न युज्यते कर्म युष्मासु हीनं सत्वं हि वस्तादृशं भीमसेनाः । उद्भासते ह्यञ्जनबिन्दुवत्त- च्छुभ्रे वस्त्रे यद्भवेत्किल्बिषं वः
No ignoble act is found among you; your character is as it should be, O Bhimasena. If there were any stain among you, it would stand out like a spot of ointment on a pure white cloth.
सर्वक्षयो दृश्यते यत्र कृत्स्नः पापोदयो भावसंस्थः कुरूणाम्। कस्तत्र कुर्याञ्जातु कर्म प्रजानन् पराजयो यत्र समो जयश्च
Where total destruction is seen, where evil arises and dwells among the Kurus, who, knowing this, would ever act there, where defeat and victory are equal?
ते वै धन्या यैः कृतं ज्ञातिकार्यं ते वै पुत्राः सुहृदो बान्धवाश्च। उपक्रुष्टं जीवितं सन्त्यजेयु- र्यतः कुरूणां नियतो वै भवः स्यात्
Blessed are those by whom the duty toward kin has been fulfilled; they are true sons, friends, and relatives. Such ones would abandon a life that has been sullied, for the fate of the Kurus is indeed fixed.
ते चेत्कुरूननुशिष्याथ पार्था निर्णीय सर्वान्द्विषतो निगृह्य। समं वस्तज्जीवितं मृत्युन स्या- द्यज्जीवध्वं ज्ञातिवधेन साधु
If you, O Parthas, instruct the Kurus, having decided and restrained all adversaries, then let your lives be equally subject to death; for living by slaying kin is not righteous.
को ह्येव युष्मान्सह केशवेन सचेकितानान्पार्षतबाहुगुप्तान्। ससात्यकीन्विषहेत प्रजेतुं लब्ध्वाऽपि देवान्सचिवान्सहेन्द्रान्
Who indeed, together with you and Keshava, could withstand the Cekitānas, the sons of Prishata, and the Sātyakis, to conquer them—even after gaining the gods, their counselors, and Indra himself?
को वा कुरून्द्रोणभीष्माभिगुप्ता- नश्वत्थाम्ना शल्यकृपादिभिश्च। रणे विजेतुं विषहेत राजन् राधेयगुप्तान्सह भूमिपालैः
Who, O King, could endure to conquer in battle the Kurus protected by Drona and Bhishma, by Ashvatthama, Shalya, Kripa, and others, and those guarded by Radheya along with the kings of the earth?
महद्बलं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य राज्ञः को वै शक्तो हन्तुमक्षीयमाणः । सोऽहं जये चैव पराजये च निःश्रेयसं नाधिगच्छामि किंचित्
Who is able, without being destroyed, to slay the great force of King Dhritarashtra's sons? Whether in victory or defeat, I find no supreme good for myself.
कथं हि नीचा इव दौष्कुलेया निर्धर्मार्थं कर्म कुर्युश्च पार्थाः । सोऽहं प्रसाद्य प्रणतो वासुदेवं पञ्चालानामधिपं चैव वृद्धम्
How could the Parthas, as if base-born or ignoble, perform actions devoid of righteousness and purpose? Therefore, I, having appeased and bowed to Vasudeva and the aged lord of the Panchalas,
कृताञ्जलिः शरणं वः प्रपद्ये कथं स्वस्ति स्यात्कुरुसृञ्जयानाम्। न ह्येवमेवं वचनं वासुदेवो धनञ्जयो वा जातु किंचिन्न कुर्यात्
With hands joined, I seek refuge with you. How may well-being come to the Kurus and the Srinjayas? For neither Vasudeva nor Dhananjaya would ever act otherwise, nor do anything at all.
