ये पुनः स्युरसंबद्धा अनार्याः कृष्ण शत्रवः। तेषामप्यवधः कार्यः किंपुनर्ये स्युरीदृशाः
And as for those who are unrelated, ignoble, and enemies, O Krishna—their destruction too is necessary; how much more so for those who are like this.
ज्ञातयश्चैव भूयिष्ठाः सहाया गुरवश्च नः। तेषां वधोऽतिपापीयान्किं नु युद्धेऽस्ति शोभनम्
Our kinsmen, our many allies, and our elders—their slaughter is most sinful; what good can there be in battle?
पापः क्षत्रियधर्मोऽयं वयं च क्षत्रबन्धवः। स नः स्वधर्मोऽधर्मो वा वृत्तिरन्या विगर्हिता
This Kshatriya duty is sinful, and we are only kin of Kshatriyas; whether this is our own duty or not, any other way of life is condemned.
शूद्रः करोति शुश्रूषां वैश्मा वै पण्यजीविकाः । वयं वधेन जीवामः कपालं ब्राह्मणैर्वृतम्
The Shudra serves, the Vaishya lives by trade; we live by killing, our bowls covered by Brahmins’ leftovers.
क्षत्रियः क्षत्रियं हन्ति मत्स्यो मत्स्येन जीवति। श्वा श्वानं हन्ति दाशार्ह पश्य धर्मो यथागतः
A Kshatriya kills a Kshatriya, a fish lives by another fish; a dog kills a dog—see, O Dasharha, how righteousness has come to this.
युद्धे कृष्ण कलिर्नित्यं प्राणाः सीदन्ति संयुगे। बलं तु नीतिमाधाय युध्ये जयपराजयौ
In battle, O Krishna, strife is constant and lives are lost in combat; but relying on strategy, I fight, seeking either victory or defeat.
नात्मच्छन्देन भूतानां जीवितं मरणं तथा। नाप्यकाले सुखं प्राप्यं दुःखं वाऽपि यदूत्तम
The living and dying of beings does not occur according to their own wishes; nor is happiness or suffering obtained at the desired time, O best of the Yadus.
एको ह्यपि बहून्हन्ति घ्नन्त्येकं बहवोऽप्युत। शूरं कापुरुषो हन्ति अयशस्वी यशस्विनम्
A single person may kill many, and many may kill a single one; a coward kills a hero, and the infamous kill the renowned.
जयो नैवोभयोर्दृष्टो नोभयोश्च पराजयः। तथैवापचयो दृष्टो व्यपयाने क्षयव्ययौ
Victory is not always seen on either side, nor defeat on both; likewise, loss and gain are observed in withdrawal, as are decay and expenditure.
सर्वथा वृजिनं युद्धं को ध्नन्न प्रतिहन्यते। हतस्य च हृषीकेश समौ जयपराजयौ
In every way, battle is full of sorrow; who, having struck, is not struck in return? For the slain, O Hrishikesha, victory and defeat are equal.
पराजयश्च मरणान्मन्ये नैव विशिष्यते। यस्य स्याद्विजयः कृष्ण तस्यप्यपचयो ध्रुवम्
I consider defeat to be no better than death; even for one who attains victory, O Krishna, loss is certain.
अन्ततो दयितं ध्नन्ति केचिदप्यपरे जनाः । तस्याङ्गबलहीनस्य पुत्रान्भ्रातॄनपश्यतः
In the end, some people kill even those they love, while others kill those who are weak in body, before their sons and brothers.
निर्वेदो जीविते कृष्ण सर्वतश्चोपजायते। ये ह्येव धीरा ह्रीमन्त आर्याः करुणवेदिनः
Disgust with life arises everywhere, O Krishna; especially among those who are wise, modest, noble, and compassionate.
त एव युद्धे हन्यन्ते यवीयान्मुच्यते जनः। हत्वाऽप्यनुशयो नित्यं परानपि जनार्दन
Those very ones are slain in battle, while the younger are spared; even after killing, there is always remorse for others, O Janardana.
अनुबद्धश्च पापोऽत्र शेषश्चाप्यवशिष्यते। शेषो हि बलमासाद्य न शेषमनुशेषयेत्
Sin remains attached here, and a remnant always persists; for, when the remnant gains strength, it does not spare the remaining.
