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.
शमो मे रोचते नित्यं पार्थैस्तात न विग्रहः । कुरुभ्यो हि सदा मन्ये पाण्डवाञ्शक्तिमत्तरान्
I always prefer peace, not conflict with the sons of Pandu, O son; for I have ever considered the Pandavas to be stronger than the Kurus.
पितुरेतद्वचः श्रुत्वा धार्तराष्ट्रोऽत्यमर्षणः। आधाय विपुलं क्रोधं पुनरेवेदमब्रवीत्
Hearing these words of his father, the son of Dhritarashtra, unable to bear it, filled with intense anger, spoke again as follows.
अशक्या देवसचिवाः पार्थाः स्युरिति यद्भवान्। मन्यते तद्भयं व्येतु भवतो राजसत्तम
If you think, O best of kings, that the Pandavas are invincible even to the gods and their counselors, let your fear be dispelled.
अकामद्वेषसंयोगाल्लोभद्रोहाच्च भारत । उपेक्षया च भावानां देवा देवत्वमाप्नुवन्
The gods attained divinity, O Bharata, through union without desire or hatred, through absence of greed and betrayal, and through indifference to worldly states.
इति द्वैपायेनो व्यासो नारदश्च महातपाः । जामदग्न्यश्च रामो नः कथामकथयत्पुरा
Thus, Vyasa, son of Dvaipayana, the great ascetic Narada, and Rama, son of Jamadagni, have narrated these stories to us in ancient times.
नैव मानुषवद्देवाः प्रवर्तन्ते कदाचन । कामात्क्रोधात्तथा लोभाद्द्वेषाच्च भरतर्षभ
The gods never act like humans, O best of Bharatas, neither from desire, anger, greed, nor hatred.
यदा ह्यग्निश्च वायुश्च धर्म इन्द्रोऽश्विनावपि। कामयोगात्प्रवर्तेरन्न पार्था दुःखमाप्नुयुः
If Agni, Vayu, Dharma, Indra, and the Ashvins were to act from desire, then the Pandavas would suffer greatly.
तस्मान्न भवता चिन्ता कार्यैषा स्यात्कथंचन । दैवेष्वपेक्षका ह्येते शश्वद्भावेषु भारत
Therefore, you should not be concerned in any way; these beings, O Bharata, always depend on the divine for their states.
अथ चेत्कामसंयोगाद्द्वेषो लोभश्च लक्ष्यते। देवेषु दैवप्रामाण्यान्नैषां तद्विक्रमिष्यति
If, however, desire, hatred, or greed is observed among the gods, their divine authority will not allow them to transgress.
मयाऽभिमन्त्रतः शश्वञ्जातवेदाः प्रशाम्यति। दिधक्षुः सकलाँल्लोकान्परिक्षिप्य समन्ततः
By my invocation, O Bharata, the fire Jatavedas is always subdued, even when he seeks to consume all worlds, encircling them on every side.