येऽन्ये क्वचिन्मनुष्येषु तिर्यग्योनिगताश्च ये। धर्मं ते समवेक्षन्ते रक्षांसि च विशेषतः
All others among men, and even those born in other wombs, observe dharma; especially do the Rakshasas observe it.
धर्मस्यराक्षसा मूलं धर्मं ते विदुरुत्तमम्। एतत्परीक्ष्यसर्वं त्वं समीपे स्थातुमर्हसि
Rakshasas are the root of dharma; they know the highest dharma. You should consider all this and remain near it.
देवाश्च ऋषयः सिद्धाः पितरश्चापि राक्षस। गन्धर्वोरगरक्षांसि वयांसि पशवस्तथा
O Rakshasa, the gods, sages, perfected beings, ancestors, Gandharvas, serpents, Rakshasas, birds, and beasts—
तिर्यग्योनिगताश्चैव अपि कीटपिपीलिकाः। मनुष्यानुपजीवन्ति ततस्त्वमपि जीवसि
And even those born in other wombs, such as insects and ants, live depending on humans; therefore, you too live because of them.
समृद्ध्या यस्य लोकस्य लोको युष्माकमृध्यति। इमं च लोकं शोचन्तमनुशोचन्ति देवताः। पूज्यमानाश्च वर्धन्ते हव्यकव्यैर्यथाविधि
When the world prospers, your world also prospers. The gods grieve for this world when it is afflicted; and when they are properly worshipped with offerings, they increase.
वयं राष्ट्रस्य गोप्तारो रक्षितारश्च राक्षस। राष्ट्रस्यारक्ष्यमाणस्य कुतो भूतिः कुतः सुखम्
We are the protectors and guardians of the kingdom, O Rakshasa. If the kingdom is not protected, how can there be prosperity or happiness?
न च राजाऽवमन्तव्यो रक्षसा जात्वनागसि। अनुरप्यपचारश्च नास्त्यस्माकं नराशन
Nor should the king be disrespected, for he has committed no wrong; nor do we, who eat the food of men, ever act improperly toward those who show us kindness.
विघसाशान्यथाशक्त्या कुर्महे देवतादिषु। गुरूंश्च ब्राह्मणांश्चैव प्रमाणप्रवणाः सदा
We offer leftovers as we are able to the gods and others; and we always honor teachers and Brahmins, submitting to proper authority.
द्रोग्धव्यं न च मित्रेषु न विश्वस्तेषु कर्हिचित्। येषां चान्नानि भुञ्जीत यत्रच स्यात्प्रतिश्रयः
One must never betray friends or those who trust us; nor those whose food one has eaten, or with whom one has found shelter.
स त्वं प्रतिश्रयेऽस्माकं पूज्यमानः सुखोषितः। भुक्त्वा चान्नानि दुष्प्रज्ञ कथमस्माञ्जिहीर्षसि
You have been honored and well cared for as our guest, enjoying our food—how, then, foolish one, do you wish to harm us?
एवमेव वृथाचारो वृथा वृद्धो वृथामतिः। वृथामरणमर्हस्त्वं वृथाऽद्य नमविष्यसि
Such conduct is vain, your age is in vain, your mind is in vain; you deserve a vain death, and today you will fall in vain.
अथ चेद्दुष्टबुद्धिस्त्वं सर्वैर्धर्मैर्विवर्जितः। प्रदाय शस्त्राण्यस्माकं युद्धेन द्रौपदीं हर
But if your mind is wicked, devoid of all righteousness, then give us your weapons and try to seize Draupadi by force.
अथ चेत्त्वमविज्ञाय इदं कर्म करिष्यसि। अधर्मं चाप्यकीर्तिं च लोके प्राप्स्यसि केवलं
But if you do this deed without understanding, you will gain only unrighteousness and infamy in the world.
एतामद्य परामृश्य स्त्रियं राक्षस मानुषीम्। विषमेतत्समालोड्य कुम्भेन प्राशितं त्वया
Consider well, O Rakshasa, this woman is human; having mixed this poison, you have drunk it from a cup.
ततो युधिष्ठिरस्तस्य भारिकः समपद्यत। स तु भाराभिभूतात्मा न तथा शीघ्रगोऽभवत्
Then Yudhishthira became the one to bear him; but, overwhelmed by the burden, he could not move swiftly.
