संकुला च तदा भूमिश्चतुरङ्गवलान्विता। बलानि तेषां वीराणामागच्छन्ति ततस्ततः
Then the earth was crowded, filled with fourfold armies; the forces of those heroes came from all directions.
चालयन्तीव गां देवीं सपर्वतवनामिमाम्। ततः प्रज्ञावयोवृद्धं पाञ्चाल्यः स्वपुरोहितम्। कुरुभ्यः प्रेषयामास युधिष्ठिरमते स्थितः
As if shaking this goddess earth with her mountains and forests, then the son of Drupada, steadfast in Yudhishthira's counsel, sent his own family priest, wise and aged, to the Kurus.
भूतानां प्राणिनः श्रेष्ठाः प्राणिनां बुद्धिजीविनः। बुद्धिमत्सु नराः श्रेष्ठा नरेष्वपि द्विजातयः
Among beings, living creatures are the highest; among living creatures, those endowed with intellect; among the intelligent, men are the best; and among men, the twice-born.
द्विजेषु वैद्याः श्रेयांसो वैद्येषु कृतबुद्धयः। कृतबुद्धिषु कर्तारः कर्तृषु ब्रह्मवादिनः
Among the twice-born, physicians are superior; among physicians, those of firm understanding; among the resolute, the doers; and among doers, those who speak of Brahman.
स भवान्कृबुद्धीनां प्रधान इति मे मतिः । कुलेन च विशिष्टोऽसि वयसा च श्रुतेन च। प्रज्ञया सदृशश्चासि शुक्रेणाङ्गिरसेन च
You are, in my view, foremost among the wise; you are distinguished by lineage, by age, by learning, and your wisdom is comparable to that of Shukra and Angiras.
विदितं चापि ते सर्वं यथावृत्तः स कौरवः । पाण्डवश्च यथावृत्तः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
And you know everything: how that Kaurava acted, and how Pandava Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, acted as well.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य विदिते वञ्चिताः पाण्डवाः परैः । विदुरेणानुनीतोऽपि पुत्रमेवानुवर्तते
Though Dhritarashtra knows, the Pandavas were deceived by others; even when counseled by Vidura, he follows only his son.
शकुनिर्बुद्धिपूर्वं हि कुन्तीपुत्रं समाह्वयत् । अनक्षज्ञं मताक्षः सन्क्षत्रवृत्ते स्थितं शुचिम्
For Shakuni, with cunning, challenged the son of Kunti—who did not know the dice, who was pure, and steadfast in the conduct of a kshatriya.
ते तथा वञ्चयित्वा तु धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम् । न कस्यांचिदवस्थायां राज्यं दास्यन्ति वै स्वयम्
Thus having deceived King Yudhishthira, they will never willingly give back the kingdom under any circumstance.
भवांस्तु धर्मसंयुक्तं धृतराष्ट्रं ब्रुवन्वचः । मनांसि तस्य योधानां ध्रुवमावर्तयिष्यति
But if you speak words of righteousness to Dhritarashtra, surely the minds of his warriors will be turned.
विदुरश्चापि तद्वाक्यं साधयिष्यति तावकम्। भीष्मद्रोणकृपादीनां भेदं संजनयिष्यति
And Vidura too will support those words for your side, and will cause division among Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, and the others.
अमात्येषु च भिन्नेषु योधेषु विमुखेषु च। पुनरेकत्र करणं तेषां कर्म भविष्यति
When the ministers are divided and the warriors are disaffected, their actions will again become unified in one place.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे पार्थाः सुखमेकाग्रबुद्धयः। सेनाकर्म करिष्यन्ति द्रव्याणां चैव सञ्चयम्
Meanwhile, the sons of Pritha, with minds at ease and focused, will carry out the tasks of the army and the gathering of resources.
भिद्यमानेषु च स्वेषु लम्बमाने तथा त्वयि। न तथा ते करिष्यन्ति सेनाकर्म न संशयः
When your own people are divided and you yourself are hesitant, your army will not act as effectively—of this there is no doubt.
एतत्प्रयोजनं चात्र प्राधान्येनोपलभ्यते। संगत्या धृतराष्ट्रश्च कुर्याद्धर्म्यं वचस्तव
This is the main purpose to be understood here: that by coming together, Dhritarashtra might act according to your righteous words.
