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.
नर इन्द्रस्य संग्रामे हत्वा शत्रून्परन्तपः । पौलोमान्कालखञ्जांश्च सहस्राणि शतानि च
Nara, the destroyer of foes, in Indra's battle, slew the enemies—the Paulomas, Kālakhañjas, by the hundreds and thousands.
एष भ्रान्ते रथे तिष्ठन्भल्लेनापाहरच्छिरः। जम्भस्य ग्रसमानस्य तदा ह्यर्जुन आहवे
Standing on a confused chariot, he struck off the head of Jambha, who was devouring, then Arjuna in the battle.
एष पारे समुद्रस्य हिरण्यपुरमारुजत्। हत्वा षष्टिं सहस्राणि निवातकवचान्रणे
He crossed the ocean and attacked Hiraṇyapura, having slain sixty thousand Nivātakavacas in battle.
एष देवान्सहेन्द्रेण जित्वा परपुरञ्जयः। अतर्पयन्महाबाहुरर्जुनो जातवेदसम्
He, Arjuna, conqueror of enemy cities, together with Indra, defeated the gods, and satisfied Jātavedas with his mighty arms.
नारायणस्तथैवात्र भूयसोऽन्याञ्जघान ह। एवमेतौ महावीर्यौ तौ पश्यत समागतौ
Likewise, Nārāyaṇa slew many others; thus these two mighty heroes have come together—behold them.
वासुदेवार्जुनौ वीरौ समवेतौ महारथौ । नरनारायणौ देवौ पूर्वदेवाविति श्रुतिः
Vāsudeva and Arjuna, the two heroic, great chariot-warriors, united; Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the divine pair, the ancient gods—so it is heard.
अजेयौ मानुषे लोके सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः । एष नारायणः कृष्णः फाल्गुनश्च नरः स्मृतः। नारायणो नरश्चैव सत्त्वमेकं द्विधा कृतम्
Unconquerable in the world of men, even by gods and demons with Indra, this is Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa; and Phālguna is known as Nara. Nārāyaṇa and Nara are indeed one essence, divided in two.
एतौ हि कर्मणा लोकानश्रुवातेऽक्षयान्ध्रुवान्। तत्रतत्रैव जायेते युद्धकाले पुनःपुनः
These two, by their actions, protect the worlds—imperishable and eternal. Again and again, they are born in times of battle.
तस्मात्कर्मैव कर्तव्यमिति होवाच नारदः । एतद्धि सर्वमाचष्ट वृष्णिचक्रस्य वेदवित्
Therefore, only action must be performed—so declared Nārada. All this was explained by the knower of the Veda among the Vṛṣṇis.
शङ्खचक्रगदाहस्तं यदा द्रक्ष्यसि केशवम्। पर्याददानं चास्त्राणि भीमधन्वानमर्जुनम्
When you see Keśava holding the conch, discus, and mace, and Arjuna, the mighty archer, stringing his bow and taking up his weapons—
सनातनौ महात्मानौ कृष्णावेकरथे स्थितौ। दुर्योधन तदा तात स्मर्तासि वचनं मम
The two eternal, great souls, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, standing together on one chariot—then, Duryodhana, remember my words.
नोचेदयमभावः स्यात्कुरूणां प्रत्युपस्थितः। अर्थाच्च तात धर्माच्च तव बुद्धिरुपप्लुता
Otherwise, this destruction that has come upon the Kurus would not have occurred. Indeed, your mind, O son, is clouded by desire and by duty.
न चेद्ग्रहीष्यसे वाक्यं श्रोतामि सुबहून्हतान्। तवैव हि मतं सर्वे कुरवः पर्युपासते
If you do not accept my words, I will hear of many slain. For all the Kurus follow only your counsel.
त्रयाणामेव च मतं तत्त्वमेकोऽनुमन्यसे। रामेण चैव शप्तस्य कर्णस्य भरतर्षभ
And you approve as truth only the opinion of three: of Rāma, who cursed Karṇa, O bull of the Bharatas—
दुर्जातेः सूतपुत्रस्य शकुनेः सौबलस्य च। तथा क्षुद्रस्य पापस्य भ्रातुर्दुःशासनस्य च
Of the ill-born son of a sūta, Karṇa; of Śakuni, son of Subala; and of your wicked, low-minded brother Duḥśāsana.
नैवमायुष्मता वाच्यं यन्मामात्थ पितामह । क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितो ह्यस्मि स्वधर्मादनपेयिवान्
It is not fitting, O long-lived one, what you have said to me, grandfather. I stand firm in the warrior’s code, never turning from my own duty.
किञ्चान्यन्मयि दुर्वृत्तं येन मां परिगर्हसे। न हि मे वृजिनं किञ्चिद्धार्तराष्ट्रा विदुः क्वचित्
And what other fault is there in me, for which you reproach me? The sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra have never known any evil in me.
नाचरं वृजिनं किञ्चिद्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य नित्यशः । अहं हि पाण्डवान्सर्वान्हनिष्यामि रणे स्थितान्
I have never committed any wrong against the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. But I will slay all the Pāṇḍavas who stand in battle.
प्राग्विरुद्धैः शमं सद्भिः कथं वा क्रियते पुनः। राज्ञो हि धृतराष्ट्रस्य सर्वं कार्यं प्रियं मया। तथा दुर्योधनस्यापि स हि राज्ये समाहितः
How can peace be made again with those who were formerly opposed by the righteous? For I must do everything dear to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and likewise for Duryodhana, for he is intent on the kingdom.
कर्णस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा भीष्मः शान्तनवः पुनः। धृतराष्ट्रं महाराजमाभाष्येदं वचोऽब्रवीत्
But hearing these words of Karṇa, Bhīṣma, son of Śāntanu, spoke again to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra these words: