अतत्त्वं कुरुते तत्त्वं तेन मोहयते प्रजाः
He makes the unreal appear as the real, and by that he deludes the people.
एवंविधो धर्मनित्यो भगवान्मधुसूदनः । आगन्ता हि महाबाहुरानृशंस्यार्थमच्युतः
Such is the ever-righteous Lord Madhusūdana; the mighty-armed, infallible one will indeed come for the sake of compassion.
चक्षुष्मतां वै स्पृहयामि सञ्जय द्रक्ष्यन्ति ये वासुदेवं समीपे। विभ्राजमानं वपुषा परेण प्रकाशयन्तं प्रदिशो दिशश्च
O Sañjaya, I envy those who have sight, who will see Vāsudeva nearby, shining with supreme form, illuminating all directions and quarters.
ईरयन्तं भारतीं भारताना- मभ्यर्चनीयां शङ्करीं सृञ्जयानाम्। बुभूषद्भिर्गर्हणीयामनिन्द्यां परासूनामग्रहणीयरूपाम्
Uttering speech for the Bhāratas, worthy of honor among the Sṛñjayas, blameless and irreproachable, yet to be censured by those who wish to live, and to be seized by enemies.
समुद्यन्तं सात्वतमेकवीरं प्रणेतारमृषभं यादवानाम्। निहन्तारं क्षोभणं शात्रवाणां मुञ्चन्तं च द्विषतां वै यशांसि
Rising up, the sole hero of the Sātvatas, the leader and bull among the Yādavas, the destroyer and agitator of enemies, who releases the fame of his foes.
द्रष्टारो हि कुरवस्तं समेता महात्मानं शब्रुहणं वरेण्यम् । ब्रुवन्तं वाचमनृशंसरूपां वृष्णिश्रेष्ठं मोहयन्तं मदीयान्
The Kurus assembled will see him, the great-souled, the subduer of pride, the most excellent, speaking words of compassion, the best of the Vṛṣṇis, bewildering my people.
ऋषिं सनातनतभं विपश्चितं वाचःसमुद्रं कलशं यतीनाम्। अरिष्टनेमिं गरुडं सुपर्णं हरिं प्रजानां भुवनस्य धाम
The sage, eternal, wise, an ocean of speech, a vessel for ascetics, Ariṣṭanemi, Garuḍa, Suparṇa, Hari, the support of beings and the world.
सहस्रशीर्षं पुरुषं पुराण- मनादिमध्यान्तमनन्तकीर्तिम्। शुक्रस्य धातारमजं च नित्यं परं परेषां शरणं प्रपद्ये
The thousand-headed Puruṣa, the ancient one, without beginning, middle, or end, of endless fame, the creator of Śukra, unborn and eternal, the supreme refuge of the supreme, I seek shelter in him.
त्रैलोक्यनिर्माणकरं जनित्रं देवासुराणामथ नागरक्षसाम्। नराधिपानां विदुषां प्रधान- मिन्द्रानुजं तं शरणं प्रपद्ये
The maker of the three worlds, the creator of gods, asuras, nāgas, and rākṣasas, the foremost among kings and wise men, the younger brother of Indra, I seek refuge in him.
प्रयाते सञ्जये साधौ कौरवान्प्रति वै तदा। किं चक्रुः पाण्डवास्तत्र मम पूर्वपितामहाः
When the virtuous Sañjaya had gone to the Kauravas, what did my ancestors, the Pāṇḍavas, do there?
एतत्सर्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ विस्तरं मम सत्तम। कथयस्व प्रयत्नेन श्रोतुमिच्छामि पण्डित
O best of twice-born, tell me all this in detail, O excellent one; narrate it with care, for I wish to hear, O wise one.
सञ्जये प्रतियाते तु धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। अर्जुनं भीमसेनं च माद्रीपुत्रौ च भारत
When Sañjaya had departed, King Yudhiṣṭhira, devoted to righteousness, called Arjuna, Bhīmasena, and the sons of Mādrī, O Bhārata.
विराटं द्रुपदं चैव केकयानां महारथान्। अब्रुवीदुपसङ्गम्य शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् । अभियाचामहे गत्वा प्रयातुं कुरुसंसदम्
Virata, Drupada, and the great warriors of the Kekaya clan approached the bearer of the conch, discus, and mace, and said: Let us go and request permission to enter the Kuru assembly.
यथा भीष्मेण द्रोणेन बाह्लीकेन च धीमता। अन्यैश्च कुरुभिः सार्धं न युध्येमहि संयुगे
So that, together with Bhishma, Drona, the wise Bahlika, and the other Kurus, we may not have to fight in battle.
