वचनं वचनज्ञस्य शिक्षाक्षरसमन्वितम्। मनःप्रह्लादनं श्रेष्ठं पश्चाद्धृदयतापनम्
The speech of that knower of words, adorned with the marks of instruction, was supremely pleasing to the mind, but afterward brought pain to the heart.
सञ्जयैतद्वचो ब्रूयाः प्राप्य क्षत्रियसंसदम्। श्रृण्वतः कुरुवृद्धस्य आचार्यस्य च धीमतः
Sanjaya, speak these words when you reach the assembly of kings, in the hearing of the aged Kuru and the wise teacher.
अर्थांस्त्यजत पार्थेषु सुखमाप्नुत कामजम्। प्रियं प्रियेभ्यश्चरत राजा हि त्वरते जये
Abandon your aims regarding the sons of Pritha, gain the happiness born of desire; do what is dear to your loved ones, for the king is eager for victory.
यजध्वं विविधैर्यज्ञैर्दक्षिणाश्च प्रयच्छत। पुत्रेर्दारैश्च मोदध्वमागतं वो महद्भयम्
Perform sacrifices of various kinds, give gifts; rejoice with your sons and wives, for great fear has come upon you.
ऋणं प्रवृद्धमिव मे हृदयान्नापसर्पति। गोविन्देति यदाक्रन्दत्कृष्णा मां दूरवासिनम्
A debt, grown vast, does not depart from my heart—when Krishna cried out to me, 'Govinda!' though I was far away.
तेजोमयं दुराधर्पं बिभ्रता गाण्डिवं धनुः। मद्द्वितीयेन पार्थेन वैरं वः प्रत्युपस्थितम्
Bearing the Gandiva bow, radiant with energy, unconquerable, with Partha as my second, your enmity has come upon you.
कृष्णस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा महन्मे भयमाविशत्। तव पुत्रस्य लोभं च वर्धमानं प्रपश्यतः
Hearing these words of Krishna, great fear entered me, as I saw the ever-growing greed of your son.
सोमेन्द्रसदृशौ वीरौ तौ मन्दो नावबुध्यते। भीष्मद्रोणाश्रयाच्चैव कर्णस्य च विकत्थनात्
Those two heroes, like Soma and Indra, are not recognized by the dull-witted, due to reliance on Bhishma and Drona, and the boasting of Karna.
पृच्छामि त्वां सञ्जय राजमध्ये किमब्रवीद्वाक्यमदीनसत्वः। धनञ्जयस्तात युधां प्रेणता दुरात्मनां जीवितच्छिन्महात्मा
I ask you, Sanjaya, in the midst of the kings: what did the undaunted Arjuna say, the great-souled one, destroyer of the lives of the wicked, bowing to the warriors?
दुर्योधनो वाचमिमां श्रृणोतु यदब्रवीदर्जुनो योत्स्यमानः। युधिष्ठिरस्यानुमते महात्मा धनञ्जयः श्रृण्वतः केशवस्य
Let Duryodhana hear these words that Arjuna spoke, prepared for battle, with the consent of the great-souled Yudhishthira, as Krishna listened.
अवित्रस्तो बाहुवीर्यं विजान- न्नुपह्वरे वासुदेवस्य धीरः। अवोचन्मां योत्स्यमानः किरीटी मध्ये ब्रूया धार्तराष्ट्रं कुरूणाम्
Unafraid, knowing the mighty strength of Vāsudeva, the steadfast Kiritin said to me in private: 'When I am about to fight, speak these words of mine in the midst of the Kauravas and Dhārtarāṣṭras.'
