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.
ये धनादपकर्षन्ति नरं स्वबलमास्थिताः। ते धर्ममर्थं कामं च प्रमथ्नन्ति नरं च तम्
Those who, relying on their own strength, take away a man's wealth, destroy his righteousness, purpose, and desire, and also the man himself.
एतामवस्थां प्राप्यैके मरणं वव्रिरे जनाः। ग्रामायैके वनायैके नाशायैके प्रवव्रजुः
Having reached such a state, some people chose death; some went to villages, some to forests, and some to destruction.
उन्मादमेके पुष्यन्ति यान्त्यन्ये द्विषतां वशम्। दास्यमेके च गच्छन्ति परेषामर्थहेतुना
Some fall into madness, others come under the power of enemies, and some, for the sake of wealth, enter into servitude to others.
आपदेवास्य मरणात्पुरुषस्य गरीयसी। श्रियो विनाशस्तद्ध्यस्य निमित्तं धर्मकामयोः
For a man, disgrace is worse than death; the loss of prosperity is the cause of the ruin of both righteousness and desire.
यदस्य धर्म्यं मरणं शाश्वतं लोकवर्त्मवत्। समन्तात्सर्वभूतानां न तदत्येति कश्चन
If his death is righteous and in accordance with the eternal path of the world, then no being anywhere can escape it.
न तथा बाध्यते कृष्ण प्रकृत्या निर्धनो जनः। यथा भद्रां श्रियं प्राप्य तया हीनः सुखैधितः
O Krishna, a man who is poor by nature does not suffer as much as one who, having attained good fortune, is deprived of it and afflicted by misery.
स तदाऽऽत्मापराधेन संप्राप्तो व्यसनं महत्। सेन्द्रान्गर्हयते देवान्नात्मानं च कथंचन
Then, having reached such great misfortune through his own fault, he blames the gods, even Indra, but never himself.
न चास्य सर्वशास्राणि प्रभवन्ति निबर्हणे । सोऽभिक्रुध्याति भृत्यानां सुहृदश्चाभ्यसूयति
Nor do all the scriptures have power to restrain him; he becomes angry with his servants and bears ill-will toward his friends.
तत्तदा मन्युरेवैति स भूयः संप्रमुह्यति। स मोहवशमापन्नः क्रूरं कर्म निषेवते
Then, anger alone arises in him, and again he becomes bewildered; falling under the sway of delusion, he engages in cruel deeds.
पापकर्मतया चैव सङ्करं तेन पुष्यति। सङ्करो नरकायैव सा काष्ठा पापकर्मणाम्
And through such sinful actions, he fosters confusion of castes; that confusion leads only to hell—this is the ultimate result of evil deeds.
न चेत्प्रबुध्यते कृष्ण नरकायैव गच्छति। तस्य प्रबोधः प्रज्ञैव प्रज्ञाचक्षुस्तरिष्यति
If he does not awaken, O Krishna, he surely goes to hell; his awakening is wisdom alone, and by the eye of wisdom he will cross over.
प्रज्ञालाभे हि पुरुषः शास्त्राण्येवान्ववेक्षते । शास्त्रनिष्ठः पुनर्धर्मं तस्य ह्रीरङ्गमुत्तमम्
Indeed, when a man lacks wisdom, he relies only on the scriptures; but one established in scripture attains righteousness, and for him, modesty is the highest ornament.
ह्रीमान्हि पापं प्रद्वेष्टि तस्य श्रीरभिवर्धते। श्रीमान्स यावद्भवति तावद्भवति पूरुषः
For one who possesses modesty hates sin, and his prosperity increases; as long as he remains prosperous, so long does he remain truly human.
धर्मनित्यः प्रशान्तात्मा कार्ययोगवहः सदा। नाधर्मे कुरुते बुद्धिं न च पापे प्रवर्तते
Constant in righteousness, with a tranquil mind, always devoted to proper action—he does not set his mind on unrighteousness, nor does he engage in sin.
अह्रीको वा विमूढो वा नैव स्त्री न पुनः पुमान्। नास्याधिकारो धर्मेऽस्ति यथा शूद्रस्तथैव सः
But one who is shameless or deluded, whether woman or man, has no right to righteousness—he is just like a Shudra.
ह्रीमानवति देवांश्च पितॄनात्मानमेव च। तेनामृतत्वं व्रजति सा काष्ठा पुण्यकर्मणाम्
He who possesses modesty honors the gods, ancestors, and his own self; through that, he attains immortality—this is the highest state of virtuous deeds.
तदिदं मयि ते दृष्टं प्रत्यक्षं मधुसूदन। यथा राज्यात्परिभ्रष्टो वसामि वसतीरिमाः
This, O Madhusudana, you have seen directly in me: how, deprived of my kingdom, I dwell in these humble abodes.
ते वयं न श्रियं हातुमलं न्यायेन केनचित्। अत्र नो यतमानानां वधश्चेदपि साधु तत्
We are not able to abandon prosperity by any just means; even if, striving here, we are slain, that would be fitting for us.
तत्र नः प्रथमः कल्पो यद्वयं ते च माधव। प्रशान्ताः समभूताश्च श्रियं तामश्रुवीमहि
Therefore, our first resolve, O Madhava, is that both we and you remain peaceful and content, and regain that prosperity.
तत्रैषा परमा काष्ठा रौद्रकर्मक्षयोदया। यद्वयं कौरवान्हत्वा तानि राष्ट्राण्यवाप्नुमः
But this is the highest extreme, born of the destruction of fierce deeds: that by slaying the Kauravas, we would obtain those kingdoms.