यादृशो मे सुतः पाण्डुस्तादृशो मेऽसि पुत्रक। विदुरश्च महाप्राज्ञः स्नेहादेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्
Just as Pāṇḍu is my son, so are you, my child; and Vidura, wise as he is, I say this out of affection.
चिराय तव पुत्राणां शतमेकश्च भारत। पाण्डौः पञ्चैव लक्ष्यन्ते तेऽपि मन्दाःसुदुःखिताः
For a long time, among your sons, there are a hundred and one, O Bhārata; but the five sons of Pāṇḍu are few and deeply afflicted.
कथं जीवेयुरत्यन्तं कथं वर्धेयुरित्यपि। इति दीनेषु पार्थेषु मनो मे परितप्यते
How will they survive, how will they flourish—this is what troubles my mind regarding the distressed sons of Pāṇḍu.
यदि पार्थिव कौख्याञ्जीवमानानिहेच्छसि। दुर्योधनस्तव सुतः शमं गच्छतु पाण्डवैः
If, O king, you wish for your sons to live with honor, let your son Duryodhana make peace with the Pāṇḍavas.
एवमेतन्महाप्राज्ञ यथा वदसि मां मुने। अहं चैव विजानामि सर्वे चेमे नराधिपाः
So it is, O wise one, just as you say to me, O sage; I too understand, and so do all these kings.
भवांश्च मन्यते साधु यत्कुरूणां सुखोदयम्। तदेव विदुरोऽप्याह भीष्मो द्रोणश्च मां मुने
You also think well of what brings happiness to the Kurus; Vidura says the same, as do Bhīṣma and Droṇa, O sage.
यदित्वहमनुग्राह्यः कौरव्येषु दया यदि। अन्वशाधि दुरात्मानं पुत्रं दुर्योधनं मम
If I am to be shown favor, if there is to be compassion among the Kauravas, then restrain my son Duryodhana, who acts wickedly.
अयमायाति वै राजन्मैत्रेयो भगवानृषिः। अन्वीक्ष्य पाण्डवान्भ्रातृनिहैवाऽस्मद्दिदृक्षया
Now, O king, the venerable sage Maitreyā is coming here, having seen the Pāṇḍavas, wishing to see us brothers.
एष दुर्योधनं पुत्रं तव राजन्महानृषिः। अनुशास्ता यथान्यायं शमायास्य कुलस्य च
O King, this great sage is instructing your son Duryodhana according to justice, for his own peace and for the welfare of your family.
ब्रूयाद्यदेष कौरव्य तत्कार्यमविशङ्कया। अक्रियायां तु कार्यस्य पुत्रं ते शप्स्यते रुषा
Whatever this sage says, O descendant of Kuru, should be carried out without hesitation; but if your son fails to act, he will be cursed in anger.
एवमुक्त्वा ययौ व्यासो मैत्रेयः प्रत्यदृश्यत। पूजया प्रतिजग्राह सपुत्रस्तं नराधिपः
Having spoken thus, Vyasa departed, and Maitreya appeared; the king, together with his son, received him with honor.
कृत्वाऽर्ध्याद्याः क्रियाः सर्वा विश्रान्तं मुनिसत्तमम् प्रश्रयेणाब्रवीद्राजा धृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः
After performing all the proper rituals of welcome, the king Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, addressed the revered sage, who was resting, with humility.
सुखेनागमनं कच्चिद्भगवन्कुरुजाङ्गले। कच्चित्कुशलिनो वीरा भ्रातरः पञ्च पाण्डवाः
O revered one, was your journey through the Kuru lands comfortable? Are the five Pandava brothers well and safe?
समये स्थातुमिच्छन्ति कच्चिच्च भरतर्षभाः। कच्चित्कुरूणां सौभ्रात्रमव्युच्छिन्नं भविष्यति
Do the foremost of the Bharatas wish to abide by the agreement? Will the friendship among the Kurus remain unbroken?
तीर्थयात्रामनुक्रामन्प्राप्तोऽस्मि कुरुजाङ्गलान्। यदृच्छया धर्मराजं दृष्ट्ववान्काम्यके वने
While undertaking a pilgrimage, I arrived in the Kuru lands; by chance, I saw King Yudhishthira in the Kamyaka forest.
