यदा हि पूर्वं निकृतोनिकृन्ते- द्वैरं सपुष्पं सफलं विदित्वा। महागुणं हरति हि पौरुषेण तदा वीरो जीवति जीवलोके
When, having been deceived and deceiving in turn, enmity is known to be full-blown and fruitful, then by his own prowess a hero wins great merit and truly lives in the world.
श्रियं च लोके लभते समग्रां मन्ये चास्मै शत्रवः सन्नमन्ते। मित्राणि चैनमतिरागाद्भजन्ते देवा इवेनद्रमुपजीवन्ति चैनम्
He gains complete prosperity in the world, and I believe even his enemies bow to him; friends, out of deep affection, serve him, and like gods, people depend upon him.
मम प्रतिज्ञां च निबोध सत्यां वृणे सत्यममृतीज्जीविताच्च। राज्यं च पुत्राश्च यशो धनं च सर्वं न सत्यस्य कलामुपैति
Hear my true vow: I choose truth over immortality and life; kingdom, sons, fame, and wealth—all these do not equal even a fraction of truth.
सन्धिं कृत्वैव कालेन ह्यन्तकेन पतत्रिणा। अनन्तेनाप्रमेयेण स्रोतसा सर्वहारिणा
By making peace, in time, with the end brought by the winged one, with the infinite, immeasurable current that sweeps away all things.
प्रत्यक्षं मन्यसे कालं मर्त्यः सन्कालबन्धनः। फेनधर्मा महाराज फलधर्मा तथैव च
You think time is visible, O mortal bound by time; O great king, like foam and like fruit, so is your nature.
निमेषादपि कौन्तेय यस्यायुरपचीयते। सूच्येवाञ्जनचूर्णानि किमिति प्रतिपालयेत्
O son of Kunti, even in the blink of an eye, one's lifespan diminishes; just as collyrium powder falls from a needle, why should one delay?
यो नूनममितायुः स्यादथवाऽऽयुःप्रमाणवित्। स कालं वै प्रतीक्षेत सर्वप्रत्यक्षदर्शिवान्
Whoever might possess an immeasurable lifespan, or knows the measure of life, such a one, seeing all things directly, should indeed wait for the proper time.
प्रतीक्ष्यमाणः कालो नः समा राजंस्त्रयोदश। आयुषोपचयं कृत्वा मरणायोपनेष्यति
While we wait for the proper time, O King, thirteen years will pass; after increasing our lifespan, time will bring us to death.
शरीरिणां हि मरणं शरीरे नित्यमाश्रितम्। प्रागेव मरणात्तस्माद्राज्यायैव घटामहे
For death is ever inherent in the body of embodied beings; therefore, before death comes, let us strive for the kingdom.
यो न याति प्रसंख्यानमस्पष्टो भूमिवर्धनः। अयातयित्वा वैराणि सोऽवसीदति गौरिव
He who does not make a reckoning, who is unclear, who increases the earth, if he does not resolve enmities, sinks down like a cow.
यो न यातयते वैरमल्पसत्वोद्यमः पुमान्। अफलं जन्म तस्याहं मन्ये दुर्जातजीविनः
A man who does not resolve enmity, who has little strength and effort, I consider his birth fruitless, living with a bad destiny.
हैरण्यौ भवतो बाहू श्रुतिर्भवति पार्थिवी। हत्वा द्विषन्तं संग्रामे भुङ्क्ष्व बाहुजितं वसु
Your arms are golden, your fame is widespread upon the earth; having slain the enemy in battle, enjoy the wealth won by your arms.
हत्वा वै पुरुषो राजन्निकर्तारमरिंदम्। अह्नाय नरकं गच्छेत्स्वर्गेणास्य स संमितः
Indeed, a man who slays a king, an enemy and a wrongdoer, O subduer of foes, does not go to hell, but is considered equal to heaven.
अमर्षजो हि संतापः पावकाद्दीप्तिमत्तरः। येनाहमभिसंतप्तो न नक्तं न दिवा शये
For the anguish born of indignation is more blazing than fire; by this I am tormented, unable to sleep by night or day.
अयं च पार्थो बीभत्सुर्वरिष्ठो ज्याविकर्षणे। आस्ते परमसंतप्तो नूनं सिंह इवाशये
And this Partha, the terrible archer, sits in utmost anguish, like a lion in his lair.
