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?
तस्य ते शम एवास्तु पाण्डवैर्भरतर्षभ। कुरु मे वचनं राजन्मा मृत्युवशमन्वगाः
Therefore, let there be peace with the Pandavas, O bull among the Bharatas; heed my words, king, and do not fall under the sway of death.
एवं तु ब्रुवतस्तस्य मैत्रेयस्य विशांपते। ऊरुं करिकराकारं करेणाभिजघान तः
As Maitreya was thus speaking, O lord of men, Duryodhana struck his own thigh, shaped like an elephant's trunk, with his hand.
दुर्योधनः स्मितं कृत्वा चरणेनोल्लिखन्महीम्। नकिंचिदुक्त्वा दुर्मेधास्तस्थौ किंचिदवाङ्मुखः
Duryodhana, with a smile, scratched the ground with his foot, and without saying anything, that ill-minded one stood there, his face turned slightly downward.
तमशुश्रूषमाणं तु विलिखन्तं वसुंधराम्। दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनं राजन्मैत्रेयं कोप आविशत्
Seeing Duryodhana, who was listening but scratching the earth, the sage Maitreya, O king, was filled with anger.
स कोपवशमापन्नो मैत्रेयो मुनिसत्तमः। विधिना संप्रयुक्तश्च शापायास्य मनो दधे
Overcome by anger, the great sage Maitreya, impelled by destiny, set his mind on cursing him.
ततः स वार्युपस्पृश्य कोपसंरक्तलोचनः। मैत्रेयो धार्तराष्ट्रं तमशपद्दुष्टचेतसम्
Then, having touched water and with eyes reddened by wrath, Maitreya cursed that evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.
यस्मात्त्वं मामनादृत्य नेमां वाचं चिकीर्षसि। तस्मादस्यातिमानस्य सद्यः फलमवाप्स्यसि
Because you disregard me and do not heed this counsel, you will soon reap the immediate fruit of your arrogance.
त्वदभिद्रोहसंयुक्तं युद्धमुत्पत्स्यते महत्। यत्र भीमो गदाघातैस्तवोरुं भेत्स्यते बली
A great war, born of your hostility, will arise, in which Bhima, with blows of his mace, will shatter your thigh, O mighty one.
इत्येवमुक्ते वचने धृतराष्ट्रो महीपतिः। प्रसादयामास मुनिं नैतदेवं भवेदिति
When these words were spoken, King Dhritarashtra sought to appease the sage, saying, 'Let it not be so.'
शमं यास्यति चेत्पुत्रस्तव राजन्यदा तदा। शायो न भविता तात विपरीते भविष्यति
If your son seeks peace, O king, then this curse will not take effect; but if he acts otherwise, it will surely come to pass.