संपृच्छते धृतराष्ट्रय सञ्जय आचक्ष्व सर्वं यावदेषोऽनुयुङ्क्ते। सर्वं यावद्वेत्थ तस्मिन्यथाव- द्याथातथ्यं वासुदेवेऽर्जुने च
Dhritarashtra is questioning you, Sanjaya—tell him everything as long as he continues to ask. Tell all that you know, exactly as it is, about Vasudeva and Arjuna.
अर्जुनो वासुदेवश्च धन्विनौ परमार्थितौ। कामादन्यत्र संभूतौ सर्वभावाय संमितौ
Arjuna and Vasudeva, both supreme archers, have arisen for the sake of all beings, born elsewhere by their own will.
व्यामान्तरं समास्थय यथामुक्तं मनस्विनः । चक्रं तद्वासुदेवस्य मायया वर्तते विभो
Taking their stand at a distance, as the wise have said, that wheel of Vasudeva moves by his own wondrous power, O mighty one.
सापह्नवं कौरवेषु पाण्डवानां सुसंमतम्। सारासारबलं ज्ञातुं तेजःपुञ्जावभासितम्
Among the Kauravas, the Pandavas are highly esteemed for their concealment, their strength and weakness discerned, their brilliance shining forth.
नरकं शम्बरं चैव कंसं चैद्यं च माधवः। जितवान्घोरसङ्काशान्क्रीडन्निव महाबलः
Madhava, of great might, has defeated Naraka, Shambara, Kamsa, and Saubha, all terrible in form, as if in sport.
पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च द्यां चैव पुरुषोत्तमः । मनसैव विशिष्टात्मा नयत्यात्मवशं वशी
The supreme person, master of himself, leads the earth, the sky, and the heavens by his mind alone, as he wills.
भूयो भूयो हि यद्राजन्पृच्छसे पाण्डवान्प्रति । सारासारबलं ज्ञातुं तत्समासेन मे शृणु
Again and again, O king, you ask about the Pandavas to discern their true strength and weakness. Hear it from me in brief.
एकतो वा जगत्कृत्स्नमेकतो वा जनार्दनः। सारतो जगतः कृत्स्नादतिरिक्तो जनार्दनः
If on one side were the whole world, and on the other Janardana, Janardana would outweigh the entire world in essence.
भस्म कुर्याञ्जगदिदं मनसैव जनार्दनः । न तु कृत्स्नं जगच्छक्तं किञ्चित्कर्तुं जनार्दने
Janardana could reduce this entire world to ashes by his mind alone; yet, there is nothing in the whole universe that Janardana is unable to accomplish.
यतः सत्यं यतो धर्मो यतो ह्रीरार्जवं यतः। ततो भवति गोविन्दो यतः कृष्णस्ततो जयः
Where there is truth, where there is righteousness, where there is modesty and sincerity—there Govinda abides; where Krishna is, there is victory.
पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च दिवं च पुरुषोत्तमः। विचेष्टयति भूतात्मा क्रीडन्निव जनार्दनः
The Supreme Person, Janardana, animates the earth, the sky, and the heavens, as the soul of all beings, as if playing.
स कृत्वा पाण्डवान्सत्रं लोकं संमोहयन्निव । अधर्मनिरतान्मूढान्दग्धुमिच्छति ते सुतान्
Having gathered the Pandavas, he seems to bewilder the world, and wishes to destroy your sons, who are deluded and devoted to unrighteousness.
कालचक्रं जगच्चक्रं युगचक्रं च केशवः। आत्मयोगेन भगवान्परिवर्तयतेऽनिशम्
By his own yoga, the Blessed Kesava constantly turns the wheel of time, the wheel of the world, and the wheel of the ages.
कालस्य च हि मृत्योश्च जङ्गमस्थावरस्य च । ईष्टे हि भगवानेकः सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
He alone, the Blessed Lord, is the master of time, of death, and of all that moves and is still; this is the truth I declare to you.
ईशन्नपि महायोगी सर्वस्य जगतो हरिः। कर्माण्यारभते कर्तुं कीनाश इव दुर्बलः
Though Hari is the great yogi and lord of all the worlds, he undertakes actions as if powerless, like a weak man bound to fate.