संश्रृण्वतस्तस्य दुर्भाषिणो वै दुरात्मनः सूतपुत्रस्य सूत। यो योद्धुमाशंसति मां सदैव मन्दप्रज्ञः कालपक्वोऽतिमूढः
In the hearing of that ill-speaking, wicked son of a sūta, who always foolishly and arrogantly desires to fight me, though his mind is dull and his time is ripe for destruction—
ये वै राजानः पाण्डवायोधनाय समानीताः श्रृण्वतां चापि तेषाम् । यथा समग्रं वचनं मयोक्तं सहामात्यं श्रावयेथा नृपं तत
And to those kings who have been gathered for battle against the Pāṇḍavas, and in the hearing of all their ministers, you must announce to the king exactly as I have spoken.
यथा नूनं देवराजस्य देवाः शुश्रूषन्ते वज्रहस्तस्य सर्वे। तथाऽश्रृण्वन्पाण्डवाः सृञ्जयाश्च किरीटिना वाचमुक्तां समर्थाम्
Just as all the gods listen to the king of the gods, the wielder of the thunderbolt, so too did the Pāṇḍavas and the Sṛñjayas listen to the powerful words spoken by Kiritin.
इत्यब्रवीदर्जुनो योत्स्यमानो गाण्डीवधन्वा लोहितपद्मनेत्रः। न चेद्राज्यं मुञ्चति धार्तराष्ट्रो यधिष्ठिरस्याजमीढस्य राज्ञः
Thus spoke Arjuna, the wielder of Gāṇḍīva, his eyes red as lotuses, as he prepared to fight: 'If the Dhārtarāṣṭra does not relinquish the kingdom to Yudhiṣṭhira, the sinless king—'
अस्ति नूनं कर्म कृतं पुरस्ता- दनिर्विष्टं पापकं धार्तराष्ट्रैः। येषां युद्धं भीमसेनार्जुनाभ्यां तथाश्विभ्यां वासुदेवेन चैव
Surely, there is some evil deed done in the past, not yet exhausted, by the Dhārtarāṣṭras, for whom battle with Bhīmasena, Arjuna, the Aśvins, and Vāsudeva has now come.
शैनयेन ध्रुवमात्तायुधेन धृष्टद्युम्नेनाथ शिखण्डिना च। युधिष्ठिरेणेन्द्रकल्पेन चैव योऽपध्यानान्निर्दहेद्गां दिवं च
With Śaineya, ever armed, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍin, and Yudhiṣṭhira, who is like Indra—one whose resolve could burn both earth and heaven by his very thought—
तैश्चेद्योद्धुं मन्यते धार्तराष्ट्रो निर्वृत्तोऽर्थः सकलः पाण्डवानाम्। मा तत्कार्षीः पाण्डवस्यार्थहेतो- रुपैहि युद्धं यदि मन्यसे त्वम्
If the Dhārtarāṣṭra thinks to fight with these, then all the aims of the Pāṇḍavas are already fulfilled. Do not act against the Pāṇḍava's cause; go to battle only if you truly desire it.
यां तां वने दुःखशय्यामवात्सी- त्प्रव्राजितः पाण्डवो धर्मचारी। आप्नोतु तां दुःखतरामनर्था- मन्त्यां शय्यां धार्तराष्ट्रः पराशुः
May the Dhārtarāṣṭra, the axe, obtain that bed of suffering, even greater in misery, which the righteous Pāṇḍava endured in exile in the forest.
ह्रिया ज्ञानेन तपसा दमेन शौर्येणाथो धर्मगुप्त्या धनेन। अन्यायवृत्तिः कुरु पाण्डवे या- नध्यातिष्ठद्धार्तराष्ट्रो दुरात्मा
By modesty, wisdom, austerity, self-control, valor, protection of dharma, and wealth, the wicked Dhārtarāṣṭra, who follows unrighteous ways, could not overcome the Pāṇḍava.
मायोपधं प्रतिधानार्जवाभ्यां तपोदमाभ्यां धर्मगुप्त्या बलेन। सत्यं ब्रुवन्प्रतिपन्नो नृपो न- स्तितिक्षमाणः क्लिश्यमानोऽतिवेलम्
By truthfulness, straightforwardness, austerity, self-control, protection of dharma, and strength, the king, though suffering greatly, did not resort to deceit or trickery.