एष नः प्रथमः कल्प एतन्निश्रेय उत्तमम् । एवमुक्ताः सुमनसस्तेऽभिजग्मुर्जनार्दनम्
This is our first course; this is the highest good. Thus spoken, the noble ones went to Janardana.
पाण्डवैः सह राजानो मरुत्वन्त इवामराः। तदा च दुःसहाः सर्वे सदस्यास्ते नरर्षभाः
The kings, together with the Pandavas, were like the Maruts among the gods; all those mighty men in the assembly were then difficult to withstand.
जनार्दनं समासाद्य कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । अब्रवीत्परवीरध्नं दाशार्हं पाण्डुनन्दनः
Having approached Janardana, Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, spoke to the slayer of enemy heroes, the descendant of Dasharha.
अयं स कालः संप्राप्तो मित्राणां मित्रवत्सल । न च त्वदन्यं पश्यामि यो न आपत्सु तारयेत्
This is the time that has come for friends, O friend of friends; I see no one but you who can save us in adversity.
त्वां हि माधवमाश्रित्य निर्भया मोघदर्पितम् । धार्तराष्ट्रं सहामात्यं स्वयं समनुयुङ्क्ष्महे
Relying on you, Madhava, we are fearless, and we ourselves, together with our ministers, challenge the arrogant Dhritarashtra's sons.
यथा हि सर्वास्वापत्सु पासि वृष्णीनरिन्दम्। तथा ते पाण्डवा रक्ष्याः पाह्यस्मान्महतो भयात्
Just as you protect all the Vrishni kings in every danger, so too must you protect the Pandavas; guard us from great fear.
अयमस्मि महाबाहो ब्रूहि यत्ते विवक्षितम् । करिष्यामि हि तत्सर्वं यत्त्वं वक्ष्यसि भारत
Here I am, O mighty-armed one; speak what you wish to say. I will do everything you command, O descendant of Bharata.
श्रुतं ते धृतराष्ट्रस्य सपुत्रस्य चिकीर्षितम्। एतद्धि सकलं कृष्ण सञ्जयो मां यदब्रवीत्
You have heard what Dhritarashtra and his sons intend; all this, O Krishna, Sanjaya told me.
मृदुपूर्वं साममिश्रं सममुग्रं च माधव । न कतृं न्यायमास्थाय गर्हिताश्च ततो वयम्
With gentle words mixed with diplomacy, and also harsh ones, O Madhava, we did not act according to justice, and thus we are blamed.
तन्मतं धृतराष्ट्रस्य सोऽस्यात्मा विवृतान्तरः। यथोक्तं दूत आचष्टे वध्यः स्यादन्यथा ब्रुवन्
Such is Dhritarashtra's opinion; his inner self is revealed. As the messenger declares, anyone who speaks otherwise is to be killed.
अप्रदानेन राज्यस्य शान्तिमस्मासु मार्गति। लुब्धः पापेन मनसा चरन्नसममात्मनः
By refusing to give us the kingdom, he seeks peace with us; greedy, acting with sinful intent, and not impartial in his heart.
यत्तद्द्वादशवर्षाणि वनेषु ह्युषिता वयम्। छद्मना शरदं चैकां धृतराष्ट्रस्य शासनात्
For twelve years we lived in the forests, and one year in disguise, by the order of Dhritarashtra.
स्थाता नः समये तस्मिन्धृतराष्ट्र इति प्रभो। नाहास्म समयं कृष्ण तद्धि नो ब्राह्मणा विदुः
Dhritarashtra promised to abide by the agreement, O lord; but we did not break it, Krishna, and the Brahmanas know this.
गृद्धो राजा धृतराष्ट्रः स्वधर्मं नानुपश्यति । वश्यत्वात्पुत्रगृद्धित्वान्मन्दस्यान्वेति शासनं
King Dhritarashtra, greedy, does not see his own duty; because he is controlled by his son, blinded by affection, and follows his son's commands.
सुयोधनमते तिष्ठन्राजाऽस्मासु जनार्दन। मिथ्याचरति लुब्धः संश्चरन्हि प्रियमात्मनः
Standing by Suyodhana's opinion, the king acts falsely towards us, greedy, pursuing only what pleases himself.
इतो दुःखतरं किं नु यदहं मातरं ततः। संविधातुं न शक्नोमि मित्राणां वा जनार्दन
What could be more painful than this, O Janardana, that I am unable to comfort my mother or my friends?