सुरासुरमनुष्येषु नाभून्न भविता क्वचित्। यस्तामध्यवसद्राजा नान्यत्र मधुसूदनात्
Among gods, asuras, and humans, there has never been, nor will there ever be, any king who dwelt there, except for Madhusudana.
भ्राजमानास्तु वै सर्वे वृष्ण्यन्धकमहारथाः। तेजिष्ठं प्रतिपत्स्यन्ते नाकपृष्टं गतासवः
All the illustrious great warriors of the Vrishni and Andhaka clans, shining brightly, will attain the highest heaven after their lives depart.
एवमेव दशार्हाणां विधाय विधिना विधिम्। विष्णुर्नारायणः साक्षात्स्वस्थानं प्राप्स्यते ध्रुवम्
In this way, having fulfilled the destined purpose for the Dasharhas according to ordinance, Vishnu, Narayana himself, will surely return to his own eternal place.
अप्रमेयोऽनियोज्यश्च यत्र कामगमो वशी। मोदते भगवान्प्रीतो वालः क्रीडानकैरिव
He is immeasurable, unrestrained, moving as he wishes, self-controlled; the blessed Lord delights, pleased, like a boy with his playthings.
नैष गर्भत्वमापेदे न योन्यामावसत्प्रभुः। आत्मनस्तेजसा कृष्णः सर्वेषां कुरुते गतिम्
This Lord did not enter the womb nor dwell in a woman's body; by his own power, Krishna determines the course of all beings.
यथा बुद्बुद उत्थाय तत्रैव प्रविलीयते। चराचराणि भूतानि तथा नारायणे सदा
Just as a bubble arises and dissolves in the same place, so too do all moving and unmoving beings always merge in Narayana.
न प्रमातुं महाबाहुः शक्यो भारत केशवः। परं हि परतस्तस्माद्विश्वरूपान्न विद्यते
O Bharata, mighty-armed Keshava cannot be comprehended; there is nothing beyond him, the supreme of the supreme, of whom the universe is the form.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो भीष्णो विरराम महाबलः। व्याजहारोत्तरं तत्र सहदेवोऽर्थवद्वचः
Having spoken thus, the mighty Bhishma fell silent; then Sahadeva spoke fitting words in reply.
केशवं केशिहन्तारमप्रमेयपराक्रमम्। पूज्यमानं मया यो वः कृष्णं न सहते नृपाः
Any king among you who cannot endure Krishna, the slayer of Kesi, of immeasurable prowess, being honored by me—
सर्वेषां बलिनां मूर्ध्नि मयेदं निहितं पदम्। एवमुक्ते मया सम्यगुत्तरं प्रब्रवीतु सः
—on the head of all the mighty ones, I have placed this foot; if anyone has an answer to this, let him speak now.
स एव हि मया वध्यो भविष्यति न संशयः। मतिमन्तश्च ये केचिदाचार्यं पितरं गुरुम्
He alone, indeed, will be slain by me—of this there is no doubt; and whoever among the wise regards the teacher, father, or guru as worthy of respect—
अर्च्यमर्चितमर्घार्हमनुजानन्तु ते नृपाः। ततो न व्याजहारैषां कश्चिद्बुद्धिमतां सताम्
—those kings who honor, worship, and offer due respect, let them permit it; therefore, none among the wise and virtuous spoke further.
मानिनां बलिनां राज्ञां मध्ये वै दर्शिते पदे। ततोऽपतत्पुष्पवृष्टिः सहदेवस्य मूर्धनि
When that step was displayed among the proud, powerful kings, then a shower of flowers fell upon Sahadeva's head.
अदृश्यरूपा वाचश्चाप्यब्रुवन्साधुसाध्विति। अविध्यदजिनं कृष्णं भविष्यद्भूतजल्पनः
Unseen voices also spoke, 'Well done, well done!' foretelling the future, as they praised Krishna, the wearer of the antelope skin.
सर्वसंशयनिर्मोक्ता नारदः सर्वलोकवित्। उवाचाखिलभूतानां मध्ये स्पष्टतरं वचः
Nārada, who is free from all doubts and knows all the worlds, spoke words that were especially clear in the midst of all beings.
कृष्णं कमलपत्राक्षं नार्चयिष्यन्ति ये नराः। जीवन्मृतास्तु ते ज्ञेया न सभाष्याः कदाचना
Those men who do not worship Kṛṣṇa, whose eyes are like lotus petals, should be regarded as dead even while living; they should never be spoken to.
