धर्मार्थमेव ते राज्यं धर्मार्थं जीवितं च ते। ब्राह्मणा गुरवश्चैव जानन्त्यपि च देवताः
Your kingdom is for the sake of righteousness alone, and your life too is for righteousness; the Brahmins, elders, and even the gods know this.
भीमसेनार्जुनौ चोभौ माद्रेयौ च मया सह। त्यजेस्त्वमिति मे बुद्धिर्न तु धर्मं परित्यजेः
Bhimasena, Arjuna, the sons of Madri, and I—my mind is that you might abandon us, but never would you abandon righteousness.
राजानं धर्मगोप्तारं धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः। इति मे श्रुतमार्याणां त्वां तु मन्ये न रक्षति
Righteousness protects the king who protects righteousness; so I have heard from the noble ones, but I think it does not protect you.
त्यक्त्वाऽन्यान्हि नरव्याघ्र नित्यदा धर्म एव ते। बुद्धिः सततमन्वेति छायेवं पुरुषं निजा
O tiger among men, forsaking all others, your mind always follows only righteousness, just as a shadow follows its own person.
नावमंस्था हि सदृशान्नावराञ्श्रेयसः कुतः। अवाप्य पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां न ते शृङ्गमवर्धत
You have never looked down upon those equal to you, nor upon those inferior; how then could you seek greater merit? Even after obtaining the entire earth, your pride did not increase.
स्वाहाकारैः स्वधाभिश्च पूजाभिरपि च द्विजान्। देवताश्च पितॄंश्चैव सततं पार्थ सेवसे
With offerings of svāhā and svadhā, and with acts of worship, O Pārtha, you constantly serve the twice-born, the gods, and the ancestors.
ब्राह्मणाः सर्वकामैस्ते सततं पार्थ तर्पिताः। यतयो मोक्षिणश्चैव गृहस्ताश्चैव भारत
O Pārtha, the brāhmaṇas, ever satisfied with all their desires, the ascetics seeking liberation, and the householders as well, O Bhārata, are always gratified by you.
भुञ्जते रुक्मपात्रीभिर्यत्राहं परिचारिका। आरण्यकेभ्यो वन्यानि भोजनानि प्रयच्छसि। नादेयं ब्राह्मणेभ्यस्ते गृहे किंचन विद्यते
They eat from golden vessels, where I am the attendant; you provide forest produce for food to those dwelling in the woods; and in your house, O king, there is nothing that is not to be given to the brāhmaṇas.
यदिदं वैश्वदेवान्ते सायं प्रातः प्रदीयते। तद्दत्त्वाऽतिथिभृत्येभ्योराजञ्शिष्टेनजीवसि
Whatever remains at the end of the Vaiśvadeva offering, given in the evening and morning, you distribute to guests and servants, O king, and live on what is left.
इष्टयः पशुबन्धाश्च काम्यनैमित्तिकाश्च ये। वर्तन्ते पाकयज्ञाश्च सदा यज्ञाश्च तेऽनघ
Sacrifices, animal offerings, and those performed for desire or occasion, as well as cooked offerings and constant sacrifices, O sinless one, are always maintained by you.
अस्मिन्नपि महारण्ये विजने दस्युसेविते। राष्ट्रादपेत्य वसतो धर्मस्ते नावसीदति
Even here in this great and lonely forest, haunted by robbers, though you dwell far from your kingdom, your righteousness does not decline.
अश्वमेधो राजसूयः पौण्डरीकोऽथ गोसवः। इष्टास्त्वया महायज्ञाबहवोऽन्ये सदक्षिणाः
The Aśvamedha, Rājasūya, Pauṇḍarīka, and Gosava sacrifices, and many other great sacrifices with abundant gifts, have been performed by you.
राजन्परीतया बुद्ध्या विषमेऽक्षपराजये। पार्थ मित्राणि चास्मांश्च वसूनि च पराजितः
O king, through a moment of clouded judgment in the defeat at dice, O Pārtha, you lost your friends, us, and your wealth.
ऋजोर्मृदोर्बदान्यस्य धीमतः सत्यवादिनः। कथमक्षव्यसनजा बुद्धिरापतिता तव
How has such a thought, born of the misfortune at dice, come to you—who are upright, gentle, generous, wise, and truthful?
