is; this Vasudeva too has been seen—this is all exactly as it is.
इत्युक्त्वा शिशुपालस्तानुत्थाय परमासनात्। निर्ययौ सदसस्तस्मात्सहितो राजभिस्तदा
Having spoken thus, Shishupala rose from the excellent seat and departed from that assembly, accompanied by the kings at that time.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा शिशुपालमुपाद्रवत्। उवाच चैनं मधुरं सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वचः
Then King Yudhishthira approached Shishupala and spoke to him these gentle, conciliatory words.
नेदं युक्तं महीपाल यादृशं वै त्वमुक्तवान्। अधर्मश्च परो राजन्पारुष्यं च निरर्थकम्
This is not proper, O lord of the earth, what you have said; it is great unrighteousness, O king, and your harshness is pointless.
न हि धर्मं परं जातु नावबुध्येत पार्थिवः। भीष्मः शान्तनवस्त्वेनं मावमंस्थास्त्वमन्यथा
No king ever fails to understand the highest dharma; Bhishma, son of Shantanu, knows it—do not think otherwise of him.
पश्य चैतान्महीपालांस्त्वत्तो वृद्धतरान्बहून्। मृष्यन्ते चार्हणां कृष्णे तद्वत्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि
See these many kings here, older than you, who accept Krishna's honor; you too should forgive in the same way.
वेद तत्त्वेन कृष्णं हि भीष्णश्चेदिपते भृशम्। न ह्येनं त्वं तथा यथैनं वेद कौरवः
Indeed, Bhishma knows Krishna truly, O lord of the Chedis, far more than you do; you do not know him as the Kaurava does.
नास्मै देयो ह्यनुनयो नायमर्हति सान्त्वनम्। लोकवृद्धतमे कृष्णे योऽर्हणां नाभिमन्यते
No persuasion should be offered to him, nor does he deserve conciliation—he who does not accept the honoring of Krishna, the most venerable in the world.
क्षत्रियः क्षत्रियं जित्वा रणे रणकृतां वरः। यो मुञ्चति वशे कृत्वा गुरुर्भवति तस्य सः
A kshatriya who, having conquered another kshatriya in battle, releases him after bringing him under control, becomes his superior.
अस्यां हि समितौ राज्ञामेकमप्यजितं युधि। न पश्यामि महीपालं सात्वतीपुत्रतेजसा
In this assembly of kings, I do not see even one ruler undefeated in battle by the energy of the son of Satyavati.
न हि केवलमस्माकमयमर्च्यतमोऽच्युतः। त्रयाणामपि लोकानामर्चनीयो महाभुजः
Not only for us is this Achyuta the most worthy of worship; this mighty-armed one is to be honored by all three worlds.