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.
यत्तत्कर्णो मन्यते पारणीयं युद्धे गृहीतायुधमर्जुनं वै । आसंश्च युद्धानि पुरा महान्ति कथं कर्णो नाभवद्द्वीप एषाम्
What Karna thinks can be accomplished— to defeat Arjuna, armed for battle— is unfounded. There have been great wars before; how then did Karna not become their protector?
कर्णश्च जानाति सुयोधनश्च द्रोणश्च जानाति पितामहश्च। अन्ये च ये कुग्वस्तत्र सन्ति यथाऽर्जुनान्नाम्त्यपरो धनुर्धरः
Karna knows, Suyodhana knows, Drona knows, and the grandsire knows— and others, too, who are present there— that none among the bowmen can surpass Arjuna.
जानन्त्येतन्कुरवः सर्व एव ये चाप्यन्ये भूमिपालाः समेताः। दुर्योधने राज्यमिहाभवद्यथा अरिन्दमे फाल्गुनेऽविद्यमाने
All the Kurus know this, as do the other assembled kings: Duryodhana's rule here would only be possible if Phalguna, the subduer of enemies, did not exist.
तेनानुबन्धं मन्यते धार्तराष्ट्रः शक्यं हर्तुं पाण्डवानां ममत्वम् । किरीटिना तालमात्रायुधेन तद्वेदिना संयुगं तत्र गत्वा
Yet Dhritarashtra's son believes that, through alliance, he can seize the Pandavas' share. But when the diademed Arjuna, with his mighty bow, enters the battle, knowing the truth, what then?
गाण्डीवविष्फारितशब्दमात्रं श्रुत्वैव ते धार्तराष्ट्रा म्रियन्ते। क्रुद्धं न चेदीक्षते भीमसेनं सुयोधनो मन्यते सिद्धमर्थम्
At the mere sound of Gandiva's string, the sons of Dhritarashtra perish. If Suyodhana does not see the wrathful Bhimasena, he thinks his purpose is achieved.
इन्द्रोऽप्येतन्नोत्सहेत्तात हर्तु- मैश्वर्यं नो जीवति भीमसेने। धनञ्जये नकुले चैव सूत तथा वीरे सहदेवेऽसहिष्णौ
Even Indra could not take away this sovereignty while Bhimasena lives— nor while Dhananjaya, Nakula, and the mighty, intolerant Sahadeva stand, O charioteer.
सचेदेतां प्रतिपद्येत बुद्धिं वृद्धो राजा सह पुत्रेण सूत। एवं रणे पाण्डवकोपदग्धा न नश्येयुः सञ्जय धार्तराष्ट्राः
If the aged king, together with his son, would adopt this understanding, then, Sanjaya, the sons of Dhritarashtra, scorched by the Pandavas' wrath in battle, would not perish.
जानामि त्वं क्लेशमस्मासु वृत्तं त्वां पूजयन्मञ्जयाहं क्षमेयम्। वच्चास्माकं कौरवैर्भृतपूर्वं या नो वृत्तिधार्तराष्ट्रे तदाऽऽसीत्
I know, Sanjaya, the hardship that has befallen us. Honoring you, I could endure it. What was once provided to us by the Kauravas— that livelihood under Dhritarashtra— is now gone.
अद्यापि सा तत्र तथैव वर्ततां यान्ति गमिष्यामि यथा न्वमात्थ । द्वन्द्राप्रव्ये भवतु ममैव राज्यं सूयोधनो यच्छतु भाग्नाग्र्यः
Even now, let her remain there just as she is; I will go as you have said. Let the kingdom be mine only in the event of a duel; let Suyodhana, the foremost of my cousins, grant it.
धर्मनित्या पाण्डव ते विचेष्टा लोके श्रुता दृश्यते चापि पार्थ । महाश्रावं जीवित चाप्यनित्यं संपश्य त्वं पाण्डव मा व्यनीनशः
O Pandava, your conduct is always rooted in righteousness; it is renowned and visible in the world, O Partha. Fame is great, but life is impermanent—see this, Pandava, and do not act rashly.