बलबन्धुर्निरामर्दः केतुशृङ्गो बृहद्बलः। धृष्टकेतुर्बृहत्केतुर्दीप्तकेतुर्निरामयः
Balabandhu, Niramarda, Ketushringa, Brihadbala, Dhrishtaketu, Brihatketu, Diptaketu, Niramaya—
अविक्षिच्चपलो धूर्तः कृतबन्धुर्दृढेषुधिः। महापुराणसंभाव्यः प्रत्यङ्गः परहा श्रुतिः
Avikshi, Chapala, Dhurta, Kritabandhu, Dridhesudhi, Mahapurana-sambhavya, Pratyanga, Paraha, Shruti—
एते चान्ये च राजानः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। श्रूयन्ते शतशश्चान्ये सङ्ख्याताश्चैव पद्मशः
And many other kings, by the hundreds and thousands, are heard of; and still others, counted by the hundreds and even by the millions.
हित्वा सुविपुलान्भोगान्बुद्धिमन्तो महाबलाः। राजानो निधनं प्राप्तास्तव पुत्रैर्महत्तरः
Abandoning vast enjoyments, wise and mighty kings have met their end—greater even than your sons.
येषां दिव्यानि कर्माणि विक्रमस्त्याग एव च। माहात्म्यमपि चास्तिक्यं सत्यं शौचं दयाऽर्जवम्
Their deeds were divine, their valor, renunciation, greatness, faith, truth, purity, compassion, and straightforwardness—
विद्वद्भिः कथ्यते लोके पुराणैः कविसत्तमैः। सर्वर्द्धिगुणसंपन्नास्ते चापि निधनं गताः
These are recounted in the world by the learned, by the best of poets in the ancient tales; yet even those endowed with all virtues have met their end.
तव पुत्रा दुरात्मानः प्रतप्ताश्चैव मन्युना। लुब्धा दुर्वृत्तभूयिष्ठा न ताञ्छोचितुमर्हसि
But your sons, of wicked nature, scorched by anger, greedy, and given to evil conduct—you should not grieve for them.
श्रुतवानसि मेधावी बुद्धिमान्प्राज्ञसंमतः। येषां शास्त्रानुगा बुद्धिर्न ते मुह्यन्ति भारत
You are learned, intelligent, and esteemed by the wise; those whose understanding follows the scriptures, O Bharata, do not become deluded.
निग्रहानुग्रहौ चापि विदितौ ते नराधिप। नात्यन्तमेवानुवृत्तिः कार्या ते पुत्ररक्षणे
You know well both restraint and favor, O king; you should not show excessive indulgence in protecting your sons.
भवितव्यं तथा तच्च नानुशोचितुमर्हसि। दैवं पुरुषकारेण को निवर्तितुमर्हति
What must be, will be; you should not grieve for it. Who can turn back destiny by human effort?
विधातृविहितं मार्गं न कश्चिदतिवर्तते। कालमूलमिदं सर्वं भावाभावौ सुखासुखे
No one can overstep the path ordained by the Creator; all existence and non-existence, pleasure and pain, have their root in Time.
कालः सृजति भूतानि कालः संहरते प्रजाः। संहरन्तं प्रजाः कालं कालः शमयते पुनः
Time creates beings, and Time withdraws creatures; even Time itself, when it withdraws beings, is again subdued by Time.
कालो विकुरुते भावान्सर्वांल्लोके शुभाशुभान्। कालः संक्षिपते सर्वाः प्रजा विसृजते पुनः
Time transforms all things in the world, both auspicious and inauspicious; Time contracts all creatures and then releases them again.
कालः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः। कालः सर्वेषु भूतेषु चरत्यविधतः समः
Time remains awake when all others sleep, for Time is truly insurmountable; Time moves impartially among all beings, ungoverned.
अतीतानागता भावा ये च वर्तन्ति सांप्रतम्। तान्कालनिर्मितान्बुद्ध्वा न संज्ञां हातुमर्हसि
Knowing that all things—past, future, and those existing now—are fashioned by Time, you should not abandon your awareness.
इत्येवं पुत्रशोकार्तं धृतराष्ट्रं जनेश्वरम्। आश्वास्य स्वस्थमकरोत्सूतो गावल्गणिस्तदा
Thus, the charioteer Gāvalgaṇa comforted King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who was afflicted by grief for his son, and restored his composure.
