स मां राजन्कर्मवतीमागतामाह सान्त्वयन्। शुश्रूषमाणामासीनां पितुरङ्के युधिष्ठिर
He spoke to me, O king, when I had come, skilled in action, consoling me as I sat on my father's lap, eager to listen.
अन्येषां कर्म सफलमस्माकमपि वा पुनः। विप्रकर्षेण बुद्ध्येत कृतकर्मा यथा फलम्
The result of action may belong to others or to us; by difference, one who has acted discerns the result as it comes.
याज्ञसेन्या वचः श्रुत्वा भीमसेनो ह्यमर्षणः। निश्वसन्नुपसंगम्य क्रुद्धो राजानमब्रवीत्
Hearing the words of Yajnaseni, Bhimasena, unable to endure, approached, sighing, and angrily spoke to the king.
राजन्सत्पदवीं धर्म्यां व्रज सत्पुरुषोचिताम्। धर्मकामार्थहीनानां किं नो वस्तुं तपोवने
King, follow the righteous path befitting noble men; what is the use for us to dwell in the forest of austerities, bereft of righteousness, desire, and wealth?
नैव धर्मेण तद्राज्यं नार्जवेण न चौजसा। अक्षकूटमधिष्ठाय हृतं दुर्योधनेन वै
That kingdom was not taken by righteousness, nor by honesty, nor by strength; it was seized by Duryodhana through deceit at dice.
गोमायुनेव सिंहानां दिर्बलेन बलीयसाम्। आमिपं विघसाशेन तद्वद्राज्यं हि नो हृतम्
Just as a jackal snatches the prey of lions, the weak from the strong, so our kingdom was taken, like leftover meat, by one greedy for gain.
धर्मलेशप्रतिच्छन्नः प्रभवं धर्मकामयोः। अर्थमुत्सृज्य किं राजन्दुःखेन परितप्यसे
Concealed by a semblance of righteousness, you, devoted to virtue and desire, have abandoned wealth; why, O king, do you grieve in sorrow?
भवतोऽनुविधानेन राज्यं नः पश्यतां हृतम्। अहार्यमपि शक्रेण गुप्तं गाण्डीवधन्वना
By following your lead, our kingdom was taken before our eyes—even that which could not be seized by Indra, guarded by the wielder of Gandiva.
कुणीनामिव बिल्वानि पङ्गूनामिव धेनवः। हृतमैश्वर्यमस्माकं जीवतां भवतः कृते
Like bilva fruits to the hunchbacked, like cows to the lame, our prosperity has been taken from us, though we still live, for your sake.
भवतः प्रियमित्येवं महद्व्यसनमीदृशम्। धर्मकामे प्रतीतस्य प्रतिपन्नाः स्म भारत
Only because it was dear to you have we endured such great misfortune, O Bharata, firmly devoted to righteousness and desire.
कर्शयामः स्वमित्राणि नन्दयामश्च शात्रवान्। आत्मानं भवतः शास्त्रैर्नियम्य भरतर्षभ
We cause our friends to waste away and gladden our enemies, restraining ourselves by your teachings, O bull among the Bharatas.
यद्वयं न तदैवैतान्धार्तराष्ट्रान्निहन्म हि। भवतः शास्त्रमादाय तन्नस्तपति दुष्कृतम्
That we did not then slay these sons of Dhritarashtra, taking up your doctrine, weighs upon us as a wrongful deed.
अथैनामन्ववेक्षस्व मृगचर्यामिवात्मनः। अवीराचरितां राजन्नबलस्थैर्निषेविताम्
Now consider this way of life, O King, like the wandering of beasts—practiced by the powerless, unworthy of the brave.
यां न कृष्णो न बीभत्सुर्नाभिमन्युर्न सृञ्जयाः। न चाहमभिनन्दामि न च माद्रीसुतावुभौ
This path is not approved by Krishna, nor by Arjuna, nor by Abhimanyu, nor by the Srinjayas, nor do I or the sons of Madri welcome it.
भवान्धर्मो धर्म इति सततं व्रतकर्शितः। कच्चिद्राजन्न निर्वेदादापन्नः क्लीबजीविकाम्
You, always emaciated by vows, are called righteousness itself, O King—surely you have not, out of despair, adopted a life fit for the impotent?
