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.
अप्यग्निं प्रविशेयुस्ते समुद्रं वा परन्तप। मदर्थं पार्थिवाः सर्वे तद्विद्धि कुरुसत्तम
All these kings, O scorcher of foes, would enter fire or the ocean for my sake; know this, O best of Kurus.
उन्मत्तमिव चापि त्वां प्रहसन्तीह दुःखितम्। विलपन्तं बहुविधं भीतं परविकत्थने
Here, they mock you as if you were mad, seeing you distressed, lamenting in many ways, and afraid, boasting of the enemy.
एषां ह्येकैकशो राज्ञां समर्थं पाण्डवान्प्रति । आत्मानं मन्यते सर्वो व्येतु ते भयमागतम्
Each one of these kings considers himself capable, alone, of overcoming the Pandavas; let your fear that has arisen depart.
जेतुं समग्रां सेनां मे वासवोऽपि न शक्नुयात्। हन्तुमक्षय्यरूपेयं ब्रह्मणोऽपि स्वयंभुवः
Even Vasava could not defeat my entire army; this force is inexhaustible, not even the self-born Brahma could destroy it.
युधिष्ठिरः पुरं हित्वा पञ्चग्रामान्स याचते। भीतो हि मामकात्सैन्यात्प्रभावाच्चैव मे विभो
Yudhishthira, abandoning his city, now begs for just five villages; he is afraid of my army and my power, O mighty one.
समर्थं मन्यसे यच्च कुन्तीपुत्रं वृकोदरम्। तन्मिथ्या न हि मे कृत्स्नं प्रभावं वेत्सि भारत
You think Kunti's son Bhima is capable, but that is false; you do not fully know my strength, O Bharata.
मत्समो हि गदायुद्धे पृथिव्यां नास्ति कश्चन। नासीत्कश्चिदतिक्रान्तो भविता न च कश्चन
There is no one on earth equal to me in mace-fighting; there never was, nor will there ever be, anyone who surpasses me.
युक्तो दुःखोषितश्चाहं विद्यापारगतस्तथा। तस्मान्न भीमान्नान्येभ्यो भयं मे विद्यते क्वचित्
I am skilled, hardened by hardship, and accomplished in knowledge; therefore, I have no fear of Bhima or any others, anywhere.
दुर्योधनसमो नास्ति गदायामिति निश्चयः। सङ्कर्षणस्य भवने यत्तदैनमुपावसम्
It is certain that there is no one equal to Duryodhana in wielding the mace; what I learned in Sankarshana's house, I have mastered.
युद्धे सङ्कर्षणसमो बलेनाभ्यधिको भुवि। गदाप्रहारं भीमो मे न जातु विषहेद्युधि
In battle, I am equal to Sankarshana and even superior in strength on earth; Bhima could never withstand my mace-blow in combat.