धृतराष्ट्रोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वा धृतिमेव समाश्रयत्। दिष्ट्येदमागतमिति मत्त्वा स प्राज्ञसत्तमः
And Dhṛtarāṣṭra, having heard this, took refuge in self-control, understanding, 'This has come to pass by destiny,' for he was wise and noble.
लोकानां च हितार्थाय कारुण्यान्मुनिसत्तमः। अत्रोपनिषदं पुण्यां कृष्णद्वैपायनोऽब्रवीत्
For the welfare of the worlds and out of compassion, the eminent sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana here spoke the sacred Upaniṣad.
विद्वद्भिः कथ्यते लोके पुराणे कविसत्तमैः। भारताध्ययनं पुण्यमपि पादमधीयतः। श्रद्दधानस्य पूयन्ते सर्वपापान्यशेषतः
It is said by the learned and by the foremost poets in the Purāṇas that even one who studies a single section of the Mahābhārata with faith is purified entirely of all sins.
देवा देवर्षयो ह्यत्र तथा ब्रह्मर्षयोऽमलाः। कीर्त्यन्ते शुमकर्माणस्तथा यक्षा महोरगाः
Here are praised the gods, the divine sages, the pure Brahmarṣis, as well as the Yakṣas and great serpents, all renowned for their noble deeds.
भगवान्वासुदेवश्च कीर्त्यतेऽत्र सनातनः। स हि सत्यमृतं चैव पवित्रं पुण्यमेव च
Here, too, is praised the blessed Vāsudeva, the eternal one, for he is truth, the law, purity, and merit itself.
शाश्वतं ब्रह्म परमं ध्रुवं ज्योतिः सनातनम्। यस्य दिव्यानि कर्माणि कथन्ति मनीषिणः
He is the eternal, supreme, unchanging Brahman, the everlasting light, whose divine deeds are recounted by the wise.
असत्सत्सदसच्चैव यस्माद्विश्वं प्रवर्तते। सन्ततिश्च प्रवृत्तिश्च जन्ममृत्युपुनर्भवाः
From him, both the existent and the non-existent, and all that is and is not, arise; succession, activity, birth, death, and rebirth all proceed from him.
अध्यात्मं श्रूयतें यत्र पञ्चभूतगुणात्मकम्। अव्यक्तादि परं यच्च स एव परिगीयते
Where the teaching of the Self is heard, composed of the qualities of the five elements, and that which is beyond the unmanifest is also praised as him.
यं ध्यायन्ति सदा मुक्ता ध्यानयोगबलान्विताः। प्रतिबिम्बमिवादर्शे पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्
Those who are ever liberated, endowed with the power of meditation and yoga, always contemplate him, seeing him established within themselves as a reflection in a mirror.
श्रद्दधानः सदा युक्तः सदा धर्मपरायणः। आसेवन्निममध्यायं नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते
A person who is ever faithful, ever disciplined, and always devoted to righteousness, by reciting this chapter, is freed from sin.
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायं भारतस्येममादितः। आस्तिकः सततं शृण्वन्न कृच्छ्रेष्ववसीदति
One who, with faith, constantly listens to this opening chapter of the Mahābhārata's Table of Contents, does not falter even in hardship.
उभे सन्ध्ये जपन्किंचित्सद्यो मुच्येत किल्बिषात्। अनुक्रमण्या यावत्स्यादह्नारात्र्या च संचितम्
By reciting even a little at both twilights, one is immediately freed from sin, as long as the recitation of the Table of Contents accumulates for day and night.
भारतस्य वपुर्ह्येतत्सत्यं चामृतमेव च। नवनीतं यथा दध्नो द्विपदां ब्राह्मणो यथा
This is truly the essence and the immortal substance of the Bharata, just as clarified butter is the essence of curds, and the Brahmin is the foremost among men.
आरण्यकं च वेदेभ्य ओषधिभ्योऽमृतं यथा। ह्रदानामुदधिः श्रेष्ठो गौर्वरिष्ठा चतुष्पदाम्
As the Aranyaka is to the Vedas, as nectar is to herbs, as the ocean is the best among lakes, and the cow is the foremost among quadrupeds—