यदा ज्येष्ठः पाण्डवः संशितात्मा क्रोधं यत्तं वर्षपूगान्सुघोरम्। अवस्त्रष्टा कुरुपूद्वृत्तचेता- स्तदा युद्धं धार्तराष्ट्रोऽन्वतप्स्यत्
When the eldest Pāṇḍava, firm in resolve, unleashes the terrible wrath he has restrained for many years, then the Dhārtarāṣṭra will experience the battle.
कृष्णवर्त्मेव ज्वलितः समिद्धो यथा दहेत्कक्षमग्निर्निदाघे। एवं दग्धा धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सेनां युधिष्ठिरः क्रोधदीप्तोन्ववेक्ष्य
Just as a blazing fire in summer burns the forest, so will Yudhiṣṭhira, inflamed with anger, consume the army of the Dhārtarāṣṭra in battle.
यदा द्रष्टा भीमसेनं रथस्यं गदाहस्तं क्रोधविषं वमन्तम्। अमर्षणं पाण्डवं भीमवेगं तदा युद्धं धार्तराष्ट्रोऽन्वतप्स्यत्
When he sees Bhīmasena, standing on his chariot, mace in hand, spewing the venom of wrath, unstoppable, swift as Bhīma, then the Dhārtarāṣṭra will experience the battle.
सेनागगं दंशितं भीमसेनं सुलक्षणं वीरहणं परेषाम्। घ्नन्तं चमूमन्तकसन्निकाशं तदा स्मर्ता वचनस्यातिमानी
When he sees Bhīmasena, marked by his teeth, easily recognized, the slayer of enemies, striking down the hosts of foot soldiers and chariots like Death himself, then the arrogant one will remember these words.
यदा द्रष्टा भीमसेनेन नागा- न्निपातितान्गिरिकूटप्रकाशान्। किम्भैरिवासृग्वमतो भिन्नकुम्भां- स्तदा युद्धं धार्तराष्ट्रोऽन्वतप्स्यत्
When he sees elephants, shining like mountain peaks, struck down by Bhīmasena, their heads split and pouring blood like broken jars, then the Dhārtarāṣṭra will experience the battle.
महासिंहो गा इव संप्रविश्य गदापाणिर्धार्तराष्ट्रानुपेत्य। यदा भीमो भीमरूपो निहन्ता तदा युद्धं धार्तराष्ट्रोऽन्वतप्स्यत्
When Bhīma, terrifying in form, enters the ranks of the Dhārtarāṣṭras like a great lion among cows, mace in hand, and begins to slay, then the Dhārtarāṣṭra will experience the battle.
महाभये वीतभयः कृतास्त्रः समागमे शत्रुबलावमर्दी। सकृद्रथेनाप्रतिमान्रथौघा- न्पदातिसङ्घान्गदयाभिनिघ्नन्
In the midst of great danger, fearless and skilled in weapons, crushing the enemy's forces, he will, with a single chariot, strike down countless chariots and groups of foot soldiers with his mace.
सैन्याननेकांस्तरसा विगृह्ण- न्यदा छेत्ता धार्तराष्ट्रस्य सैन्यम्। छिन्दन्वनं परशुनेव शूर- स्तदा युद्धं धार्तराष्ट्रोऽन्वतप्स्यत्
With swift force, he would break through countless armies, and then the Dhārtarāṣṭra host would be cut down, like a hero cleaving a forest with an axe; at that time, the Dhārtarāṣṭra would suffer in battle.
तृणप्रायं ज्वलनेनेव दग्धं ग्रामं यथा धार्तराष्ट्रान्समीक्ष्य। पक्वं सस्यं वैद्युतेनेव दग्धं परासिक्तं विपुलं स्वं बलौघम्
Seeing the Dhārtarāṣṭras burned like a village scorched by fire, or ripe crops destroyed by lightning, their vast army overwhelmed and scattered, he would lament.