तेन वञ्चयते लोकान्मायायोगेन केशवः । ये तमेव प्रपद्यन्ते न ते मुह्यन्ति मानवाः
By his power of illusion, Kesava deceives the worlds; but those humans who take refuge in him are not deluded.
कथं त्वं माधवं वेत्थ सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्। कथमेनं न वेदाहं तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय
How do you know Madhava, the great lord of all worlds? And why do I not know him? Tell me this, Sanjaya.
श्रृणु राजन्न ते विद्या मम विद्या न हीयते। विद्याहीनस्तमोध्वस्तो नाभिजानाति केशवम्
Hear, O King: you lack the knowledge, but my knowledge is not deficient; one who is deprived of knowledge and shrouded in darkness does not recognize Kesava.
विद्यया तात जानामि त्रियुगं मधुसूदनम् । कर्तारमकृतं देवं भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययम्
By knowledge, O father, I know Madhusudana, the Lord of the three ages, the uncreated creator, the origin and dissolution of beings.
गावल्गणेऽत्र का भक्तिर्या ते नित्या जनार्दने। यया त्वमभिजानासि त्रियुगं मधुसूदनम्
O Gavalgana, what is that constant devotion you have for Janardana, by which you recognize Madhusudana, the Lord of the three ages?
मायां न सेवे भद्रं ते न वृथाधर्ममाचरे। शुद्धभावं गतो भक्त्या शास्त्रद्वेद्मि जनार्दनम्
I do not serve illusion, nor do I act in vain unrighteousness; having attained pure devotion, I know Janardana through the scriptures.
दुर्योधन हृषीकेशं प्रपद्यस्व जनार्दनम्। आप्तो नः सञ्जयस्तात शरणं गच्छ केशवम्
O Duryodhana, take refuge in Hrishikesha, in Janardana; Sanjaya is devoted to us, O father—seek shelter with Kesava.
भगवान्देवकीपुत्रो लोकांश्चेन्निहनिष्यति। प्रवदन्नर्जुने सख्यं नाहं गच्छेऽद्य केशवम्
If the Blessed Son of Devaki destroys the worlds, even while speaking friendship to Arjuna, I will not go to Kesava today.
अवाग्गान्धारि पुत्रस्ते गच्छत्येष सुदुर्मतिः । ईर्षुर्दुरात्मा मानी च श्रेयसां वचनातिगः
Your son, O Gandhari, departs speechless, with a wicked mind; envious, evil-hearted, proud, he disregards words of welfare.
ऐश्वर्यकाम दुष्टात्मन्वृद्धानां शासनातिग। ऐश्वर्यजीतिते हित्वा पितरं मां च बालिश
Desiring power, with a corrupt heart, disobeying the elders' commands, and abandoning both his father and me, the foolish one seeks dominion.
वर्धयन्दुर्हृदां प्रीतिं मां च शोकेन वर्धयन् । निहतो भीमसेनेन स्मर्ताति वचनं पितुः
Increasing the joy of the wicked and increasing my sorrow, when he is slain by Bhimasena, he will remember his father's words.
प्रियोऽसि राजन्कृष्णस्य धृतराष्ट्र निबोध मे। यस्य ते सञ्जयो दूतो यस्त्वां श्रेयसि योक्ष्यते
O Dhritarashtra, know this from me: you are dear to Krishna, O King. Sanjaya is his messenger to you, and he will guide you toward what is best.
जानात्येष हृषीकेशं पुराणं यच्च वै परम्। शुश्रूषमाणमैकाग्र्यं मोक्ष्यते महतो भयात्
This Hrishikesha knows the ancient and the supreme; one who listens to him with single-minded attention is freed from great fear.
वैचित्रवीर्य पुरुषाः क्रोधहर्षसमावृताः । सिता बहुविधैः पाशैर्ये न तुष्टाः स्वकैर्धनैः
O son of Vichitravirya, men overwhelmed by anger and delight, bound by many kinds of white snares, are not satisfied even with their own wealth.
यमस्य वशमायान्ति काममूढाः पुनः पुनः । अन्धनेत्रा यथैवान्धा नीयमानाः स्वकर्मभिः
Deluded by desire, they repeatedly fall under Yama's control, just as the blind, led by the blind, are carried along by their own actions.