न धर्मपर एव स्यान्न चार्थपरमो नरः। न कामपरमो वा स्यात्सर्वान्सेवेत सर्वदा
Let no one be devoted solely to righteousness, nor to wealth, nor to desire; let him always serve all of them.
धर्मं पूर्वे धनं मध्ये जघन्ये काममाचरेत्। अहन्यनुचरेदेवमेष शास्त्रकृतो विधिः
Let one pursue righteousness first, wealth in the middle, and desire last; let him act thus each day—this is the rule established by scripture.
कामं पूर्वे धनं मध्ये जघन्ये धर्ममाचरेत्। वयस्यनुचरेदेवमेष शास्त्रकृतो विधिः
Let one pursue desire first, wealth in the middle, and righteousness last; let him act thus in youth—this is the rule established by scripture.
धर्मं चार्थं च कामं च यथावद्वदतांवर। विभज्य काले कालज्ञः सर्वान्सेवेत पण्डितः
O best of speakers, let the wise man, knowing the proper time, divide righteousness, wealth, and desire accordingly, and serve them all.
मोक्षो वा परमं श्रेय एष राजन्सुखार्थिनाम्। प्राप्तिं वा बुद्धिमास्थाय सोपायां कुरुनन्दन
O King, liberation is the highest good for those who seek happiness; or, Kurunandana, attain your goal by adopting intelligent means.
तद्वाऽऽशु क्रियतां राजन्प्राप्तिर्वाप्यधिगम्यताम्। जीवितं ह्यातुरस्येव दुःखमन्तरवर्तिनः
Therefore, O King, let this be done quickly, or let the objective be achieved; for life, when troubled by suffering, is like that of a sick man.
विदितश्चैव मे धर्मः सततं चरितश्च ते। जानन्तस्त्वयि शंसन्ति सुहृदः कर्मचोदनाम्
I know your righteousness, and it has always been practiced by you; your friends, knowing this in you, urge you toward action.
एष नार्थविहीनेन शक्यो राजन्निपेवितुम्। अखिलाः पुरुषव्याघ्र गुणाः स्युर्यद्यपीनरे
O King, all virtues cannot be maintained by one who lacks wealth, even if he is a tiger among men.
धर्ममूलं जगद्राजन्नान्यद्धर्माद्विशिष्यते। धर्मश्चार्थेन महता शक्यो राजन्निषेवितुम्
O King, the world is rooted in righteousness; nothing surpasses righteousness; and righteousness can indeed be pursued by means of great wealth.
न चार्थो भैक्ष्यचर्येण नापि क्लैब्येन कर्हिचित्। वेत्तुं शक्यस्तथा राजन्केवलं धर्मबुद्धिना
And wealth is never attained through begging or by weakness, O King, nor by mere righteous intention alone.
प्रतिष्द्धा हि ते याच्ञा यया सिध्यति वै द्विजः। तेजसैवार्थलिप्सायां यतस्व पुरुषर्षभ
Begging, by which a Brahmin succeeds, has been forbidden to you; strive, O best of men, to obtain wealth by your own power.
भैक्ष्यचर्या न विहिता न च विट्शूद्रजीविका। क्षत्रियस् विशेषेण धर्मस्तु बलमौरसम्
Begging is not prescribed, nor is the livelihood of Vaishyas or Shudras, especially for Kshatriyas; for them, righteousness is their own strength.
स्वधर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व जहि शत्रून्समागतान्। धार्तराष्ट्रवनं पार्थ मया पार्थेन नाशय
Embrace your own duty, destroy the gathered enemies; O Partha, with my support, destroy the sons of Dhritarashtra.
उदारमेव विद्वांसो धर्मं प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। उदारं प्रतिपद्यस्व नावरे स्थातुमर्हसि
The wise and learned declare noble conduct to be righteousness; adopt nobility, you should not remain in what is base.
अनुबुध्यस्व राजेन्द्र वेत्थ धर्मान्सनातनान्। क्रूरकर्माऽभिजातोसि यस्मादुद्विजते जनः
Understand, O king of kings, you know the eternal laws; you are born to fierce deeds, on account of which people are in awe of you.
