पार्थं ह्येते गताः सर्वे वीर्यज्ञास्तस्य धीमतः। भक्त्या ह्यस्य विरुध्यन्ते तव पुत्रैः सदैव ते
All these, knowing the valor of that wise Partha, have gone to him; out of devotion to him, they always oppose your sons.
अनर्हानेव तु वधे धर्मयुक्तान्विकर्मणा। योऽक्लेशयत्पाण्डुपुत्रान्यो विद्वेष्ट्यधुनापि वै
He who tormented the sons of Pandu with wrongful acts, who even now hates them, seeks to kill the righteous as if they were unworthy.
सर्वोपायैर्नियन्तव्यः सानुगः पापपुरुषः। तव पुत्रो महाराज नानुशोचितुमर्हसि
By every means, that sinful man and his followers must be restrained; your son, O great king, is not to be pitied.
अपरोहं महाराज साक्षाच्चैनं ब्रवीम्यहम्। द्यूतकाले मया चोक्तं विदुरेण च धीमता
I declare this to you directly, O great king: at the time of the dice game, I and the wise Vidura both spoke these words.
यदिदं ते विलपितं पाण्डवान्प्रति भारत। अनीशेनैव राजेन्द्र सर्वमेतन्निरर्थकम्
O Bharata, all this lamentation of yours regarding the Pandavas, O king, is entirely meaningless, for you are powerless.
न भेतव्यं महाराज न शोच्या भवतां वयम्। समर्थाः स्म पराञ्जेतुं बलिनः समरे विभो
Do not be afraid, O great king; you need not grieve for us. We are strong enough to defeat our enemies in battle, O lord.
वने प्रव्राजितान्पार्थान्यदायान्मधुसूदनः । महता बलचक्रेण परराष्ट्रावमर्दिना
When the Pandavas were exiled to the forest, Madhusudana came to them with a mighty army, crushing hostile kingdoms.
केकया धृष्टकेतुश्च धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षत। राजानश्चान्वयुः पार्थान्बहवोऽन्येऽनुयायिनः
The Kekaya prince, Dhrishtaketu, Dhrishtadyumna the son of Drupada, and many other kings followed the Pandavas as their allies.
इन्द्रप्रस्थस्य चादूरात्समाजग्मुर्महारथाः । व्यगर्हयंश्च संगम्य भवन्तं कुरुभिः सह
From near Indraprastha, great chariot-warriors gathered and, joining with the Kurus, reproached you.
ते युधिष्ठिरमासीनमजिनैः प्रतिवासितम्। कृष्णप्रधानाः संहत्य पर्युपासन्त भारत
Those chiefs, led by Krishna, assembled around Yudhishthira, who was seated clad in deer-skin, and attended upon him, O Bharata.
प्रत्यादनं च राज्यस्य कार्यमूचुर्नराधिपाः । भवतः सानुबन्धस्य समुच्छेदं चिकीर्षवः
The assembled kings declared that the kingdom must be restored, desiring the destruction of you and your allies.
श्रुत्वा चैवं मयोस्तास्तु भीष्मद्रोणकृपास्तदा। ज्ञातिक्षयभयाद्राजन्भीतेन भरतर्षभ
Hearing this, Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa, and I myself, O bull of the Bharatas, were seized with fear of the destruction of our kin.
ततः स्थास्यन्ति समये पाण्डवा इति मे मतिः। समुच्छेदं हि नः कृत्स्नं वासुदेवश्चिकीर्षति
Therefore, I think the Pandavas will abide by the agreement; for Vasudeva seeks not our total destruction.
ऋते च विदुरात्सर्वे यूयं वध्या मता मम। धृतराष्ट्रस्तु धर्मज्ञो न वध्यः कुरुसत्तमः
Except for Vidura, I consider all of you deserving of death; but Dhritarashtra, who knows dharma, is not to be slain, O best of the Kurus.
समुच्छेदं च कृत्स्नं नः कृत्वा तात जनार्दनः। एकराज्यं कुरूणां स्म चिकीर्षति युधिष्ठिरे
If Janardana were to destroy us all, O father, he would wish to make Yudhishthira the sole king of the Kurus.
