किं पुनर्मोहमासक्तस्तत्र तत्र सहस्रधा। पुत्रेषु राज्यदारेषु पौत्रेष्वपि च बन्धुषु
What then of one bound by delusion, attached in a thousand ways—to sons, kingdom, wife, grandsons, and relatives?
संशये तु महत्यस्मिन्किं नु मे क्षममुत्तरम्। विनाशं ह्येव पश्यामि कुरूणामनुचिन्ततयन्
In this great uncertainty, what answer is fitting for me? For I see only the destruction of the Kurus as I reflect.
द्यूतप्रमुखमाभाति कुरूणां व्यसनं महत्। मन्देनैश्वर्यकामेन लोभात्पापमिदं कृतम्
The great calamity of the Kurus began with the dice game; this evil was done by a fool, greedy for power.
मन्ये पर्यायधर्मोऽयं कालस्यात्यन्तगामिनः। चक्रे प्रधिरिवासक्तो नास्य शक्यं पलायितुम्
I think this is the recurring law of time, which moves inexorably; like a wheel stuck in mud, it cannot be escaped.
किं नु कुर्यां कथं कुर्यां क्व नु गच्छामि सञ्जय । एते नश्यन्ति कुरवो मन्दाः कालवशं गताः
What should I do, how should I act, where should I go, Sanjaya? These foolish Kurus are perishing, seized by time.
अवशोऽहं तदा तात पुत्राणां निहते शते। श्रोष्यामि निनदं स्त्रीणां कथं मां मरणं स्पृशेत्
Helpless then, O dear one, when a hundred sons are slain, I will hear the wailing of women—how will death not touch me?
यथा निदाघे ज्वलनः समद्धो दहेत्कक्षं वायुना चोद्यमानः । गदाहस्तः पाण्डवो वै तथैव हन्ता मदीयान्सहितोऽर्जुनेन
Just as a fire in summer, fanned by wind, burns the dry grass, so too will the club-wielding Pandava, with Arjuna, slay my men.
यस्य वै नानृता वाचः कदाचिदनुशुश्रुम । त्रैलोक्यमपि तस्य स्याद्योद्धा यस्य धनञ्जयः
We have never heard him speak an untruth; even the three worlds would belong to him whose warrior is Dhananjaya.
तस्यैव च न पश्यामि युधि गाण्डीवधन्वनः। अनिशं चिन्तयानोऽपि यः प्रतीयाद्रथेन तम्
And I see no one in battle who can withstand the wielder of Gandiva, even thinking constantly who could face him in his chariot.
अस्यतः कर्णिनालीकान्मार्गणान्हृदयच्छिदः। प्रत्येता न समः कश्चिद्युधि गाण्डीवधन्वनः
No one is equal in battle to the wielder of Gandiva, whose sharp, piercing arrows shatter the heart.
द्रोणाकर्णौ प्रतीयातां यदि वीरौ नरर्षभौ । कृतास्त्रौ बलिनां श्रेष्ठौ समरेष्वपराजितौ
If the two mighty heroes, Drona and Karna, both masters of weapons, best among the strong, and undefeated in battle, advance together—
महान्स्यात्संशयो लोके न त्वस्ति विजयो मम। घृणी कर्णः प्रमादी च आचार्यः स्थविरो गुरुः
—then there would be great uncertainty in the world, but for me, there is no victory. Karna is proud and reckless, while the teacher is aged and venerable.
समर्थो बलवान्पार्थो दृढधन्वा जितक्लमः । भवेत्सुतुमुलं युद्धं सर्वशोऽप्यपराजयः
Partha is capable and powerful, firm in his bow, tireless in battle; the fight will be exceedingly fierce, and he is, in every way, unconquered.
सर्वे ह्यस्त्रविदः शूराः सर्वे प्राप्ता महद्यशः । अपि सर्वामरैश्वर्यं त्यजेयुर्न पुनर्जयम्
All are skilled in weapons, all are valiant, all have attained great fame; yet they would abandon even the sovereignty of the gods, but never accept defeat.
वधे नूनं भवेच्छान्तिस्तयोर्वा फाल्गुनस्य च। न तु हन्तार्जुनस्यास्ति जेता चास्य न विद्यते
Only in their death, or perhaps in Phalguna's, would there be peace; but Arjuna cannot be slain, nor is there anyone who can defeat him.
मन्युस्तस्य कथं शाम्येन्मन्दान्प्रति य उत्थितः । अन्येऽप्यस्त्राणि जानन्ति जीयन्ते च जयन्ति च। एकान्तविजयस्त्वेव श्रूयते फाल्गुनस्य ह
How could his wrath subside, which has arisen against the dull-witted? Others too know weapons, and are both conquered and conquer; but it is heard that Phalguna alone is always victorious.
