अविनाशमिच्छतां ब्राह्मणानां प्रायश्चित्तं विहितं यद्विधात्रा। संपश्येथाः कर्मसु वर्तमानान् विकर्मस्थान्सञ्जय गर्हयेस्त्वम्
For those Brahmanas who desire immortality, atonement is prescribed by the Creator. You should observe those engaged in action, and reproach those who act wrongly, Sanjaya.
मनीषिणां सत्त्विच्छेदनाय विधियते सत्सु वृत्तिः सदैव। अब्राह्मणाः सन्ति तु ये न वैद्याः सर्वोत्सङ्गं साधु मन्येत तेभ्यः
For the wise, conduct among the virtuous is always prescribed for the sake of preserving purity. But those who are not Brahmanas and not physicians should be regarded as wholly unsuitable.
तदध्वानः पितरो ये च पूर्वे पितामहा ये च तेभ्यः परेऽन्ये। यज्ञैषिणो ये च हि कर्म कुर्यु- र्नान्यं ततो नास्तिकोऽस्मीति मन्ये
Those ancestors who followed this path, and their fathers and grandfathers, and others beyond them; those who seek sacrifice and perform actions—none other than this, I consider, is the path, not atheism.
यत्किंचनेदं वित्तमस्यां पृथिव्यां यद्देवानां त्रिदशानां परं यत्। प्राजापत्यं त्रिदिवं ब्रह्मलोकं नाधर्मतः सञ्जय कामयेयम्
Whatever wealth is found on this earth, whatever is highest among the gods, whatever belongs to Prajapati, the heavenly realm, or Brahma's world—I would not desire it, Sanjaya, by unrighteous means.
धर्मेश्वरः कुशलो नीतिमांश्चा- प्युपासिता ब्राह्मणानां मनीषी। नानाविधांश्चैव महाबलांश्च राजन्यभोजाननुशास्ति कृष्णः
Krishna is a master of righteousness, skilled in policy, and wise, having served learned Brahmins; he governs various powerful kings and princes.
यदि ह्यहं विसृजत्साम गर्ह्यो नियुध्यमानो यदि जह्यां स्वधर्मम् । महायशाः केशवस्तद्ब्रवीतु वासुदेवस्तूभयोरर्थकामः
If, while being challenged, I were to abandon the path of peace or forsake my own duty, let the illustrious Keshava declare it; for Vasudeva desires the welfare of both sides.
शैनेयोऽयं चेदयश्चान्धकाश्च वार्ष्णेयभोजाः कुकुराः सृञ्जयाश्च । उपासीना वासुदेवस्य बुद्धिं निगृह्य शत्रून्सुहृदो नन्दयन्ति
If Satyaki, Kritavarma, the Andhakas, the Vrishnis, the Bhojas, the Kukuras, and the Srinjayas, all sit attending to Vasudeva’s counsel, they subdue their enemies and gladden their friends.
वृष्ण्यन्धका ह्युग्रसेनादयो वै कृष्णप्रणीताः सर्व एवेन्द्रकल्पाः । मनस्विनः सत्यपरायणाश्च महाबला यादवा भोगवन्तः
The Vrishnis, Andhakas, Ugrasena and others, all led by Krishna and equal to Indra, are thoughtful, devoted to truth, mighty, prosperous Yadavas.
काश्यो बभ्रुः श्रियमुत्तमां गतो लब्ध्वा कृष्णं भ्रातरमीशितारम् । यस्मै कामान्वर्षति वासुदेवो ग्रीष्मात्यये मेघ इव प्रजाऽभ्यः
Kashi’s king Babhru attained supreme prosperity, having Krishna, his brother and lord, by whose favor Vasudeva showers blessings as a cloud pours rain upon people at summer’s end.
ईदृशोऽयं केशवस्तात विद्वान् विद्धि ह्येनं कर्मणां निश्चयज्ञम्। प्रियश्च नः साधुतमश्च कृष्णो नातिक्रामे वचनं केशवस्य
Such is this wise Keshava, O father; know him as one who discerns the essence of action. Krishna is dear to us, the most virtuous; I would never disobey Keshava’s word.