दुर्मनुष्या हि निर्वेदमफलं सर्वघातकम्। अशक्ताः श्रियमाहर्तुमात्मनः कुर्वते प्रियम्
For those of weak spirit, despair is fruitless and destroys all; unable to win prosperity for themselves, they do what pleases them.
स भवान्दृष्टिमाञ्शक्तः पश्यन्नस्मासु पौरुषम्। आनृशंस्यपरो राजन्नात्मार्थमवबुध्यसे
You, endowed with discernment and strength, see our valor, O King, yet, devoted to compassion, you do not consider your own interest.
अस्मानमी धार्तराष्ट्राः क्षममाणानहिंसतः। अशक्तानेव मन्यन्ते तद्दुःखं नाहवे वधः
These sons of Dhritarashtra, seeing us patient and non-violent, think us powerless; that pain is greater than death in battle.
तत्रचेद्युध्यमानानामजिह्ममनिवर्तिनाम्। सर्वशो हि वधः श्रेयान्प्रेत्य लोकांल्लभेमहि
If, fighting there without turning back, we should all be slain, that death would be better, for we would attain the worlds beyond.
अधवा वयमेवैतान्निहत्य भरतर्षभ। आददीमहि गां सर्वां तथापि श्रेय एव नः
Or, O bull among the Bharatas, if we ourselves were to slay them and seize all the land, even then it would be better for us.
सर्वथा कार्यमेतन्नः स्वधर्ममनुतिष्ठताम्। काङ्खतां विषुलां कीर्ति वैरं प्रतिचिकीर्षताम्
In every way, this is our duty—to uphold our own dharma, seeking unblemished fame and desiring to repay enmity.
आत्मार्थं युध्यमानानां जीविते कृत्यलक्षणे। अन्यैरपि हृते राज्ये प्रशंसैव न गर्हणा
For those who fight for their own sake, when the time for action has come, even if the kingdom is taken by others, there is praise, not blame.
कर्शनार्थो हि यो धर्मो विप्राणामात्मनस्तथा। व्यसनं नाम तद्राजन्न धर्मः स कुवर्त्मतत्
That dharma which brings only suffering to oneself or to brahmins is not true dharma, O King; it is a false path called misfortune.
सर्वथा धर्मनित्यं तु पुरुषं धर्मदुर्बलम्। जहतस्तात धर्मार्थौ प्रेतं दुःखसुखे यथा
Indeed, O father, when a man always devoted to dharma is weak in dharma, both righteousness and wealth abandon him, as pleasure and pain leave the dead.
यस्य धर्मो हि धर्मार्थँ क्लेशभाङ्ग स पण्डितः। न स धर्मस्य वेदार्थं सूर्यस्यान्धः प्रभामिव
He who regards dharma as only hardship and pain is not wise; he does not understand the meaning of dharma, just as a blind man cannot see the sun’s light.
यस्य चार्थार्थ एवार्थः स च नार्थस्य कोविदः। रक्ष्यते भृतकः पुण्यं यथा स्यात्तादृगेव सः
And he who sees only gain as gain is not skilled in gain; he is like a hired servant who guards virtue only for pay.
अतिवेलं हि योऽर्थार्थी नेतरावनुतिष्ठति। स वध्यः सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्महेव जुगुप्सितः
He who, seeking gain, acts excessively and not as others do, is to be condemned by all beings, just as a slayer of Brahman is reviled.
सततं यश्च कामार्थी नेतरावनुतिष्ठति। मित्राणि तस्य नश्यन्ति धर्मार्थाभ्यां च हीयते
One who constantly pursues desire and acts unlike others loses his friends and diminishes in both righteousness and wealth.
तस्य धर्मार्थहीनस्य कामान्ते निधनं ध्रुवम्। कामतो रममाणस्य मीनस्येवाम्भसः क्षये
For one deprived of righteousness and wealth, destruction at the end of desire is certain, like a fish perishing when water is gone, indulging in pleasure.
तस्माद्धर्मार्थयोर्नित्यं न प्रमान्द्यन्ति पण्डिताः। प्रकृतिः सा हि कामस्य पावकस्यारणिर्यथा
Therefore, the wise never neglect righteousness and wealth; for the nature of desire is like fire arising from wood.