सर्वोच्छेदे च यतते वैरस्यान्तविधित्सया। जयो वैरं प्रसृजति दुःखमास्ते पराजितः
One strives for total destruction, seeking to end enmity; victory breeds hostility, and the defeated dwell in sorrow.
सुखं प्रशान्तः स्वपिति हित्वा जयपराजयौ । जातवैरश्च पुरुषो दुःखं स्वपिति नित्यदा
The peaceful person sleeps happily, having abandoned victory and defeat; but one who has become an enemy always sleeps in sorrow.
अनिर्वृत्तेन मनसा ससर्प इव वेश्मनि। उत्सादयति यः सर्वं यशसा स विमुच्यते
With a restless mind, like a snake in a house, one who destroys everything is freed by fame.
अकीर्तिं सर्वभूतेषु शाश्वतीं स नियच्छति। न हि वैराणि शाम्यन्ति दीर्घकालधृतान्यपि
He incurs everlasting infamy among all beings; for enmities do not cease, even when held for a long time.
आख्यातारश्च विद्यन्ते पुमांश्चेद्विद्यते कुले। न चापि वैरं वैरेण केशव व्युपशाम्यति
There are always storytellers if a man exists in the family; nor, O Keshava, does enmity end by enmity.
हविषाऽग्निर्यथा कृष्ण भूय एवाभिवर्धते। अतोऽन्यथा नास्ति शान्तिर्नित्यमन्तरमन्ततः
Just as fire grows again with offerings, O Krishna, so otherwise there is no peace, neither within nor at the end.
अन्तरं लिप्समानानामयं दोषो निरन्तरः । पौरुषे यो हि बलवानाधिर्हृदयबाधनः। तस्य त्यागेन वा शान्तिर्मरणेनापि वा भवेत्
For those seeking a gap, this fault is uninterrupted; the anxiety of the strong in manhood is a torment to the heart; by renouncing it or by death, peace may be attained.
अथवा मूलघातेन द्विषतां मधुसूदन । फलनिर्वृत्तिरिद्धा स्यात्तन्नृशंसतरं भवेत्
Or else, by uprooting the enemies, O Madhusudana, the fruition of the result may be achieved, but that would be even more cruel.
या तु त्यागेन शान्तिः स्यात्तदृते वध एव सः। संशयाच्च समुच्छेदाद्द्विषतामात्मनस्तथा
But the peace that comes by renunciation is, apart from that, nothing but killing; and by doubt and destruction, so too for enemies and oneself.
न च त्यक्तुं तदिच्छामो न चेच्छामः कुलक्षयम्। अत्र या प्रणिपातेन शान्तिः सैव गरीयसी
We do not wish to abandon that, nor do we desire the destruction of our lineage; among the possible paths, the peace achieved through supplication is the weightiest.
सर्वथा यतमानानामयुद्धमभिकाङ्क्षताम्। सान्त्वे प्रतिहते युद्धं प्रसिद्धं नापराक्रमः
When all efforts are made by those who seek to avoid battle, and conciliation is thwarted, then war becomes established—no other course remains.
प्रतिघातेन सान्त्वस्य दारुणं संप्रवर्तते। तच्छुनामिव संपाते पण्डितैरुपलक्षितम्
When conciliation is obstructed, a dreadful conflict arises; this has been observed by the wise, like the clash of dogs.
लाङ्गूलचालनं क्ष्वेडा प्रतिवाचो विवर्तनम् । दन्तदर्शनमारावस्ततो युद्धं प्रवर्तते
The wagging of tails, growling, retorts, turning away, baring of teeth—after these, battle ensues.
तत्र यो बलवान्कृष्ण जित्वा सोत्ति तदामिषम्। एवमेव मनुष्येषु विशेषो नास्ति कश्चन
There, O Krishna, whoever is stronger seizes the prize after victory; in this way, among humans, there is truly no distinction.
सर्वथा त्वेतदुचितं दुर्बलेषु बलीयसाम्। अनादरो विरोधश्च प्रणिपाती हि दुर्बलः
In every way, this is fitting: the strong disregard and oppose the weak, for the weak must submit.