तत्र किं प्राप्तकालं नः प्रणिपातः पलायनम्। प्राणान्वा संपरित्यज्य प्रतियुध्यामाहे परान्
In this situation, what is timely for us—submission or flight? Or should we abandon our lives and fight our enemies?
प्रतियुद्धे तु नियतः स्यादस्माकं पराजयः। युधिष्ठिरस्य सर्वे हि पार्थिवा वशवर्तिनः
But in battle, our defeat is certain, for all the kings are under Yudhishthira's sway.
विरक्तराष्ट्राश्च वयं मित्राणि कुपितानि नः। धिक्कृताः पार्थिवैः सर्वैः स्वजनेन च सर्वशः
We are estranged from our kingdom, our friends are angry with us, and we are condemned by all the kings and our own people.
प्रणिपाते न दोषोस्ति सन्धिर्नः शाश्वतीः समाः। पितरं त्वेव शोचामि प्रज्ञानेत्रं जनाधिपम्
There is no fault in submission; by making peace, we may have lasting years. But I grieve only for our father, the wise lord of men.
मत्कृते दुःखमापन्नं क्लेशं प्राप्तमनन्तकम्। कृतं हि तव पुत्रैश्च परेषामवरोधनम् । मत्प्रयार्थं पुरैवैतद्विदितं ते नरोत्तम
Because of me, he has fallen into endless suffering and distress; your sons have besieged others for my sake—this you know well, O best of men.
ते राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य सामात्यस्य महारथाः । वैरं प्रतिकरिष्यन्ति कुलोच्छेदेन पाण्डवाः
Those mighty warriors, the Pandavas, will repay the enmity of King Dhritarashtra and his ministers by destroying the lineage.
ततो द्रोणोऽब्रवीद्भीष्मः कृपो द्रौणिश्च भारत। मत्वा मां महतीं चिन्तामास्थितंव्यथितेन्द्रियं
Then Drona, Bhishma, Kripa, and Drona's son, O Bharata, seeing me deeply troubled and distressed, spoke as follows:
अभिद्रुग्धाः परे चेन्नो न भेतव्यं परन्तप। असमर्थाः परे जेतुमस्मान्युधि समास्थितान्
If the enemy attacks us, O scorcher of foes, there is no need to fear; the enemy is not capable of defeating us when we are arrayed together in battle.
एकैकशः समर्थाः स्मो विजेतुं सर्वपार्थिवान्। आगच्छन्तु विनेष्यामो दर्पमेषां शितैः शरैः
Each one of us alone is able to conquer all the kings; let them come, we will humble their pride with sharp arrows.
पुरैकेन हि भीष्मेण विजिताः सर्वपार्थिवाः। मृते पितर्यतिक्रुद्धो रथेनैकेन भारत
Once before, Bhishma alone defeated all the kings; after our father died, in great anger, he struck them down with a single chariot, O Bharata.
जघान सुबहूंस्तेषां संरब्धः कुरुसत्तमः। ततस्ते शरणं जग्मुर्देवव्रतमिमं भयात्
That best of Kurus, enraged, slew many of them; then, out of fear, they all sought refuge in Devavrata.
स भीष्मः सुसमर्थोऽयमस्माभिः सहितो रणे। परान्विजेतुं तस्मात्ते व्येतु भीर्भरतर्षभ
Now that same Bhishma, supremely capable, stands with us in battle to defeat the enemy; therefore, let your fear subside, O bull of the Bharatas.
इत्येषां निश्चयो ह्यासीत्तत्कालेऽमिततेजसाम्। पुरा तेषां पृथिवी कृत्स्नासीद्वशवर्तिनी
Such was their firm conviction at that time, those of immeasurable energy; in those days, the entire earth was under their sway.
अस्मान्पुनरमी नाद्य समर्था जेतुमाहवे। छिन्नपक्षाः परे ह्यद्य वीर्यहीनाश्च पाण्डवाः
Now, these enemies are not able to defeat us in battle; today, the Pandavas are like birds with clipped wings, deprived of strength.
अस्मत्संस्था च पृथिवी वर्तते भरतर्षभ। एकार्थाः सुखदुःखेषु समानीताश्च पार्थिवाः
The earth remains under our control, O bull of the Bharatas; the kings have been united with us, sharing in both happiness and sorrow.