प्रजापालनसंभूतं फलं तव न गर्हितम्। एष ते विहितो राजन्धात्रा धर्मः सनातनः
The fruit that arises from protecting your people is not to be blamed; this eternal duty has been ordained for you by the Creator, O King.
तस्माद्विचलितः पार्थ लोके हास्यं गमिष्यसि। स्वधर्माद्धि मनुष्याणां चलनं न प्रशस्यते
Therefore, O Partha, if you stray from this, you will become an object of ridicule in the world; for deviation from one's own duty is not praised among men.
स क्षात्रं हृदयं कृत्वा त्यक्त्वेदं शिथिलं मनः। वीर्यमास्थाय कौरव्य धुरमुद्वह धुर्यवत्
So, making your heart steadfast in the Kshatriya way, casting off this weakness of mind, take up your strength, O Kaurava, and bear your burden like a leader.
न हि केवलधर्मात्मा पृथिवीं जातु कश्चन। पार्थिवो व्यजयद्राजन्न भूतिं न पुनः श्रियम्
No king, being solely devoted to righteousness, has ever conquered the earth, nor attained prosperity or wealth, O King.
जिह्वां दत्ता बहूनां हि क्षुद्राणां लुब्धचेतसाम्। निकृत्या लभते राज्यमाहारमिव शल्यकः
A tongue has been given to many low-minded, greedy men; by deceit they obtain kingdoms, just as a heron gets its food.
भ्रातर पूर्वजाताश्च सुसमृद्धाश्च सर्वशः। निकृत्या निर्जिता देवैरसुराः पाण्डवर्षभ
O bull among the Pandavas, even elder brothers, though prosperous in every way, have been defeated by the gods through deceit.
एवं बलवतः सर्वमिति बुद्ध्वा महीपते। जहि शत्रून्महाबाहो परां निकृतिमास्थितान्
Thus, understanding that everything belongs to the powerful, O king, destroy your enemies, O mighty-armed one, who have resorted to extreme deceit.
न ह्यर्जुनसमः कश्चिद्युधि योद्धा धनुर्धरः। भविता वा पुमान्कश्चिन्मत्समो वा गदाधरः
There is truly no archer equal to Arjuna in battle, nor is there any man who will be my equal with the mace.
सत्वेन कुरुते युद्धं राजन्सुबलवानपि। न प्रमाणेन नोत्साहात्सत्वस्थो भव पाण्डव
Even one who is strong and powerful, O King, fights by virtue of courage; not by mere measure or enthusiasm—so stand firm in courage, O son of Pandu.
सत्वं हि मूलमर्थस् यवितथं यदतोऽन्यथा। न तु प्रसक्तं भवति वृक्षच्छायेन हैमनी
For courage is the root of success; when that is lacking, nothing else avails—just as winter does not come from the shade of a tree.
अर्थत्यागोऽपि कार्यः स्यादर्थं श्रेयांसमिच्छता। बीजौपम्यन कौन्तेय मा ते भूदत्र संशयः
Even the abandonment of wealth may be proper for one who seeks greater good; let there be no doubt in you about this, O son of Kunti, as with the analogy of the seed.
अर्थेन तु समोऽनर्थो यत्र लब्धो महोदयः। न तत्र विपणः कार्यः खरकण्डूयनं हि तत्
But when a great gain has been obtained, where wealth and misfortune are equal, there should be no bargaining there—for that is like scratching a sore.
एवमेव मनुष्येन्द्र धर्मं त्यक्त्वाऽल्पकं नरः। बृहन्तं धर्ममाप्नोति स बुद्ध इति निश्चितम्
In the same way, O best of men, when a person abandons a lesser virtue, he attains a greater virtue; such a one is truly wise, this is certain.
अमित्रं मित्रसंपन्नं मित्रैर्भिन्दन्ति पण्डितः
The wise break an enemy who is supported by friends, with the help of friends.
सत्वेन कुरुते युद्धं राजन्सुबलवानपि। नोद्यमेन न होत्राभिः सर्वाः स्वीकुरुते प्रजाः
Even one who is strong and powerful, O King, fights by virtue of courage; not by mere effort or rituals does he win over all people.