तं जटाजिनसंवीतं तपोवननिवासिनम्। समाजग्मुर्महात्मानं द्रष्टुं मुनिगणाः प्रभो
There, the great sages came to see him, who dwelled in the forest of austerity, wrapped in matted hair and deerskin.
तत्राश्रौषं महाराज पुत्राणां तव विग्रहम्। अनयं द्यूतरूपेण महाभयमुपस्थितम्
O great king, there I heard of the conflict among your sons, a calamity in the form of dice, bringing great danger.
ततोऽहं त्वामनुप्राप्तः कौरवाणामवेक्षया ।। सदा ह्यभ्यधिकः स्नेहः प्रीतिश्च त्वयि मे प्रभो
Therefore, I have come to you, to observe the Kauravas; for my affection and regard for you, O lord, is always greater.
नैतदौपयिकं राजंस्त्वयि भीष्मे च जीवति। यदन्योन्येन ते पुत्रा विरुध्यन्ते कथंचन
This is not fitting, O king, while you and Bhishma are alive, that your sons should oppose each other in any way.
मेढीभूतः स्वयं राजन्निग्रहे प्रग्रहे भवान्। किमर्थमनयं घोरमुत्पतन्तमुपेक्षसे
You yourself, O king, are established as the pillar in restraint and control; why do you tolerate this terrible injustice rising up?
दस्यूनामिव यद्वृत्तं सभायां कुरुनन्दन। तेन न भ्राजसे राजंस्तापसानां समागमे
What happened in the assembly, O joy of the Kurus, was like the conduct of bandits; because of this, you do not shine among the ascetics.
ततो व्यावृत्य राजानं दुर्योधनममर्षणम्। उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा मैत्रेयो भगवानृपिः
Then, turning away from the king, Maitreya, the revered sage, addressed Duryodhana, who was unyielding, with gentle words.
दुर्योधन महाबाहो निबोध वदतां वर। वचनं मे महाभाग ब्रुवतो यद्धितं तव
O Duryodhana, mighty-armed, listen, best among speakers; hear my words, O fortunate one, for they are for your benefit.
मा द्रुहः पाण्डवान्राजन्कुरुष्व हितमात्मनः। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च लोकस्य च नरर्षभ
Do not harm the Pandavas, O king; act for your own good, for the good of the Pandavas, the Kurus, and the world, O best among men.
पाण्डवान्प्राप्य तान्रात्रौ किर्मीरो नाम राक्षसः। अवृत्य मार्गं रौद्रात्मा तस्थौ गिरिवाचलः
At night, a rakshasa named Kirmira blocked the path of the Pandavas, fierce in nature, standing like a mountain.
तं भीमः समरस्लाघी बलेन बलिनां वरः। जघान पशुमारेण व्याघ्रः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा
Bhima, renowned in battle and foremost among the strong, killed him with his strength, like a tiger slaying a small animal.
पश्य दिग्विजये राजन्यथा भीमेन पातितः। जरासन्धो महेष्वासो नागायुतबलो युधि
See, in his conquest of the directions, how Bhima slew Jarasandha, the mighty archer, who possessed the strength of ten thousand elephants in battle.
संबन्धी वासुदेवश्च श्यालाः सर्वे च पार्षताः। ते हि सर्वे नरव्याघ्राः शूरा विक्रान्तयोधिनः
Vasudeva is their kinsman, and all the Pratijatas are his brothers-in-law; all of them are tigers among men, valiant and powerful warriors.
सर्वे नागायुतप्राणा वज्रसंहनना दृढः। सत्यव्रतधराः सर्वेसर्वे पुरुषमानिनः
All possess the strength of ten thousand elephants, firm as thunderbolts, steadfast in truth, and all consider themselves true men.
हन्तारो देवशत्रूणां रक्षसां कामरूपिणाम्। हिडिम्बबकमुख्यानां किर्मीरस् च रक्षसः। कस्तान्युधि समासीत जरामरणवान्नरः
They are slayers of the enemies of the gods and of shape-shifting rakshasas, foremost among whom were Hidimba and Baka, and also Kirmira the rakshasa; what man, subject to old age and death, could stand against them in battle?