प्रणान्दद्याद्याचमानः कुतोऽन्य- देतद्विद्वन्साधनार्थं ब्रवीमि । एतद्राज्ञो भीष्मपुरोगमस्य मतं यद्वः शान्तिरिहोत्तमा स्यात्
How could one who begs for mercy offer salutations? Therefore, O wise one, I speak this for the sake of reconciliation. This is the opinion of the king, with Bhishma at the head, that the highest peace may be attained here.
कां नु वाचं सञ्जय मे शृणोषि। युद्धैषिणीं येन युद्धाद्बिभेषि । अयुद्धं वै तात युद्धाद्गरीयः कस्तल्लब्ध्वा जातु युद्ध्येत सूत
What words of mine, O Sanjaya, do you hear? Words desiring battle, by which you fear war. Non-war, O son, is greater than war; who, having attained it, would ever choose to fight, O charioteer?
अकुर्वतश्चेत्पुरुषस्य सञ्जय सिद्ध्येत्सङ्कल्पो मनसा यं यमिच्छेत्। न कर्म कुर्याद्विदितं ममैत- दन्यत्र युद्धाद्बहु यल्लघीयः
If a man does not act, O Sanjaya, his resolve would be fulfilled by whatever he desires in his mind. He would not perform any deed known to me, except for war, which is much lighter than many others.
कुतो युद्धं जातु नरोऽवगच्छे- त्को देवशप्तो हि वृणीत युद्धम्। सुखैषिणः कर्म कुर्वन्ति पार्था धर्मादहीनं यच्च लोकस्य पथ्यम्
How could a man ever understand war? Who, cursed by the gods, would choose battle? The Parthas perform actions seeking happiness, and what is devoid of righteousness, though it is the path of the world.
धर्मोदयं सुखमाशंसमानाः कृच्छ्रोपायं तत्त्वतः कर्म दुःखम्। सुखं प्रेप्सुर्विजिघांसुश्च दुःखं कर्मारभेद्यच्च धर्मानपेतम्
Those who hope for happiness from the rise of righteousness, know truly that action through hardship is suffering. One who desires happiness and wishes to avoid suffering undertakes action that is not devoid of righteousness.
क इन्द्रियाणां प्रीतिवशानुरानां कर्माभिज्ञः स्वशरीरं दुनोति। यया प्रमुक्तो न करोति दुःखं तृष्णां त्यजेत्सर्वधर्मादपेताम्
Who, knowledgeable of action, harms his own body, being led by the pleasure of the senses? One who is freed from such does not perform suffering; he abandons craving, which is devoid of all righteousness.
सहास्माभिर्धृतराष्ट्रस्य राज्ञः
Together with us is King Dhritarashtra.
कथं त्वस्मान्संप्रणुदेत्कुरुभ्यः
How then could he urge us against the Kurus?
अत्रैव स्यादवुधस्यैव कामः। प्रायः शरीरे हृदयं दुनोति
Here itself, the desire of the unarmed would arise; generally, the heart suffers within the body.
स्वयं राजा विषमस्थः परेषु सामर्थ्यमन्विच्छति तन्न साधु। यथाऽऽत्मनः पश्यति वृत्तमेव तथा परेतामपि सोऽभ्युपैति
The king himself, placed in adversity among others, seeks power, but that is not good. As he observes his own conduct, so he approaches the conduct of others.
आसन्नमग्निं तु निदाघकाले गम्भीरकक्षे गहने विसृज्य। यथा विवृद्धं वायुवशेन शोचे- त्क्षेमं मुमुक्षुः शिशिरव्यपाये
Just as one, in the heat of summer, leaves a deep chamber near a fire, and, as the wind grows, grieves, longing for safety when the cool season departs.
प्राप्तैश्वर्यो धृतराष्ट्रोऽद्य राजा लालप्यते सञ्जय कस्य हेतोः । प्रगृह्य दुर्बुद्धिमनार्जवे रतं पुत्रं मन्दं मूढममन्त्रिणं तु
Dhritarashtra, now a king possessing wealth, indulges himself, Sanjaya— for what reason? He clings to his foolish, dishonest son, who is slow-witted, misguided, and without good counsel.