अथाब्रवीद्द्रौपदीं च नकुलं च युधिष्ठिरः। मा भैष्टं राक्षसान्मूढाद्गतिरस्य मया हृता
Then Yudhishthira said to Draupadi and Nakula: 'Do not fear this foolish Rakshasa; I have taken away his course.'
नातिदूरे महबाहुर्भविता पवनात्मजः। अस्मिन्मुहूर्ते संप्राप्ते नभविष्यति राक्षसः
'Not far from here is the mighty son of the wind; when this moment arrives, the Rakshasa will not remain.'
सहदेवस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसं मूढचेतसम्। उवाच वचनं राजन्कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्
But Sahadeva, seeing that Rakshasa of deluded mind, spoke these words to King Yudhishthira, son of Kunti:
राजन्किं नाम सत्कृत्यं क्षत्रियस्यास्त्यतोऽधिकम्। यद्युद्धेऽभिमुखः प्राणांस्त्यजेच्छत्रुं जयेत वा
'O King, what greater honor is there for a Kshatriya than this: to give up life in battle facing the enemy, or to conquer him?'
एष वास्मान्वयं वैनं युध्यमानाः परंतप। सूदयेम महाबाहो देशः कालो ह्ययं नृप
'Whether he slays us or we slay him in battle, O mighty-armed one, let us fight! This is the place and time, O king.'
क्षत्रधर्मस्य संप्राप्तः कालः सत्यपराक्रम। जयन्तो हन्यमाना वा प्राप्तुमर्हाम सद्गतिम्
'The time has come for Kshatriya duty and true valor; whether victorious or slain, we shall attain the good path.'
राक्षसे जीवमानेऽद्य रविरस्तमियाद्यदि। नाहं ब्रूयां पुनर्जातु क्षत्रियोस्मीति भारत
'If this Rakshasa lives today and the sun sets, I will never again say, "I am a Kshatriya," O Bharata.'
भोभो राक्षस तिष्ठस्व सहदेवोस्मि पाण्डवः। हत्वा रवा मां नयस्वैनां हतो वा स्वप्स्यसीह वै
'Ho there, Rakshasa, stand your ground! I am Sahadeva, son of Pandu. Kill me and take her, or, if slain, you will sleep here.'
तदा ब्रुवति माद्रेये भीमसेनो यदृच्छया। प्रादृश्यत महाबाहुः सवज्र इव वासवः
As Madri's son spoke thus, Bhimasena, mighty-armed, appeared by chance, like Indra with his thunderbolt.
सोऽपश्यद्धातरौ तत्र द्रौपदीं च यशस्विनीम्। क्षितिस्थं सहदेवं च क्षिपन्तं राक्षसं तदा
There he saw the twins, and the illustrious Draupadi, and Sahadeva on the ground, at that moment hurling the Rakshasa.
मार्गाच्च राक्षसं मूढं कालोपहतचेतसम्। भ्रमन्तं तत्रतत्रैव दैवेन परिमोहितम्
He saw the deluded Rakshasa, his mind overpowered by fate, wandering here and there on the path, utterly bewildered by destiny.
हृतान्संदृश्य तान्भ्रातृन्द्रौपदीं च महाबलः। क्रोधमाहारयद्भीमो राक्षसंचेदमब्रवीत्
Beholding his brothers and Draupadi carried off, the mighty Bhima was seized with anger and spoke these words to the Rakshasa.
विज्ञातोऽसि मया पूर्वं चेष्टञ्शस्त्रपरीक्षणे। आस्था तु त्वयि मे नास्ति यतोसि न हतस्तदा
I recognized you before, when you acted to test weapons; yet I had no confidence in you, since you were not slain then.
ब्रह्मरूपप्रतिच्छन्नो न नो वदसि चाप्रियम्। प्रियेषु रममाणं त्वां न चैवाप्रियकारिणम्। ब्रह्मरूपेण विहितं नैव हन्यामनागसम्
Concealed in the form of a Brahmin, you have never spoken ill to us, nor acted harmfully toward those we love; one who is innocent, disguised as a Brahmin, should not be slain.
राक्षसं जानमानोऽपि यो हन्यान्नरकं व्रजेत्। अपक्वस्य च कालेन वधस्तव न विद्यते
Even knowing him to be a Rakshasa, whoever kills such a one goes to hell; and your death, before its time, is not ordained.