यथान्यायं कुशलं वन्दनं च समागता मद्वचनेन वाच्याः
You must, on my behalf, offer proper greetings and well-wishes to all those assembled, as is fitting.
सहामात्यं सञ्जय श्रावयेथाः
Together with their ministers, Sañjaya, you should make them hear this.
एवं परिष्वज्य धनञ्जयो मां ततोऽर्थवद्धर्मवच्चापि वाक्यम्। प्रोवाचेदं वासुदेवं समीक्ष्य पार्थो धीमाँल्लोहितान्तायताक्षः
Thus, having embraced me, Dhanañjaya then spoke meaningful and righteous words, looking at Vāsudeva, the wise Pārtha with eyes reddened and wide.
यथाश्रुतं ते वदतो महात्मनो यदुप्रवीरस्य वचः समाहितम्। तथैव वाच्यं भवतापि मद्वचः समागतेषु क्षितिपेषु सर्वशः
Just as you have faithfully spoken the words of the great-souled scion of the Yadus, so too must you convey my message to all the assembled kings.
शराग्निधूमे रथनेमिनादिते धनुस्स्त्रुवेणास्त्रबलापहारिणा । यथा न होमः क्रियते महामृधे तथा समेत्य प्रयतध्वमादृताः
In the great battle, as the smoke of arrows, the roar of chariot wheels, and the twang of bows snatch away the strength of weapons, strive earnestly so that no sacrifice is performed there.
न चेत्प्रयच्छध्वममित्रघातिनो युधिष्ठिरस्यार्धमभीप्सितं स्वकम्। नयामि वः साश्वपदातिकुञ्जरा- न्दिशं पितॄणामशिवां शितैः शरैः
If you, destroyers of foes, do not willingly give Yudhiṣṭhira his rightful half, I will send you, with your horses, foot soldiers, and elephants, to the dismal realm of your ancestors with sharp arrows.
ततोऽहमामन्त्र्य चतुर्भुजं हरिं धनञ्जयं चैव नमस्य सत्वरम्। जवेन संप्राप्त इहामरद्युते तवान्तिकं प्रापयितुं वचो महत्
Then, having saluted the four-armed Hari and Dhanañjaya with speed, I came here, swift as the wind, to deliver this great message to you.
सञ्जयस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्जनेश्वरः। ततः सङ्ख्यातुमारेभे तद्वचो गुणदोषतः
Hearing Sañjaya’s words, the wise king, lord of men, then began to consider that message, weighing its merits and faults.
प्रसङ्ख्याय च सौक्ष्म्येण गुणदोषान्विचक्षणः। यथावन्मतितत्त्वेन जयकामः सुतान्प्रति
Carefully analyzing, with subtlety, the merits and faults, and with true understanding, desiring victory for his sons,
बलाबलं विनिश्चित्य याथातथ्येन बुद्धिमान्। `यदा तु मेने भूयिष्ठं तद्वचो गुणदोषतः
Judging the strengths and weaknesses accurately, the wise one, when he considered the message to have more merit,
पुनरेव कुरूणां च पाण्डवानां च बुद्धिमान् ।' शक्तिं शङ्ख्यातुमारेभे तदा वै मनुजाधिपः
Again, the wise lord of men began to assess the power of both the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas.
देवमानुषयोः शक्त्या तेजसा चैव पाण्डवान्। कुरूञ्शक्त्याऽल्पतरया दुर्योधनमथाब्रवीत्
He saw the Pāṇḍavas endowed with the strength and energy of gods and men, and the Kurus with lesser power; then he spoke to Duryodhana.
दुर्योधनेयं चिन्ता मे शश्वन्न व्युपशाम्यति। सत्यं ह्येतदहं मन्ये प्रत्यक्षं नानुमानतः
O Duryodhana, this anxiety of mine never ceases; truly, I believe this is evident to me directly, not merely by inference.
आत्मजेषु परं स्नेहं सर्वभातिनि कुर्वते। प्रियामि चैषां कुर्वन्ति यथाशक्ति हितानि च
People always show the greatest affection for their own children, and to the best of their ability, they do what is dear and beneficial for them.
एवमेवोपकर्तॄणां प्रायशो लक्षयामहे। इच्छन्ति बहुलं सन्तः प्रतिकर्तुं महत्प्रियम्
In the same way, we generally observe that those who have received favors wish, if they are noble, to repay them with great affection.