अतीव मोह आयाति मनश् परिदूयते। निशाम्य व्यसनं पार्थ तवेदमतिदुःसहम्
A deep confusion arises, and my mind is greatly troubled, hearing of this misfortune of yours, O Pārtha, which is so hard to endure.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। ईश्वरस्य वशे लोकस्तिष्ठते नात्मनो यथा
Here too, they recite this ancient story: the world stands under the power of the Lord, not under its own.
धातैव खलु भूतानां सुखदुःखे प्रियाप्रिये। ददाति सर्वमीशानः पुरस्ताच्छुक्रमुच्चरन्
Indeed, the Creator alone gives to beings happiness and sorrow, what is dear and what is not; the Lord bestows all, having uttered the pure syllable at the beginning.
यथा दारुमयीं योषां नरो धीरः समाहितः। इङ्ग्यत्यङ्गमङ्गानि तथा राजन्निमाः प्रजाः
Just as a wise and attentive man moves the limbs of a wooden doll, so, O king, does the Lord move these creatures.
आकाश इव भूतानि व्याप्य सर्वाणि भारत। ईश्वरो विदधातीह कल्याणं यच्च पापकम्
Like space pervading all beings, O Bhārata, the Lord here ordains both what is auspicious and what is evil.
शकुनिस्तन्तुबद्धो वा नीयतेऽयमनीश्वरः। ईश्वरस्य वशे तिष्ठन्नान्येषामात्मनः प्रभुः
Like a bird bound by a string, this powerless being is led; standing under the Lord's control, he is not master of himself or others.
मणिः सूत्र इव प्रोतो नस्योत इव गोवृषः। धातुरादेशमन्वेति तन्मयो हि तदर्पणः
Like a jewel strung on a thread, or an ox bound to the yoke, he follows the command of the Creator, being made of that and offered to that.
नात्माथीनो मनुष्योऽयं कालं भजतिं कंचन। स्रोतसो मध्यमापन्नः कूलवृक्ष इव च्युतः
A person is not independent, nor does he attain any time of his own choosing; like a tree fallen into the middle of a stream, he is carried away.
अज्ञो जन्तुरनीशोऽयमात्मनः सुखदुःखयोः। ईश्वरप्रेरितो गच्छेत्स्वर्गं नरकमेव च
This ignorant creature is powerless over his own happiness and suffering; driven by the Lord, he goes to heaven or to hell.
यथा वायोस्तृणाग्राणि वशं यान्ति बलीयसः। धातुरेवं वशं यान्ति सर्वभूतानि भारत
Just as blades of grass are swept along by the forceful wind, so too, O Bharata, all beings are brought under the sway of the Creator.
आर्ये कर्मणि युञ्जानः पापे वा पुनरीश्वः। व्याप्य भूतानि चरते न चायमिति लक्ष्यते
Whether engaged in noble deeds or in sin, the Lord pervades all beings and moves among them, yet he is not recognized as such.
हेतुमात्रमिदं धातुः शरीरं क्षेत्रसंज्ञितम्। येन कारयते कर्म शुभाशुभफलं विभुः
This body, called the field, is merely an instrument of the Creator; through it, the Supreme causes actions that yield good or bad results.
पश्य मायाप्रभावोऽयमीश्वरेण यथा कृतः। यो हन्ति भूतैर्भूतानि मोहयित्वाऽऽत्ममायया
Behold this power of illusion, wrought by the Lord: after deluding beings through his own maya, he destroys them by means of other beings.
अन्यथा परिदृष्टानि मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः। अन्यथा परिवर्तन्ते वेगा इव नभस्वतः
Things are perceived one way by sages who see the truth, but they turn out differently, like the shifting gusts of the wind.
अन्यथैव हि वर्तन्ते पुरुषास्तानि तानि च। अन्यथैव प्रभुस्तानि करोति विकरोति च
Indeed, people act in one way, and those very things unfold differently; the Lord makes and unmakes them in yet another way.
यथा काष्ठेन वा काष्ठमश्मानं चाश्मना पुनः। अयसा चाप्ययश्छिन्द्यान्निर्विचेष्टमचेतनम्
Just as wood may break wood, or stone break stone, or iron cut iron—though all are inert and lifeless—