त्रयस्त्रिंशत्समाहूय खाण्डवेऽग्निमतर्पयत्। जिगाय च सुरान्सर्वान्नास्य विद्मः पराजयम्
He summoned thirty-three (gods) and satisfied the fire in Khandava; he defeated all the gods—we do not know of his defeat.
यस्य यन्ता हृषीकेशः शीलवृत्तसमो युधि। ध्रुवस्तस्य जयस्तात यथेन्द्रस्य जयस्तथा
He whose charioteer is Hrishikesha, equal in character and conduct in battle—his victory is certain, O father, just as Indra's victory is assured.
कृष्णावेकरथे यत्तावधिज्यं गाण्डिवं धनुः। युगपत्रीणि तेजांसि समेतान्यनुशुश्रुम
When Krishna and he are together on a single chariot, and the Gandiva bow is strung, we have heard that all powers unite at once.
नैवास्ति नो धनुस्तदृङ्व योद्धा न च सारथिः । तच्च मन्दा न जानन्ति दुर्योधनवशानुगाः
Neither do we have such a bow, nor a warrior like him, nor a charioteer; and those who follow Duryodhana's will, being dull, do not understand this.
शेषयेदशनिर्दीप्तो विपतन्मूर्ध्नि सञ्जय। न तु शेषं शरास्तात कुर्युरस्ताः किरीटिना
O Sanjaya, even if a fire, blazing without fuel, were to remain on a falling head, still, O father, the arrows released by the diademed one would leave no remnant.
अपि चास्यन्निवाभाति निघ्नन्निव धनञ्जयः । उद्धरन्निव कायेभ्यः शिरांसि शरवृष्टिभिः
And indeed, Dhananjaya appears as if he is devouring, as if he is slaying, as if he is lifting heads from bodies with showers of arrows.
अपि बाणमयं तेजः प्रदीप्तमिव सर्वतः । गाण्डीवोत्थं दहेताजौ पुत्राणां मम वाहिनी
Indeed, the fiery energy arising from Gandiva, made of arrows, seems as if it could burn up, on all sides, the army of my sons in battle.
अपि सा रथघोषेण भयार्ता सव्यसाचिनः । वित्रस्ता बहुधा सेना भारती प्रतिभाति मे
Indeed, the army of the Bharatas appears to me terrified in many ways by the sound of Savyasacin's chariot, seized by fear.
यथा कक्षं महानग्निः प्रदहेत्सर्वतश्चरन्। महार्चिरनिलोद्धूतस्तद्वद्धक्ष्यति मामकान्
Just as a great fire, fanned by the wind, burns through the undergrowth on all sides, so will he consume my men.
यदोद्वमन्निशितान्बाणसङ्घां- स्तानाततायी समरे किरीटी। सृष्टोऽन्तकः सर्वहरो विधात्रा यथा भवेत्तद्वदपारणीयः
When the diademed one, a deadly foe in battle, releases sharp showers of arrows, he becomes like Death himself, created by the Maker to destroy all.
यदा हयभीक्ष्णं सुबुहून्प्रकारान् श्रोतास्मि तानावसथे कुरूणाम्। तेषां समन्ताच्च तथा रणाग्रे क्षयः किलायं भरतानुपैति
When he repeatedly drives his horses in many ways, I hear that, both in the camp of the Kurus and at the front of battle, destruction surely comes upon the Bharatas.
यथैव पाण्डवाः सर्वे पराक्रान्ता जिगीषवः। तथौभिसरास्तेषां त्यक्तात्मानो जये धृताः
Just as all the Pandavas are resolute and eager for victory, so too are their allies, wholly devoted, having abandoned concern for their own lives, steadfast in the pursuit of victory.
......हि पराक्रान्तानाचक्षीथाः परान्मम। पाञ्चालान्केकयान्मत्स्यान्मागधान्वत्सभूमिपान्
You have seen my adversaries surpassing in valor—the Pāñcālas, Kekayas, Matsyas, Magadhas, and the kings of Vatsa.
यश्च सेन्द्रानिमाँल्लोकानिच्छन्कुर्याद्वशे बली। स स्रष्टा जगतः कृष्णः पाण्डवानां जये धृतः
He who, though mighty, would wish to bring these worlds with Indra under his control—he is Kṛṣṇa, the creator of the universe, who is committed to the victory of the Pāṇḍavas.