दुर्योधनं त्वहितं वै निगृह्य पाण्डोः पुत्रं प्रकुरुष्वाधिपत्ये। `ध्रुवं विनाशस्तव पुत्रेण धीमन् सबन्धुवर्गेण सहैव राजभिः
Restrain Duryodhana, who is hostile, and establish Pandu's son in sovereignty; surely, destruction awaits you and your sons, along with your kinsmen and the kings.
चतुर्दशे चैव वर्षे नरेन्द्र कुलक्षयं प्राप्स्यसि राजसिंह। तस्मात्कुरुष्वाधिपत्ये नरेन्द्र युधिष्ठिरं धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठम्
In the fourteenth year, O king, you will face the ruin of your lineage, O lion among rulers; therefore, place Yudhishthira, the foremost among the righteous, in authority.
अजातशत्रुर्हि विमुक्तरागो धर्मोणेमां पृथिवीं शास्तु राजन्। ततो राजन्पार्थिवाः सर्व एव वैश्या इवास्मानुपतिष्ठन्तु सद्यः
For Ajatasatru, free from passion, should rule this earth with righteousness, O king; then, let all the kings serve us immediately, as the commoners serve their lords.
दुर्योधनः शकुनिः सूतपुत्रः प्रीत्या राजन्पाण्डुपुत्रान्भजन्तु। दुःशासनो याचतु भीमसेनं सभामध्ये द्रुपदस्यात्मजां च
Let Duryodhana, Shakuni, and the son of the charioteer, O king, honor the sons of Pandu with affection; let Duhshasana seek Bhimasena's favor in the assembly, and also that of Drupada's daughter.
युधिष्ठिरं त्वं परिसान्त्वयस्व राज्ये चैनं स्थापयस्वाभिपूज्य। त्वया पृष्टः किमहमन्यद्वदेय- मेतत्कृत्वा कृतकृत्योसि राजन्
You should conciliate Yudhishthira and establish him in the kingdom, honoring him; what else could I say if you ask me, O king? By doing this, you will have fulfilled your duty.
एतद्वाक्यं विदुर यत्ते सभाया- मिह प्रोक्तं पाण्डवान्प्राप्य मां च। हितं तेषामहितं मामकाना- मेतत्सर्वं मम नावैदि चेतः
This counsel, Vidura, which you have spoken here in the assembly, concerning the Pandavas and myself, is beneficial for them but harmful for mine; my mind does not accept all of this.
इदं त्विदानीं गत एव निश्चितं तेषामर्थे पाण्डवानां यदात्थ। तेनाद्य मन्ये नासि हितो ममेति कथं हि पुत्रं पाण्डवार्थे त्यजेयम्
Now, this is settled: what you have said for the sake of the Pandavas; therefore, today I consider you are not favorable to me. How could I abandon my son for the sake of the Pandavas?
असंशयं तेऽपि ममैव पुत्रा दुर्योधनस्तु मम देहात्प्रमूतः। स्वं वै देहं परहेतोस्त्यजेति कोनु ब्रूयात्समतामन्ववेक्षन्
Without doubt, they too are my sons, but Duryodhana is born from my own body; who would forsake their own body for the sake of another? Who would speak of equality, considering this?
स मां जिह्मं विदुर सर्वं ब्रवीपि मन्युं तेऽहमधिकं धारयामि। यथेच्छकं गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा त्वं सुसान्त्व्यमानाऽप्यसती स्त्री जहाति
You call me crooked, Vidura, though you speak everything; I bear greater anger against you. Go as you wish, or stay as you please; even when well-conciliated, a faithless woman abandons her husband.
एतावदुक्त्वा धृतराष्ट्रोऽन्वपद्य- दन्तर्वेश्म सहसोत्थाय राजन्। नेदमस्तीत्यथ विदुरो भापमाप्पः संप्राद्रवद्यत्र पार्था बभूवुः
Having spoken thus, Dhritarashtra entered his inner chambers, rising swiftly, O king. Vidura, thinking 'there is nothing here,' departed, and hurried to where the Pandavas were.
पाण्डवास्तु वने वासमुद्दिश्य भरतर्पभाः। प्रययुर्जाह्नवीकूलात्कुरुक्षेत्रं सहानुगाः
The Pandavas, intending to dwell in the forest, departed from the banks of the Ganges toward Kurukshetra, accompanied by their followers.
सरस्वतीदृपद्वत्यौ यमुनां च निषेव्य ते। ययुर्वननैव वनं सततं पश्चिमां दिशम्
Having visited the Sarasvati, Drishadvati, and Yamuna rivers, they journeyed from one forest to another, always toward the western direction.
ततः सरस्वतीकूले समेषु मरुधन्वसु। काम्यकं नाम ददृशुर्वनं मुनिजनप्रियम्
Then, on the level plains along the Sarasvati, in the sandy regions, they saw the forest called Kamyaka, beloved of sages.
तत्र ते न्यवसन्वीरा वने बहुमृगद्विजे। अन्वास्यमाना मुनिभिः सान्त्व्यमानाश्च भारत
There, those heroes dwelt in the forest, rich with many animals and birds, comforted and consoled by the sages, O Bharata.
विदुरस्त्वथ पाण्डूनां सदा दर्शनलालसः। जगामैकरथेनैव काम्यकं वनमृद्धिमत्
Then Vidura, always eager to see the Pandavas, went alone in a chariot to the prosperous Kamyaka forest.
ततो गत्वा विदुरः काम्यकं त- च्छीघ्रैरश्वैर्वाहितः स्यन्दनेन। ददर्शासीनं धर्मात्मानं विविक्ते सार्धं द्रौपद्या भ्रातृभिर्ब्राह्मणैश्च
Having reached Kamyaka, Vidura, swiftly carried by fast horses, saw the righteous ones seated in seclusion, together with Draupadi, their brothers, and Brahmanas.