योऽयमेको नुदेत्सर्वांल्लोके राजन्धनुर्भृतः। सोयमात्मजमूष्माणं ग्रहाहस्तीव यच्छति
This one, O King, alone could drive away all bowmen in the world; yet he restrains his own son, as an elephant is held by the hand of its keeper.
नकुलः सहदेवश्च वृद्धा माता च वीरसूः। तवैव प्रियमिच्छन्त आसते जडमूकवत्
Nakula, Sahadeva, the aged mother who bore heroes, all desiring only your good, sit silent like the dull and mute.
सर्वे तेऽप्रियमिच्छन्ति बान्धवाः सह सृञ्जयैः। अहमेकश्च संतप्तो माता च प्रतिबिन्ध्यतः
All your kinsmen, together with the Srinjayas, desire what is not dear to you; I alone am tormented, and mother too, O son of Pratibandhaka.
प्रियमेव तु सर्वेषां यद्ब्रवीम्युत किंचन। सर्वे हि व्यसनं प्राप्ताः सर्वे युद्धाभिनन्दिनः
Yet whatever I say is only what is dear to all; for all have met with misfortune, all long for battle.
नातः पापीयसी काचिदापद्राजन्भविष्यति। यन्नो नीचैरल्पबलै राज्यमाच्छिद्य भुज्यते
No misfortune more wicked than this, O King, will occur: that our kingdom is seized and enjoyed by the lowly and weak.
शीलदोषाद्धृणाविष्ट आनृशंस्यात्परंतप। क्लेशांस्तितिक्षसे राजन्नान्यः कश्चित्प्रशंसति
Possessed by compassion due to a fault in your character, scorcher of foes, you endure hardships; no one else praises this.
श्रोत्रियस्येव ते राजन्मन्दकस्याविपश्चितः। अनुवाकहता बुद्धिर्नैषा तत्त्वार्थदर्शिनी
Your understanding, O King, is like that of a slow-witted, unlearned Brahmin whose intellect is impaired by recitation; it does not see the true meaning.
घृणी ब्राह्मणरूपोसि कथं क्षत्रेष्वजायथाः। अस्यां हि योनौ जायन्ते प्रायशः क्रूरबुद्धयः
You are compassionate, resembling a Brahmin; how were you born among Kshatriyas? For in this lineage, cruel-minded ones are mostly born.
अश्रौषीस्त्वं राजधर्मान्यथा वै मनुरब्रवीत्। क्रूरान्निकृतिसंपन्नान्विहितानशमात्मकान्
You have heard the duties of kings, as declared by Manu; they are prescribed for those who are harsh, skilled in deceit, and lacking in gentleness.
धार्तराष्ट्रान्महाराज क्षमसे किं दुरात्मनः। कर्तव्ये पुरुषव्याघ्र किमास्से पीठसर्पवत्
O great king, why do you endure the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra? O tiger among men, why do you sit idly like a coiled snake when action is required?
बुद्ध्या वीर्येण संयुक्तः श्रुतेनाभिजनेन च। तृणानां मुष्टिनैकेन हिमवन्तं च पर्वतम्। छन्नमिच्छसि कौन्तेय योऽस्मान्संवर्तुमिच्छसि
Endowed with wisdom, strength, learning, and noble birth, do you wish, O son of Kunti, to conceal the Himalaya mountain with a mere handful of grass, you who wish to hide us?
अज्ञातचर्यागूढेन पृथिव्यां विश्रुतेन च। दिवीव पार्थ सूर्येण न शक्याऽऽचरितुं त्वया
With your fame spread across the earth, whether you move in disguise or openly, O Partha, you cannot go unnoticed, just as the sun cannot be hidden in the sky.
बृहत्साल इवानूपे शाखापुष्पपलावान्। हस्ती श्वेत इवाज्ञातः कथं जिष्णुश्चरिष्ति
How will Arjuna, like a great sāla tree in the marsh, full of branches, flowers, and leaves, or like a white elephant, remain unknown?
इमौ च सिंहसंकाशौ भ्रातरौ सहितौ शिशू। नकुलः सहदेवश्च कथं पार्थ चरिष्यतः
And these two brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, resembling lions and always together, how will they, O Partha, move about unrecognized?
पुण्यकीर्ती राजपुत्री द्रौपदी वीरसूरियम्। विश्रुता कथमज्ञाता कृष्णा पार्थ चरिष्यति
How will Draupadi, the royal princess of virtuous fame, renowned as the mother of heroes, O Partha, how will Krishna move about unrecognized?