कथं सा द्रौपदी कृष्णा क्लिश्यमाना दुरात्मभिः। शक्ता सती धार्तराष्ट्रान्नादहत्क्रोधचक्षुषा
How did that Kṛṣṇā Draupadī, though tormented by evil men, being virtuous, restrain her wrathful gaze from the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra?
कथं व्यसनिनं द्यूते पार्थौ माद्रीसुतौ तदा। अन्वयुस्ते नरव्याघ्रा बाध्यमाना दुरात्मभिः
How did the tiger-like sons of Madri, though harassed by the wicked, follow the Pārtha who was addicted to dice at that time?
कथं धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठः सुतो धर्मस्य धर्मवित्। अनर्हः परमं क्लेशं सोढवान्स युधिष्ठिरः
How did Yudhiṣṭhira, the best among upholders of dharma, the son of Dharma and knower of dharma, though undeserving, endure the utmost suffering?
कथं च बहुलाः सेनाः पाण्डवः कृष्णसारथिः। अस्यन्नेकोऽनयत्सर्वाः पितृलोकं धनंजयः
And how did Dhanaṃjaya, with Kṛṣṇa as his charioteer, subdue many armies, and alone send them all to the realm of the ancestors?
एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं यथावृत्तं तपोधन। यद्यच्च कृतवन्तस्ते तत्रतत्र महारथाः
Tell me all this as it truly happened, O possessor of austerity, and whatever else those great chariot-warriors did here and there.
क्षणं कुरु महाराज विपुलोऽयमनुक्रमः। पुण्याख्यानस्य वक्तव्यः कृष्णद्वैपायनेरितः
Wait a moment, O great king, for this is a vast enumeration; the sacred narrative spoken by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana must be told.
महर्षेः सर्वलोकेषु पूजितस्य महात्मनः। प्रवक्ष्यामि मतं कृत्स्नं व्यासस्यामिततेजसः
I shall declare the entire teaching of Vyāsa, the great sage of immeasurable splendor, honored in all the worlds.
इदं शतसहस्रं हि श्लोकानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। सत्यवत्यात्मजेनेह व्याख्यातममितौजसा
This hundred thousand verses of righteous deeds was explained here by Satyavatī's son, of boundless energy.
उपाख्यानैः सह ज्ञेयं श्राव्यं भारतमुत्तमम्। संक्षेपेण तु वक्ष्यामि सर्वमेतन्नराधिप
Together with its stories, the supreme Mahābhārata should be known and heard; but now, O king, I will briefly recount all this.
अध्यायानां सहस्रे द्वे पर्वणां शतमेव च। श्लोकानां तु सहस्राणि नवतिश्च दशैव च। ततोऽष्टादशभिः पर्वैः संगृहीतं महर्षिणा
It contains two thousand chapters and exactly one hundred sections; and ninety thousand and ten verses. The great sage composed it in eighteen books.
य इदं श्रावयेद्विद्वान्ये चेदं शृणुयुर्नराः। ते ब्रह्मणः स्थानमेत्य प्राप्नुयुर्देवतुल्यताम्
Whoever, being learned, recites this, and those men who listen to it, they attain the abode of Brahman and become equal to the gods.
इदं हि वेदैः समितं पवित्रमपि चोत्तमम्। श्राव्याणामुत्तमं चेदं पुराणमृषिसंस्तुतम्
Indeed, this is equal to the Vedas, pure and supreme; among things to be heard, this is the best, praised by the ancient seers.
अस्मिन्नर्थश्च कामश्च निखिलेनोपदेक्ष्यते। इतिहासे महापुण्ये बुद्धिश्च परिनैष्ठिकी
In this most holy epic, both purpose and desire are fully taught, as well as steadfast wisdom.
अक्षुद्रान्दानशीलांश्च सत्यशीलाननास्तिकान्। कार्ष्णं वेदमिमं विद्वाञ्छ्रावयित्वाऽर्थमश्नुते
A learned person who causes those of noble and truthful conduct, not of mean charity or atheism, to hear this Kārṣṇa Veda, obtains its reward.
भ्रूणहत्याकृतं चापि पापं जह्यादसंशयम्। इतिहासमिमं श्रुत्वा पुरुषोऽपि सुदारुणः
Even a person who has committed the terrible sin of killing an embryo, without doubt, is freed from that sin by hearing this epic.
