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.
प्रतिबुद्धः स वार्ष्णेयो ददर्शाग्रे किरीटिनाम्। सिंहासनगतं पश्चात्परिवृत्य च दृष्टवान्
When the descendant of Vrishni awoke, he saw Arjuna in front of him, seated, and then, turning, saw the other behind.
स तयोः स्वागतं कृत्वा यथावत्प्रतिपूज्य तौ । तदागमनजं हेतुं पप्रच्छ मधुसूदनः
Having welcomed both of them properly and honored them as was fitting, Madhusudana then asked the reason for their coming.
ततो दुर्योधनः कृष्णामुवाच प्रहसन्निव। विग्रहेऽस्मिन्भवान्साह्यं मम दातुमिहार्हति
Then Duryodhana, as if smiling, said to Krishna: 'In this conflict, you ought to grant your support to me.'
समं हि भवतः सख्यं मम चैवार्जुनेऽपि च। तथा संबन्धकं तुल्यमस्माकं त्वयि माधव
For your friendship is equal towards me and Arjuna, and our relationship with you, O Madhava, is the same.
अहं चाभिगतं सन्तो भजन्ते पूर्वसारिणः ।। त्वं च श्रेष्ठतमो लोके सतामद्य जनार्दन
I, too, honor those who approach me, as do the noble ones who have come before; and you, Janardana, are today the foremost among the virtuous in the world.
सततं संमतश्चैव सद्वृत्तमनुपालय
You are always esteemed, and you uphold righteous conduct.
भवानभिगतः पूर्वमत्र मे नास्ति संशयः। दृष्टस्तु प्रथमं राजन्मया पार्थो धनञ्जयः
You approached me first—of this I have no doubt; but, O King, I saw Partha Dhananjaya before you.
तव पूर्वाभिगमनात्पूर्वं चाप्यस्य दर्शनात् । साहाय्यमुभयोरेव करिष्यामि सुयोधन
Because he came before you and because I saw him first, O Suyodhana, I shall give assistance to both of you.
प्रवारणं तु बालानां पूर्वं कार्यमिति श्रुतिः। तस्मात्प्रवारणं पूर्वमर्हः पार्थो धनञ्जयः
The tradition is that the invitation is first offered to the younger; therefore, Partha Dhananjaya deserves the first choice.
मत्संहननतुल्यानां गोपानामर्बुदं महत्। नारायणा इति ख्याताः सर्वे संग्रामयोधिनः
There is a great multitude of cowherds, equal in strength to myself, known as the Narayanas—all renowned as warriors in battle.
ते वा युधि दुराधर्षा भवन्त्वेकस्य सैनिकाः । अयुध्यमानः संग्रामे न्यस्तशस्त्रोऽहमेकतः
Let these invincible fighters in battle be the army of one side; as for me, I shall be alone, unarmed, not fighting in the war.
आभ्यामन्यतरं पार्थ यत्ते हृद्यतरं मतम्। तद्वृणीतां भवानग्रे प्रवार्यस्त्वं हि धर्मतः
Of these two, Partha, choose whichever seems more pleasing to you; by right, you have the first choice.
एतद्विदित्वा कौन्तेय विचार्य च पुनः पुनः । तान्वा वरय साहाय्ये मां साचिव्येऽथवा पुनः
Knowing this, Kaunteya, and considering it again and again, choose them for assistance, or me for counsel, as you wish.
एवमुक्तस्तु कृष्णेन कुन्तीपुत्रे धनञ्जयः। अयुध्यमानं संग्रामे वरयामास केशवम्
Thus addressed by Krishna, Dhananjaya, son of Kunti, chose Kesava, who would not fight in battle.
नारायणममिघ्नं कामाज्जातमजं नृषु । सर्वक्षत्रस्य पुरतो देवदानवयोरपि
He chose Narayana, the sinless, the unaging, born among men, before all the Kshatriyas, and even before the gods and the asuras.
दुर्योधनस्तु तत्सैन्यं सर्वमावरयत्तदा । सहस्राणां महस्रं तु योधानां प्राप्य भारत
But Duryodhana then chose that entire army, gaining a great host of a thousand times a thousand warriors, O Bharata.
कृष्णं चापहृतं ज्ञात्वा संप्राप परमां मुदम् । दुर्योधनस्तु तत्सैन्यं सर्वमादाय पार्थिवः
Knowing that Krishna had been taken, Duryodhana, the prince, felt supreme joy and took that entire army.
ततोऽभ्ययाद्भीमबलो रौहिणेयं महाबलम् । सर्वं चागमने हेतुं स तस्मै संन्यवेदयत्। प्रत्युवाच ततः शौरिर्धार्तराष्ट्रमिदं वचः
Then Bhimasena, mighty as a lion, approached the powerful son of Rohini, and explained to him the entire reason for his coming; and then Sauri addressed this word to the son of Dhritarashtra.
विदितं ते नरव्याघ्र सर्वं भवितुमर्हति। यन्मयोक्तं विराटस्य पुरा वैवाहिके तदा
You know everything, tiger among men, and all that should happen; what I said before in the house of Virata at the wedding, that too.
निगृह्योक्तो हृषीकेशस्त्वदर्थं कुरुनन्दन। मया संबन्धकं तुल्यमिति राजन्पुनःपुनः
Restrained, Hrishikesha was told by me again and again, O joy of the Kurus, that for your sake I consider the alliance equal, O King.