ततोऽपश्यद्विदुरं तूर्णमारा- दभ्यायान्तं सत्यसन्धः स राजा। अथाब्रवीद्धातरं भीमसेनं किंनु क्षत्ता वक्ष्यतिनः समेत्य
Then, the truthful king saw Vidura approaching quickly and said to Bhimasena, his brother, 'What will the steward say to us upon arriving?'
कच्चिन्नायं वचनात्सौबलस्य समाह्वातुं देवनायोपयाति। कच्चित्क्षुद्रः कुशली चाऽयुधानि जेष्यत्यस्माकं पुनरेवाक्षवत्याम्
Is he coming at the command of Saubala to summon us to the dice game again? Is the wicked one well, and will he defeat us again in dice at Akshavati?
समाहूतः केनचिदाहवाय नाहं शक्तो भीमसेनापयातुम्। गाण्डीवे च संशयिते कथं नु राज्यप्राप्तिः संशयिता भवेन्नः
If I am summoned by someone to battle, I am not able to withdraw, Bhimasena. And if there is doubt regarding the Gandiva, how then can the attainment of the kingdom not be uncertain for us?
तत उत्थाय विदुरं पाण्डवेयाः प्रत्यगृह्णन्नृपते सर्व एव। तैः सत्कृतः स च तानाजमीढो यथोचितं पाण्डुपुत्रान्समेयात्
Then the sons of Pandu all rose and welcomed Vidura, O king. Honored by them, that son of Ajamiḍha approached the Pandavas as was proper.
समाश्वस्तं विदुरं ते नरर्षभा- स्ततोऽपृच्छन्नागमनाय हेतुम्। स चापि तेभ्यो विस्तरतः शशंस यथावृत्तं धृतराष्ट्रेऽम्बिकेये
Those best of men, seeing Vidura reassured, then asked him the reason for his coming. And he explained to them in detail all that had happened with Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika.
अवोचन्मां धृतराष्ट्रोऽभिगुप्त- मजातशत्रो परिगृह्याभिपूज्य। एवं गते समतामभ्युपेत्य पथ्यं तेषां मम चैव ब्रवीहि
Dhritarashtra, having received and honored me, O faultless one, said: 'Now that things have come to this state of equality, speak what is beneficial for them and for me.'
मयाप्युक्तं यत्क्षमं कौरवाणां हितं पथ्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य चैव। तद्वै पथ्यं तन्मनो नाभ्युपैति ततश्चाहं क्षममन्यन्न मन्ये
And I too spoke what was fitting, beneficial, and wholesome for the Kauravas and for Dhritarashtra. But that wholesome advice did not find acceptance in his mind, and so I do not consider anything else appropriate.
परं श्रेयः पाण्डवेया मयोक्तं न मे तच्च शुतवानाम्बिकेयः। यथाऽऽतुरस्येव हि पथ्यमौपधं न रोचनते स्मास्य तदुच्यमानम्
I spoke the highest good to the sons of Pandu, but the son of Ambika did not heed it. Just as wholesome food does not please a sick man, so too my words did not appeal to him.
न श्रेयसे यततेऽजातशत्रो स्त्री श्रोत्रियस्येव गृहे प्रदुष्टा। ध्रुवं न रोचेद्भरतर्षभस्य पतिः कुमार्या इव षष्टिवर्षः
O enemy of foes, you do not strive for your own good, just as a corrupted woman in a learned man’s house. Surely, the bull among the Bharatas will not find pleasure, like a husband with a girl of six years.
ध्रुवं विनाशो नृप कौरवाणां न वै श्रेयो धृतराष्ट्रः परैति। यथा च पर्णे पुष्करस्यावसिक्तं जलं न तिष्ठेत्पथ्यमुक्तं तथाऽस्मिन्
Surely, O king, destruction awaits the Kauravas, for Dhritarashtra does not pursue what is good. Just as water sprinkled on a lotus leaf does not stay, so too wholesome advice does not remain with him.
ततः क्रुद्धो धृतराष्ट्रोऽब्रवीन्मां यस्मिञ्श्रद्धा तव तत्र प्रयाहि। नाहं भूयः कामये त्वां सहायं महीमिमां पालयितुं पुरं वा
Then, angered, Dhritarashtra said to me: 'Go where your faith lies. I no longer desire you as an ally, either to govern this kingdom or this city.'
सोहं त्यक्तो धृतराष्ट्रेण राज्ञा प्रशासितुं त्वामुपयातो नरेन्द्र। तद्वै सर्वं यन्मयोक्तं सभायां तद्धार्यतां यत्प्रवक्ष्यामि भूयः
Thus, rejected by King Dhritarashtra, I have come to you, O king, to offer my counsel. All that I spoke in the assembly—let that be remembered, for I will declare it again.
क्लेशैस्तीर्व्रर्युज्यमानः सपत्नैः क्षमां कुर्वन्कालमुपासते यः। संवर्धयन्स्तोकमिवाग्रिमात्मवान् स वै भुङ्क्ते पृथिवीमेक एव
He who, afflicted by severe hardships from rivals, endures patiently and waits for the right time, nurturing his small force like fire, he alone enjoys the earth.
यस्याविभक्तं वसु राजन्सहायै- स्तस्य दुःखस्यांशभाजः सहायाः। सहायानामेष संग्रगणेऽभ्युपायः सहायाप्तौ पृथिवीप्राप्तिमाहुः
O king, whose wealth is undivided among his allies, his allies share in his hardships. This is the way of gathering allies; the wise say the acquisition of allies leads to the gaining of the earth.