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो राहुणा चन्द्रमा यथा। जयो नामेतिहासोऽयं श्रोतव्यो विजिगीषुणा
He is released from all sins, just as the moon is freed from Rāhu; this history called 'Jaya' should be heard by one who seeks victory.
महीं विजयते राजा शत्रूंश्चापि पराजयेत्। इदं पुंसवनं श्रेष्ठमिदं स्वस्त्ययनं महत्
A king conquers the earth and defeats his enemies; this is the best rite for begetting sons, this is a great blessing ceremony.
महिषीयुवराजाभ्यां श्रोतव्यं बहुशस्तथा। वीरं जनयते पुत्रं कन्यां वा राज्यभागिनीम्
It should be heard many times by the chief queen and the crown prince; it produces a heroic son or a daughter fit to inherit the kingdom.
धर्मशास्त्रमिदं पुण्यमर्थशास्त्रमिदं परम्। मोक्षशास्त्रमिदं प्रोक्तं व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना
This is a sacred treatise on dharma, the supreme treatise on artha, and is declared by Vyāsa of boundless wisdom to be a treatise on mokṣa.
धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च भरतर्षभ। यदिहास्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नेहास्ति न कुत्रचित्। इदं हि ब्राह्मणैर्लोके आख्यातं ब्राह्मणेष्विह
O best of the Bharatas, in dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa, whatever is here is found elsewhere; but what is not here is found nowhere. This has been declared by Brāhmaṇas in the world, and among Brāhmaṇas here.
संप्रत्याचक्षते चेदं तथा श्रोष्यन्ति चापरे। पुत्राः शुश्रूषवः सन्ति प्रेष्याश्च प्रियकारिणः
Now, others will recite this, and still others will hear it; there are sons eager to serve, and attendants who act with affection.
भरतानां महज्जन्म शृण्वतामनसूयताम्। नास्ति व्याधिभयं तेषां परलोकभयं कुतः
For those who listen without envy to the great birth of the Bharatas, there is no fear of disease, so how could there be fear of the next world?
शरीरेण कृतं पापं वाचा च मनसैव च। सर्वं संत्यजति क्षिप्रं य इदं शृणुयान्नरः
Whatever sin a man has committed by body, speech, or mind, he quickly abandons all of it if he listens to this.
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुण्यं स्वर्ग्यं तथैव च। कृष्णद्वैपायनेनेदं कृतं पुण्यचिकीर्षुणा
This was composed by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, wishing for merit; it brings fortune, fame, long life, merit, and heaven.
कीर्तिं प्रथयता लोके पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। अन्येषां क्षत्रियाणां च भूरिद्रविणतेजसाम्
Proclaiming the fame of the high-souled Pāṇḍavas in the world, and also of other Kṣatriyas rich in wealth and energy.
सर्वविद्यावदातानां लोके प्रथितकर्मणाम्। य इदं मानवो लोके पुण्यार्थे ब्राह्मणाञ्छुचीन्
Of all those pure in knowledge and renowned for their deeds in the world—whoever, for the sake of merit, causes pure Brāhmaṇas to hear this...
श्रावयेत महापुण्यं तस्य धर्मः सनातनः। कुरूणां प्रथितं वंशं कीर्तयन्सततं शुचिः
One should recite this supremely meritorious, eternal dharma, always recounting with purity the renowned lineage of the Kurus.
वंशमाप्नोति विपुलं लोके पूज्यतमो भवेत्। योऽधीते भारतं पुम्यं ब्राह्मणो नियतव्रतः
A Brahmin of disciplined vows who studies the sacred Bharata attains a vast lineage and becomes most revered in the world.
चतुरो वार्षिकान्मासान्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते। विज्ञेयः स च वेदानां पारगो भारतं पठन्
By reciting the Bharata, one is freed from all sins after four months each year, and is to be known as one who has crossed beyond the Vedas.
देवा राजर्षयो ह्यत्र पुण्या ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा। कीर्त्यन्ते धूतपाप्मानः कीर्त्यते केशवस्तथा
Here are praised the gods, royal sages, and holy brahmarshis, all purified of sin; and so too is Keshava extolled.