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?
काशिभिश्चेदिपाञ्चालैर्मत्स्यैश्च मधुसूदन। भवता चैव नाथेन पञ्च ग्रामा वृता मया
O Madhusudana, with the Kasis, the Cedis, the Panchalas, the Matsyas, and with you as our protector, I have requested five villages.
अविस्थलं वृकस्थलं माकन्दी वारणावतम्। अवसानं च गोविन्द कंचिदेवात्र पञ्चम्
Avisthala, Vrikasthala, Makandi, Varanavata, and, O Govinda, any one other place as the fifth.
पञ्च नस्तात दीयन्तां ग्रामा वा नगराणि वा। वसेम सहिता येषु मा च नो भरता नशन्
Let five villages or cities be given to us, O father, where we may live together, so that the Bharatas may not be destroyed.
न च तानपि दुष्टात्मा धार्तराष्ट्रोऽनुमन्यते। स्वाम्यमात्मनि मत्वाऽसावतो दुःखतरं नु किं
But even these, the wicked-hearted son of Dhritarashtra does not consent to give, thinking sovereignty belongs to himself—what could be more painful than this?
कुले जातस्य वृद्धस्य परवित्तेषु गृद्ध्यतः। लोभः प्रज्ञानमाहन्ति प्रज्ञा हन्ति हता ह्रियं
For one born in a noble family, advanced in years, who covets others' wealth, greed destroys wisdom, and when wisdom is destroyed, it destroys modesty.
ह्रीर्हता बाधते धर्मं धर्मो हन्ति हतः श्रियम् । श्रीर्हता पुरुषं हन्ति पुरुषस्याधं वधः
When modesty is destroyed, it harms righteousness; when righteousness is destroyed, it harms prosperity; when prosperity is destroyed, it destroys the man, and the destruction of a man is utter ruin.
अधनाद्धि निवर्तन्ते ज्ञातयः सुहृदो द्विजाः। अपुष्पादफलाद्वृक्षाद्यथा कृष्ण पतत्रिणः
For, O Krishna, relatives, friends, and twice-born ones turn away from the destitute, just as birds leave a tree that is without flowers or fruit.
एतच्च मरणं तात उन्मत्तपतितादिव। ज्ञातयो विनिवर्तन्ते प्रेतसत्वादिवासवः
And this, O father, is like death: relatives turn away as if from one mad or fallen, or as from one who has become a ghost.
नातः पापीयसीं कांचिदवस्थां शम्बरोऽब्रवीत् । यत्र नैवाऽद्य न प्रातर्भोजनं प्रतिदृश्यते
Shambara never spoke of any state more wretched than this, where today or tomorrow not even a meal is to be seen.
धनमाहुः परं धर्मं धने सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। जीवन्ति धनिनो लोके मृता ये त्वधना नराः
They say wealth is the highest righteousness; upon wealth everything rests. In this world, those with wealth live; those without wealth are as if dead.