अग्निः साचिव्यर्ता स्यात्खाण्डवे तत्कृतं स्मरन् । अर्जुनस्यापि भीमेऽस्मिन्कुरुपाण्डुसमागमे
Agni, remembering what was done for him at Khandava, will be eager to assist; and so too will Arjuna and Bhima, in this coming encounter between the Kurus and Pandavas.
जातिगृद्ध्याऽभिपन्नाश्च पाण्डवानामनेकशः। धर्मादयः समेष्यन्ति समाहूता दिवौकसः
Many divine beings, attached to the Pandavas out of kinship and desire, will assemble when summoned, along with Dharma and others.
भीष्मद्रोणकृपादीनां भयादशनिसन्निभम् । रिरक्षिषन्तः संरभ्यं गमिष्यन्तीति मे मतिः
Out of fear, like thunderbolts, Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, and the rest will fiercely strive to protect themselves, or so I think.
ते देवैः सहिताः पार्था न शक्याः प्रतिवीक्षितुम् । मानुषेण नरव्याघ्रा वीर्यवन्तोऽस्त्रपारगाः
Together with the gods, the sons of Pritha—tigers among men, mighty and skilled in weapons—cannot be withstood by any human.
दुरासदं यस्य दिव्यं गाण्डीवं धनुरुत्तमम् । वारुणौ चाक्षयौ दिव्यौ शरपूर्णौ महेषुधी
He possesses the divine, invincible Gandiva, the supreme bow, and two inexhaustible quivers filled with celestial arrows.
वानरश्च ध्वजे दिव्यो निःसङ्गे धूमवद्गतिः । रथश्च चतुरन्तायां यस्य नास्ति समः क्षितौ
His banner bears the divine monkey, moving like smoke without hindrance, and his chariot, unmatched on earth, ranges in all directions.
महामेघनिभश्चापि निर्घोषः श्रूयते जनैः । महाशनिसमः शब्दःत शात्रवाणां भयंकरः
People hear the roar of his chariot, like a great thundercloud, and its sound, like a mighty thunderbolt, strikes terror into his enemies.
यं चातिमानुषं वीर्ये कृत्स्नो लोको व्यवस्यति। देवानामपि जेतारं यं विदुः पार्थिवा रणे
The whole world regards his strength as superhuman, and kings know him as the conqueror even of the gods in battle.
शतानि पञ्च चैवेषून्यो गृह्णन्नैव दृश्यते। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण मुञ्चन्दूरं च पातयन्
He is never seen taking up less than five hundred arrows at once, releasing them in a mere instant and striking distant targets.
यमाह भीष्मो द्रोणश्च कृपो द्रौणिस्तथैव च । मद्रराजस्तथा शल्यो मध्यस्था ये च मानवाः
Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Drona's son, the king of Madra, Shalya, and all the neutral warriors say of Partha, arrayed for battle against these superhuman kings, that the tiger among charioteers, the subduer of foes, cannot be defeated.
युद्धायावस्थितं पार्थं पार्थिवैरतिमानुषैः । अशक्यं रथशार्दूलं पराजेतुमरिंदमम्
Partha, standing ready for battle against kings of superhuman power, is a tiger among charioteers, unconquerable and impossible to defeat.
क्षिपत्येकेन वेगेन पञ्चबाणशतानि यः। सदृशं बाहुवीर्येण कार्तवीर्यस्य पाण्डवम्
He who, with a single motion, hurls hundreds of arrows at once—Pandava, whose arm-strength rivals that of Kartavirya.
तमर्जुनं महेष्वासं महेन्द्रोपेन्द्रविक्रमम्। निघ्नन्तमिव पश्याभि विमर्देऽस्मिन्महाहवे
Behold Arjuna, the great archer, whose valor equals that of Indra and Vishnu, slaying his foes in this great and terrible battle.
इत्येवं चिन्तयन्कृत्स्नमहोरात्राणि भारत । अनिद्रो निःसुखश्चास्मि कुरूणां शमचिन्तया
Thinking thus, O Bharata, night and day, I am sleepless and joyless, my mind fixed on the peace of the Kurus.
क्षयोदयोऽयं सुमहान्कुरूणां प्रत्युपस्थितः। अस्य चेत्कलहन्यान्तः शमादन्यो न विद्यते
A great crisis of destruction or prosperity now stands before the Kurus; if this conflict does not end in peace, there is no other remedy.