अनाप्तवच्चाप्ततमस्य वाचः सुयोधनो विदुरस्यावमत्य। सुतस्य राजा धृतराष्ट्रः प्रियैषी संबुध्यमानो विशतेऽधर्ममेव
Suyodhana disregards Vidura's words, treating them as if they came from an outsider, though he is the wisest of kin. Dhritarashtra, wishing only for his son's happiness, knowingly turns toward unrighteousness.
मेधाविनं ह्यर्थकामं कुरूणां बहुश्रुतं वाग्मिनं शीलवन्तम् । स तं राजा धृतराष्ट्रः कुरुभ्यो न सस्मार विदुरं पुत्रकाम्यात्
Though Vidura is intelligent, wise in affairs, learned, eloquent, and virtuous among the Kurus, King Dhritarashtra, out of love for his son, did not remember him for the sake of the Kurus.
मानघ्नस्यासौ मानकामस्य चेर्षोः संरम्भिणश्चार्थधर्मातिगस्य। दुर्भाषिणो मन्युवशानुगस्य कामात्मनो दौर्हृदैर्भावितस्य
That son is a destroyer of honor, greedy for respect, envious, quick to anger, transgressing both profit and righteousness, harsh in speech, led by wrath, self-indulgent, and shaped by ill intentions.
अनेयस्याश्रेयसो दीर्घमन्यो- र्मित्रद्रुहः सञ्जय पापबुद्धेः। सुतस्य राजा धृतराष्ट्रः प्रियैषी प्रपश्यमानः प्राजहाद्धर्मकामौ
Understand, Sanjaya, that the king, seeking his son's welfare, abandoned righteousness and desire for virtue, even as he saw his son, who is unrestrained, hostile to friends, long-minded in evil, and of wicked intellect.
तदैव मे सञ्जय दीव्यतोऽभू- न्मतिः कुरूणामागतः स्यादभावः । काव्यां वाचं विदुरो भाषमाणो न विन्दते यद्धार्तराष्ट्रात्प्रशंसाम्
Even as I played at dice, Sanjaya, I realized then that the Kurus were headed for ruin. When Vidura, speaking wise words, found no praise from Dhritarashtra's side, it was clear.
क्षत्तुर्यदा नान्ववर्तन्त बुद्धिं कृच्छ्रं कुरून्सूत तदाऽभ्याजगाम। यावत्प्रज्ञामन्ववर्तन्त तस्य तावत्तेषां राष्ट्रवृद्धिर्बभूव
When the Kshatriya (Vidura) was no longer heeded, O charioteer, hardship came upon the Kurus. As long as they followed his wisdom, their kingdom prospered.
तदर्थलुब्धस्य निबोध मेऽद्य ये मन्त्रिणो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सूत। दुःशासनः शकुनिः सूतपुत्रो गावल्गणे पश्य संमोहमस्य
Now hear from me, Sanjaya, who the counselors are for Dhritarashtra's greedy son: Duhshasana, Shakuni, the charioteer's son (Karna), and Gavalgana— see the delusion that surrounds him.
सोऽहं न पश्यामि परीक्षमाणः कथं स्वस्ति स्यात्कुरुसृञ्जयानाम् । आत्तैश्वर्यो धृतराष्ट्रः परेभ्यः प्रव्राजिते विदुरे दीर्घदृष्टौ
Examining the situation, I do not see how there could be well-being for the Kurus and Srinjayas. Dhritarashtra, having seized power from others, let Vidura, who saw far ahead, go into exile.
आशंसते वै धृतराष्ट्रः सपुत्रो महाराज्यमसपत्नं पृथिव्याम्। तस्मिञ्शमः केवलं नोपलभ्यः सर्वं स्वकं मद्गते मन्यतेऽर्थम्
Dhritarashtra, together with his son, hopes for a great, unrivaled kingdom on earth. In this, he finds no peace, and considers all wealth as belonging to himself alone.