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:
यदयं कत्थते नित्यं हन्ताहं पाण्डवानिति। नायं कलापि संपूर्णा पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्
This one boasts always, 'I will slay the Pāṇḍavas.' But he does not possess even a fraction of the power of the great-souled Pāṇḍavas.
अनयो योयमागन्ता पुत्राणां ते दुरात्मनाम् । तदस्य कर्म जानीहि सूतपुत्रस्य दुर्मतेः
This ruin that is coming upon your evil-minded sons—know it to be the doing of this son of a sūta, of wicked intent.
एतमाश्रित्य पुत्रस्ते मन्दबुद्धिः सुयोधनः । अवामन्यत तान्वीरान्देवपुत्रानरिन्दमान्
Relying on him, your foolish son Suyodhana has insulted those mighty heroes, the sons of gods, O subduer of enemies.
किञ्चाप्येतेन तत्कर्म कृतपूर्वं सुदुष्करम्। तैर्यथा पाण्डवैः सर्वैरेकैकेन कृतं पुरा
And though he has performed some difficult deed before, yet what each of the Pāṇḍavas did alone in the past was equal to it.
दृष्ट्वा विराटनगरे भ्रातरं निहतं प्रियम्। धनञ्जयेन विक्रम्य किमनेन तदा कृतम्
When your beloved brother was slain in the city of Virata by the valor of Dhananjaya, what was accomplished by him then?
सर्वे ह्यस्त्रिविदः शूराः सर्वे प्राप्ता महद्यशः। अपि सर्वामरैश्वर्यं त्यजेयुर्न पुनर्जयम्
All these warriors are skilled in arms, all have attained great fame; yet they would abandon even the sovereignty of the gods, but not victory again.
सहितान्हि कुरून्सर्वानभियातो धनञ्जयः। प्रमथ्य चाच्छिनद्वासः किमयं प्रोषितस्तदा
For Dhananjaya attacked all the Kurus together, crushed them, and cut their garments—what was achieved by him being exiled then?
गन्धर्वैर्घोषयात्रायां ह्रियते यत्सुतस्तव। क्व तदा सूतपुत्रोऽभूद्य इदानीं वृषायते
When your son was carried away by the Gandharvas during their festive procession, where was the son of the charioteer then, who now boasts like a bull?
ननु तत्रापि भीमेन पार्थेन च महात्मना। यमाभ्यामेव संगम्य गन्धर्वास्ते पराजिताः
Indeed, even there, Bhima and the great-souled Partha, joining with the twins, defeated those Gandharvas.
एतान्यस्य मृषोक्तानि बहूनि भरतर्षभ । विकत्थनस्य भद्रं ते सदा धर्मार्थलोपिनः
These many words of his are false, O best of the Bharatas; always boasting, he is ever one who neglects righteousness and purpose—may good be yours.
भीष्मस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा भारद्वाजो महामताः। धृतराष्ट्रमुवाचेदं राजमध्येऽभिपूजयन्
Hearing Bhishma's words, the wise Bharadwaja honored him in the midst of the kings and addressed Dhritarashtra thus:
यदाह भरतश्रेष्ठो भीष्मस्तत्क्रियतां नृप । न काममवलिप्तानां वचनं कर्तुमर्हसि
O King, let what Bhishma, the best of the Bharatas, has said be done; you should not act according to the words of the arrogant.
पुरा युद्धात्साधु मन्ये पाण्डवैः सह सङ्गतम्। यद्वाक्यमर्जुनेनोक्तं सञ्जयेन निवेदितम्
Long ago, before the war, I considered it good to make peace with the Pandavas, as Arjuna's words, conveyed by Sanjaya, declared.
सर्वं तदभिजानामि करिष्यति च पाण्डवः। न ह्यस्य त्रिषु लोकेषु सदृशोऽस्ति धनुर्धरः
I know all this well, and the Pandava will accomplish it; for in the three worlds there is no archer equal to him.
अनादृत्य तु तद्वाक्यमर्थवद्द्रोणभीष्मयोः। ततः स सञ्जयं राजा पर्यपृच्छत पाण्डवान्
But disregarding those meaningful words of Drona and Bhishma, the king then questioned Sanjaya about the Pandavas.
तदैव कुरवः सर्वे निराशा जीवितेऽभवन् । भीष्मद्रोणौ यदा राजा न सम्यगनुभाषते
Then all the Kurus at once lost hope for life, when the king did not heed Bhishma and Drona properly.
किमसौ पाण्डवो राजा धर्मपुत्रोऽभ्यभाषत। श्रुत्वेह बहुलाः सेनाः प्रीत्यर्थं नः समागताः
What did that Pandava king, the son of Dharma, say when he heard that many armies had gathered here for our sake?
किमसौ चेष्टते सूत योत्स्यमानो युधिष्ठिरः। के वास्य भ्रातृपुत्राणां पश्यन्त्याज्ञेप्सवो सुखम्
What does Yudhishthira, intent on battle, do, O charioteer? Who among his brothers and sons look upon him, desiring his command, with happiness?
के स्विदेनं वारयन्ति युद्धाच्छाम्येति वा पुनः। निकृत्या कोपितं मन्दैर्धर्मज्ञं धर्मचारिणम्
Who, indeed, restrains him from battle, or again tells him to make peace, though he is angered by deceit, slow to wrath, and knower and follower of dharma?
राज्ञो मुखमुदीक्षन्ते पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवैः सह। युधिष्ठिरस्य भद्रं ते स सर्वाननुशास्ति च
The Panchalas, together with the Pandavas, look to the face of the king; may good be yours, for Yudhishthira instructs them all.