ते चेदस्मान्युध्यमानाञ्जयेयु- र्देवैर्महेन्द्रप्रमुखैः सहायैः। धर्मादधर्मश्चरितो गरीयां- स्ततो ध्रुवं नास्ति कृतं च साधु
If they, with the help of the gods led by Mahendra, should conquer us while we are fighting, then unrighteousness has become greater than righteousness, and surely no good deed remains.
न चेदिदं पौरुषं कर्मबद्धं न चेदस्मान्मन्यतेऽसौ विशिष्टान्। आशंसेऽहं वासुदेवद्वितीयो दुर्योधनं सानुबन्धं निहन्तुम्
If this action is not bound by human effort, and if he does not consider us superior, then I hope that Vāsudeva, together with another, will destroy Duryodhana and his allies.
न चेदिदं कर्म नरेन्द्र वन्ध्यं न चेद्भवेत्सुकृतं निष्फलं वा। इदं च तच्चाभिसमीक्ष्य नूनं पराजयो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य साधुः
If this act, O king, is not fruitless, and if good deeds do not become vain, then, considering this and that, certainly the defeat of the Dhārtarāṣṭras is just.
प्रत्यक्षं वः कुरवो यद्ब्रवीमि युद्ध्यमाना धार्तराष्ट्रा न सन्ति। अन्यत्र युद्धात्कुरवो यदि स्यु- र्न युद्धे वै शेष इहास्ति कश्चित्
What I say to you Kauravas is evident: the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, fighting, will not remain; if the Kauravas survive apart from battle, then in battle, truly, none will be left here.
हत्वा त्वहं धार्तराष्ट्रान्सकर्णा- न्राज्यं कुरूणामवजेता समग्रम्। यद्वः कार्यं तत्कुरुध्वं यथास्व- मिष्टान्दरानात्मभोगान्भजध्वम्
But if I slay the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra along with Karṇa, I shall win the entire kingdom of the Kurus; do then what you wish, enjoy the pleasures of kings as you desire.
अप्येवं नो ब्राह्मणाः सन्ति वृद्धा बहुश्रुताः शीलवन्तः कुलीनाः। सांवत्सरा ज्योतिषि चाभियुक्ता नक्षत्रयोगेषु च निश्चयज्ञाः
Even so, there are among us aged Brāhmaṇas, learned, virtuous, of noble lineage, skilled in the science of the stars, and expert in determining the conjunctions of constellations.
उच्चावचं दैवयुक्तं रहस्यं दिव्याः प्रश्ना मृगचक्रा मुहूर्ताः । क्षयं महान्तं कुरुसृञ्जयानां निवेदयन्ते पाण्डवानां जयं च
They declare, through various divine omens and secret signs, through celestial questions, the circles of deer, and moments, a great destruction for the Kurus and Sṛñjayas, and victory for the Pāṇḍavas.
यथा हि नो मन्यतेऽजातशत्रुः संसिद्धार्थो द्विपतां निग्रहाय। जनार्दनश्चाप्यपरोक्षविद्यो न संशयं पश्यति वृष्णिसिंहः
Just as Ajātaśatru believes, with his purpose accomplished for the subjugation of men, so too Janārdana, the lion of the Vṛṣṇis, who knows all directly, sees no doubt.
अहं तथैनं खलु भाविरूपं पश्यामि बुद्धया स्वयमप्रमत्तः। दृष्टिश्च मे न व्यथते पुराणी संयुध्यमाना धार्तराष्ट्रा न सन्ति
So too, with steady mind, I myself see this future event clearly; my ancient vision does not falter—the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, fighting, will not remain.
अनालब्धं जृम्भति गाण्डिवं धनु- रनाहता कम्पति मे धनुर्ज्या। बाणाश्च मे तूणमुखाद्विसृत्य मुहुर्मुहुर्गन्तुमुशन्ति चैव
The Gāṇḍīva bow stretches unbidden, its string trembles though unstruck, and my arrows, leaping from the quiver's mouth, repeatedly long to go forth.
खङ्गः कोशान्निःसरति प्रसन्नो हित्वेव जीर्णासुरगस्त्वचं स्वाम्। ध्वजे वाचो रौद्ररूपा भवन्ति कदा रथो योक्ष्यते ते किरीटिन्
My sword gleams as it slips from its sheath, just as a serpent sheds its worn skin; on the banner, fierce words appear—when will your chariot be yoked, O diademed one?
गोमायुसङ्घाश्च नदन्ति रात्रौ रक्षांस्यथो निष्पतन्त्यन्तरिक्षात्। मृगाः श्रृगालाः शितिकण्ठाश्च काका गृध्रा बकाश्चैव तरक्षवश्च
Packs of jackals howl at night, demons descend from the sky, beasts, jackals, blue-necked crows, vultures, cranes, and wild dogs are seen.
सुवर्णपत्राश्च पतन्ति पञ्चा- दृष्ट्वा रथं श्वेतहयप्रयुक्तम् । अहं ह्येकः पार्थिवान्सर्वयोधान् शरान्वर्पन्मृत्युलोकं नयेयम्
Golden-winged birds fall in fives when they see the chariot drawn by white horses; indeed, I alone could send all the kings and warriors to the realm of death with my arrows.