स भवान्धर्मयुक्तश्च धर्म्यं तेषु समाचरन् । कृपालुषु परिक्लेशान्पाण्डवीयान्प्रकीर्तयन्
Therefore, you, being righteous, should act justly among them, and speak of the hardships of the Pandavas to those who are compassionate.
वृद्धेषु कुलधर्मं च ब्रुवन्पूर्वैरनुष्ठितम् । विभेत्स्यति मनांस्येषमिति मे नात्र संशयः
Declaring the ancestral code of conduct, as practiced by the elders, among the aged, he will unsettle the minds of these men—of this I have no doubt.
न च तेभ्यो भयं तेऽस्ति ब्राह्मणो ह्यसि वेदवित् । दूतकर्मणि युक्तश्च स्थविरश्च विशेषतः
And you have nothing to fear from them, for you are a Brahmin, learned in the Vedas, especially suited for the role of envoy, and advanced in years.
स भवान्पुष्ययोगेन मुहूर्तेन जयेन च। कौरवेयान्प्रयात्वाशु कौन्तेयस्यार्थसिद्धये
Therefore, with the auspicious conjunction of Pushya and the victorious hour, you should quickly go to the Kauravas for the accomplishment of the son of Kunti’s purpose.
तथाऽनुशिष्टः प्रययौ द्रुपदेन महात्मना। पुरोधा वृत्तसंपन्नो नगरं नागसाह्वयम्
Thus instructed by the great-souled Drupada, the accomplished priest set out for the city called Nagasahvaya.
शिष्यैः परिवृतो विद्वान्नीतिशास्त्रार्थकोविदः । पाण्डवानां हितार्थाय कौरवान्प्रतिजग्मिवान्
Surrounded by his disciples, learned and skilled in the meaning of the science of polity, he went to the Kauravas for the benefit of the Pandavas.
पुरोहितं ते प्रस्थाप्य नगरं नागसाह्वयम्। दूतान्प्रस्थापयामासुः पार्थिवेभ्यस्ततस्ततः
Having dispatched his priest to the city called Nagasahvaya, he then sent messengers to various kings.
प्रस्थाप्य दूतानन्यत्र द्वारकां पुरुषर्षभः । स्वयं जगाम कौरव्यः कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः
After sending messengers elsewhere, the son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, himself went to Dvaraka, O best of men.
गते द्वारवतीं कृष्ण बलदेवे च माधवे। सह वृष्ण्यन्धकैः सर्वैर्भोजैश्च शतशस्तदा
When Krishna, Madhava, and Baladeva had gone to Dvaravati, all the Vrishnis, Andhakas, and hundreds of Bhojas went with them.
सर्वमागमयामास पाण्डवानां विचेष्टितम् । धृतराष्ट्रात्मजो राजा गूढैः प्रणिहितैश्चरैः
King Dhritarashtra’s son, using hidden and trusted spies, learned of all the activities of the Pandavas.
स श्रुत्वा माधवं यान्तं सदश्वैरनिलोपमैः । बलेन नातिमहता द्वारकामभ्ययात्पुरीम्
Hearing that Madhava was going with horses swift as the wind and not with a great army, he went to the city of Dvaraka.
तमेव दिवसं चापि कौन्तेयः पाण्डुनन्दनः । आनन्रतनगरीं रम्यां जगामाशु धनञ्जयः
That very day, Dhananjaya, the joy of the Pandavas, quickly went to the delightful city of Anarta.
तौ यात्वा पुरुषव्याघ्रौ द्वारकां कुरुनन्दनौ । सुप्तं ददृशतुः कृष्णं शयानं चाभिजग्मतुः
Those two tigers among men, the sons of Kuru, having arrived at Dvaraka, saw Krishna asleep and approached him as he lay.
दुर्योधनस्तु प्रथमं वासुदेवमुपाश्रयत् । उच्छीर्षतश्च कृष्णस्य निषसाद वरासने
Duryodhana was the first to reach Vasudeva and sat at Krishna’s head on a fine seat.
ततः किरीटी तस्यानु प्रविवेश महामनाः । पश्चार्धे तु स कृष्णस्य प्रह्वोऽतिष्ठत्कृताञ्जलिः
Then the diademed Arjuna entered after him, and stood at Krishna’s feet, with joined palms, in humility.