अविनाशं सञ्जय पाण्डवाना- मिच्छाम्यहं भूतिमेषां प्रियं च। तथा राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य सूत समाशंसे बहुपुत्रस्य वृद्धिम्
O Sanjaya, I desire the safety, prosperity, and happiness of the Pandavas, and likewise I wish for the growth of King Dhritarashtra’s many sons.
कामो हि मे सञ्जय नित्यमेव नान्यद्ब्रूयां तान्प्रति शाम्यतेति। राज्ञश्च हि प्रियमेतच्छृणोमि मन्ये चैतत्पाण्डवानां समक्षम्
Indeed, Sanjaya, my constant wish is that they should make peace; I would say nothing else to them. I hear this is pleasing to the king, and I believe it is also so before the Pandavas.
सुदुष्करस्तत्र शमो हि नूनं प्रदर्शितः सञ्जय पाण्डवेन। यस्मिन्गृद्धो धृतराष्ट्रः सपुत्रः कस्मादेषां कलहो नावमूर्च्छेत्
There, Sanjaya, the peace shown by the Pandava is truly difficult; when Dhritarashtra and his sons are greedy, why should this conflict not intensify?
न त्वं धर्मं विचरं सञ्जयेह मत्तश्च जानामि युधिष्ठिराच्च अथो कस्मात्सज्जय पाण्डवस्य उत्साहिनः पूरयतः स्वकर्म
But you, Sanjaya, do not act according to righteousness here; I know this from myself and from Yudhishthira. So why, Sanjaya, do you hinder the energetic Pandava fulfilling his own duty?
यथाख्यातमावमतः कुटुम्बे पुरा कस्मान्साधुविलोपमात्थ। अस्मिन्विधौ वर्तमाने यथाव- दुच्चावचा मतयो ब्राह्मणानाम्
As previously declared in the family, why did you, considering yourself virtuous, approve of their destruction? In this situation, as it unfolds, the opinions of Brahmins are diverse, high and low.
कर्मणाऽऽहुः सिद्धिमेके परत्र हिन्वा कर्म विद्यया सिद्धिमेके। नाभुञ्जानो भक्ष्यभोज्यस्य तृप्ये- द्विद्वानपीह विहितं ब्राह्मणानाम्
Some say success comes from action alone, others from knowledge abandoning action; yet even a learned man here does not find satisfaction without partaking of what is prescribed for Brahmins.
या वै विद्याः साधयन्तीह कर्म तासां फलं विद्यते नेतरासाम्। तत्रेह वै दृष्टफलं तु कर्म पीत्वोदकं शाम्यति तृष्णयाऽऽर्तः
Those disciplines that accomplish action here bear fruit, not the others; here, action has visible results, just as one tormented by thirst is satisfied by drinking water.
सोऽयं विधिर्विहितः कर्मणैव संवर्तते सञ्जय तत्र कर्म। तत्र योऽन्यत्कर्मणः साधु मन्ये- न्मोघं तस्यालपितं दुर्बलस्य
Thus, this is the rule: action alone brings about results, Sanjaya; there, action is supreme. If someone thinks otherwise, his words are vain, the speech of the weak.
कर्मणाऽमी भान्ति देवाः परत्र कर्मणैवेह प्लवते मातरिश्वा। अहोरात्रे विदधत्कर्मणैव अतन्द्रितो नित्यमुदेति सूर्यः
By action, the gods shine in the next world; by action alone, the wind moves here. By action, the sun tirelessly rises every day and night.
मासार्धमासानथ नक्षत्रयोगा- नतन्द्रितश्चन्द्रमाश्चाभ्युपैति। अतन्द्रितो दहते जातवेदाः समिद्ध्यमानः कर्म कुर्वन्प्रजाभ्यः
The moon, without fatigue, attains its phases and conjunctions with stars month after month; the ever-vigilant fire, when kindled, burns for the people by its action.