समादेदानः पृथगस्त्रमार्गा- न्यथाप्रिरिद्धो गहनं निदाघे। स्थूणाकर्णं पाशुपतं महास्त्रं ब्राह्मं चास्त्रं यच्च शक्रोऽप्यदान्मे
Taking up separately the various paths of weapons, as one enters a dense forest in the hot season, I possess the mighty Śiva weapon, the Brahma weapon, and that which even Śakra gave me.
वधे धृतो वेगवतः प्रमुञ्च- न्नाहं प्रजाः किञ्चिदिहावशिष्ये । शान्तिं लप्स्ये परमो ह्येप भावः स्थिरो मम ब्रूहि गावल्गणे तान्
If, intent on destruction, I unleash these swift weapons, I would leave no living beings here; yet, supreme peace is my resolve—tell them this, O Gāvalgaṇa.
ये वैजय्याः समरे सूत लब्ध्वा देवानपीन्द्रग्रमुखान्समेतात्। तैर्मन्मते कलहं संप्रसह्य स धार्तराष्ट्रः पश्यत मोहमस्य
Those who are truly victorious in battle, O charioteer, having overcome even the gods led by Indra, with them, in my view, let the conflict be waged—see the delusion of the Dhārtarāṣṭra.
वृद्धो भीष्मः शान्तनवः कृपश्च द्रोणः सपुत्रो विदुरश्च धीमान्। एते सर्वे यद्वदन्ते तदस्तु आयुष्मन्तः कुरवः सन्तु सर्वे
Let whatever Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, the aged one, Kṛpa, Droṇa with his son, and wise Vidura say, so be it; may all the Kauravas live long.
समवेतेषु सर्वेषु तेषु राजसु भारत। दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यं भीष्मः शान्तनवोऽब्रवीत्
When all those kings had assembled, Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, spoke these words to Duryodhana.
बृहस्पतिश्चोशना च ब्रह्माणं पर्युपस्थितौ। मरुतश्च सहेन्द्रेण वसवश्चाग्रिना सह
Bṛhaspati and Uśanas approached Brahmā; the Maruts with Indra, and the Vasus with Agni.
आदित्याश्चैव साध्याश्च ये च सप्तर्पयो दिवि। विश्वावसुश्च गन्धर्वः शुभाश्चाप्सरसां गणाः
The Ādityas and Sādhyas, and the seven Ṛṣis of heaven, Viśvāvasu the Gandharva, and the auspicious hosts of Apsarases.
नमस्कृत्योपजग्मुस्ते लोकवृद्धं पितामहम् । परिवार्य च विश्वेशं पर्यासत दिवौकसः
Having bowed, they came near the ancient patriarch of the worlds; and surrounding the Lord of all, the celestials stood.
तेषां मनश्च तेजश्चाप्याददानाविवौजसा । पूर्वदेवौ व्यतिक्रान्तौ नरनारायणावृषी
While those beings, taking the mind and energy of the assembly, the two ancient sages, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, surpassed them.
बृहस्पतिस्तु पप्रच्छ ब्रह्माणं काविमाविति। भवन्तं नोपतिष्ठेते तौ नः शंस पितामह
Bṛhaspati asked Brahmā, the poet: 'Why do those two not approach you? Tell us, O Grandfather.'
यावेतौ पृथिवीं द्यां च भासयन्तौ तपस्विनौ। ज्वलन्तौ रोचमानौ च व्याप्यातीतौ महाबलौ
As long as those two ascetics, shining and blazing, fill earth and heaven with their radiance, having surpassed them with great might.
नरनारायणावेतौ लोकाल्लोकं समास्थितौ । ऊर्जितौ स्वेन तपसा महासत्वपराक्रमौ
Those two, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, have established themselves from world to world, empowered by their own austerity, possessing great strength and valor.
एतौ हि कर्मणा लोकं नन्दयामासतुर्ध्रुवम् । द्विधाभूतौ महाप्राज्ञौ विद्धि ब्रह्मन्परन्तपौ । असुराणां विनाशाय देवगन्धर्वपूजितौ
Indeed, by their deeds, those two have surely delighted the world; know, O Brahman, that the two mighty sages, honored by gods and Gandharvas, became two for the destruction of the Asuras.
जगाम शक्रस्तच्छ्रत्वा यत्र तौ तेपतुस्तपः । सार्धं देवगणैः सर्वैर्बृहस्पतिपुरोगमैः
Hearing this, Śakra went to where those two were practicing austerity, together with all the hosts of gods, led by Bṛhaspati.
तदा देवासुरे युद्धे भये जाते दिवौकसाम्। अयाचत महात्मानौ नरनारायणौ वरम्
Then, when fear arose among the celestials in the battle of gods and demons, they requested the great-souled Nara and Nārāyaṇa for a boon.
तावब्रूतां वृणीष्वेति तदा भरतसत्तम। अथैतावब्रवीच्छकः साह्यं नः क्रियतामिति
Those two said, 'Choose,' at that time, O best of Bharatas; then Śakra replied, 'Let us be aided.'
ततस्तौ शक्रमब्रूतां करिष्यावो यदिच्छसि। ताभ्यां च सहितः शक्रो विजिग्ये दैत्यदानवान्
Then those two said to Śakra, 'We will do as you wish'; and with them, Śakra conquered the Daityas and Dānavas.