पूजयित्वा च पूजार्हान्ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशेषवित्। सहदेवो नृणां देवः समापयत कर्म तत्
Having honored those worthy of honor, knowing the distinctions among Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, and others, Sahadeva, the god among men, completed that rite.
तस्मिन्नभ्यर्चिते कृष्णे सुनीथः शत्रुकर्षणः। अतिताम्रेक्षणः कोपादुवाच मनुजाधिपान्
When Kṛṣṇa had been thus worshipped, Sunītha, the subduer of enemies, with eyes reddened in anger, spoke to the kings.
स्थितः सेनापतिर्योऽहं मन्वध्वं किं तु साम्प्रतम्। युधि तिष्ठाम सन्नह्य समेतान्वृष्णिपाण्डवान्
I am the commander who stands here; now consider what should be done. Let us stand ready for battle, having gathered the Vṛṣṇis and Pāṇḍavas.
इति सर्वान्समुत्साद्य राज्ञस्तांशअचेदिपुङ्गवः। यज्ञोपघाताय ततः सोऽमन्त्रतय राजभिः
Thus, after rebuking all the kings, that foremost among the Cedis, with the intention of disrupting the sacrifice, then conferred with the kings.
तत्राहूतागताः सर्वे सुनीथप्रमुखा गणाः. समदृश्यन्त सङ्क्रुद्धा विवर्णवदनास्तथा
There, all the groups led by Sunītha, having been summoned, arrived. They appeared furious, their faces pale.
युधिष्ठिराभिषेकं च वासुदेवस्य चार्हणम्। न स्याद्यथा तथा कार्यमेवं सर्वे तदाऽब्रुवन्
The consecration of Yudhiṣṭhira and the honoring of Vāsudeva should not have happened as they did; all said this at that time.
निष्कर्षान्निश्चयात्सर्वे राजानः क्रोधमूर्छिताः। अब्रुवंस्तत्र राजानो निर्वेदादात्मनिश्चयात्
All the kings, overcome with anger and firm in their resolve, spoke there out of disillusionment and personal conviction.
सुहृद्भिर्वार्यमाणानां तेषां हि वपुराबभौ। आमिषादपकृष्टानां सिहानामिव गर्जताम्
As their friends tried to restrain them, their appearance was like that of enraged lions, drawn by bait, roaring together.
तं बलौघमपर्यन्तं राजसागारमक्षयम्। कुर्वाणं समयं कृष्णो युद्धाय बुबुधे तदा
Kṛṣṇa then understood that this endless, unfailing mass of royal power, forming an alliance for battle, was like a flood.
ततः सागरसङ्काशं दृष्ट्वा नृपतिमण्डलम्। संवर्तवाताभिहतं भीमं क्षुब्धमिवार्णवम्
Then, seeing the assembly of kings like an ocean, struck by the winds of destruction, Bhīma, it was like a stormy sea.
रोषात्प्रचलितं सर्वमिदमाह युधिष्ठिरः। भीष्मं मतिमतां मुख्यं वृद्धं कुरुपितामहम्। बृहस्पतिं बृहत्तेजाः पुरुहूत इवारिहा
Yudhiṣṭhira, seeing all this agitated with anger, spoke to Bhīṣma, the foremost of the wise, the aged grandsire of the Kurus, radiant like Bṛhaspati, the destroyer of foes, like Indra.
असौ रोषात्प्रचलितो महान्नृपतिसागरः। अत्र यत्प्रतिपत्तव्यं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
This great ocean of kings has been stirred up in anger; tell me, grandsire, what should be done here.
यज्ञस्य च न विघ्नः स्यात्प्रजानां च हितं भवेत्। यथा सर्वत्र तत्सर्वं ब्रूहि मेऽद्य पितामह
Let there be no obstruction to the sacrifice, and let it be for the good of the people; tell me today, grandsire, how all this may be accomplished everywhere.
इत्युक्तवति धर्मज्ञे धर्मराजे युधिष्ठिरे। उवाचेदं वचो भीष्मस्ततः कुरुपितामहः
When the righteous king Yudhiṣṭhira, knower of dharma, had spoken thus, then Bhīṣma, the grandsire of the Kurus, spoke these words.