अतन्द्रिता भारमिमं महान्तं बिभर्ति देवी पृथिवी वलेन। अतन्द्रिताः शीघ्रसपो वहन्ति सन्तर्पयन्त्यः सर्वभूतानि नद्यः
The goddess Earth, tirelessly, bears this great burden by her strength; the swift-flowing rivers, unwearied, carry their waters, nourishing all beings.
अतन्द्रितो वर्षति भूरितेजाः सन्नादयन्नन्तरिक्षं दिशश्च। अतन्द्रितो ब्रह्मचर्यं चचार श्रेष्ठत्वमिच्छन्बलभिद्देवतानाम्
The radiant one, unwearied, rains down, resounding through the sky and quarters; unwearied, Indra practiced brahmacharya, desiring supremacy among the gods.
हित्वा सुखं मनसश्च प्रियाणि तेन शक्रः कर्मणा श्रैष्ठ्यमाप। सत्यं धर्मं पालयन्नप्रमत्तो दमं तितिक्षां समतां प्रियं च
Having abandoned pleasure and the things dear to the mind, by that act Śakra attained supremacy; upholding truth and righteousness with vigilance, practicing self-control, forbearance, equanimity, and affection.
एतानि सर्वाण्युपसेवमानो यो देवराज्यं मघवान्प्राप मुख्यम्। बृहस्पतिर्ब्रह्मचर्यं चचार समीहितः संशिमात्मा यथावत्
By practicing all these virtues, Maghavan attained the foremost lordship among the gods; Bṛhaspati, with a steady mind, observed celibacy as was proper, striving for his aim.
हित्वा सुख प्रतिरुध्येन्द्रियाणि तेन देवानामगमद्गौरवं सः। तथा नक्षत्राणि कर्मणाऽमुत्र भान्ति रुद्रादित्या वसवोऽथापि विश्वे
Having renounced pleasure and restraining the senses, he gained honor among the gods by that; likewise, by their deeds, the stars shine there, as do the Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, and all the Viśve gods.
यमो राजा वैश्रवणः कुबेरो गन्धर्वयक्षाप्सरसश्च सूत। ब्रह्मविद्यां ब्रह्मचर्यं क्रियां च निपेवमाणा ऋषयोऽमुत्र भान्ति
Yama, King Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera), the Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Apsarases, and charioteers—by practicing sacred knowledge, celibacy, and rites, the sages shine there as well.
जानन्निमं सर्वलोकस्य धर्मं विप्रेन्द्राणां क्षत्रियाणां विशां च। स कस्मात्त्वं जानतां ज्ञानवान्सन् व्यायच्छसेक सञ्जय कौरवार्थे
Knowing this law of all the worlds, of the foremost brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and people—why, though knowing, O wise Sañjaya, do you hesitate regarding the cause of the Kauravas?
आम्नायेषु नित्यसंयोगमस्य तथाऽश्वमेधे राजसूये च विद्धि। संयुज्यते धनुपा वर्मणा च हस्त्यश्वाद्यै रथशस्त्रैश्च भूयः
Know that in the Vedas, as well as in the Aśvamedha and Rājasūya sacrifices, there is always association with weapons, armor, elephants, horses, chariots, and arms.
ते चेदिमे कौरवाणाम्रुपाय- मवगच्छेयुवधेनैव पार्थाः। धर्मत्राणं पुण्यमेषां कृतं स्या- दार्ये वृत्ते भीमसेनं निगृह्य
If these Kauravas understood this means, the Pāṇḍavas would be destroyed by killing; their act would be righteous and meritorious, restraining Bhīmasena in noble conduct.
ते चेत्पित्र्ये कर्मणि वर्तमाना आपद्येरन्दिष्टवशेन मृत्युम्। यथाशक्त्यापूरयन्तः स्वकर्म तदप्येषां निधनं स्यात्प्रशस्तम्
If, while performing ancestral duties, they should meet death by fate, fulfilling their own duties as best they can, even that end would be praiseworthy for them.