यद्यद्धर्मेण संयुक्तमुपपद्येद्धितं वचः। तत्तत्केशव भाषेथाः सान्त्वं वा यदि वेतरत्
Whatever words, O Kesava, are proper and beneficial according to righteousness, those you should speak—whether conciliatory or otherwise.
सञ्जयस्य श्रुतं वाक्यं भवतश्च श्रुतं मया। सर्वं जानाम्यभिप्रायं तेषां च भवतश्च यः
I have heard Sanjaya’s words and yours as well; I know fully the intentions of both them and you.
तव धर्माश्रिता बुद्धिस्तेषां वैराश्रया मतिः। यदयुद्धेन लभ्येत तत्ते बहुमतं भवेत्
Your mind is set on righteousness, theirs is fixed on enmity; what can be gained without war is what you value most.
न चैवं नैष्ठिकं कर्म क्षत्रियस्य विशांपते। आहुराश्रमिणः सर्वे न भैक्षं क्षत्रियश्चरेत्
But such conduct is not the final duty of a kshatriya, O lord of men; all those who live by the ashramas say a kshatriya should not live by begging.
जयो वधो वा सङ्ग्रामे धात्राऽऽदिष्टः सनातनः। स्वधर्मः क्षत्रियस्यैष कार्पण्यं न प्रशत्यते
Victory or death in battle is ordained by fate from ancient times; this is the true duty of a kshatriya—cowardice is not approved.
न हि कार्पण्यमास्थाय शक्या वृत्तिर्युधिष्ठिर । विक्रमस्व महाबाहो जहि शत्रून्परन्तप
By resorting to weakness, O Yudhishthira, one cannot maintain one’s livelihood; act with courage, mighty-armed one, and destroy your enemies, scorcher of foes.
अतिगृद्धाः कृतस्नेहा दीर्घकालं सहोषिताः । कृतमित्राः कृतबला धार्तराष्ट्राः परन्तप
The sons of Dhritarashtra, scorcher of foes, are excessively greedy, have formed alliances, lived together for a long time, made friends, and gathered strength.
न पर्यायोऽस्ति यत्साम्यं त्वयि कुर्युर्विशांपते । बलवत्तां हि मन्यन्ते भीष्मद्रोणकृपादिभिः
There is no way they would seek equality with you, O lord of men; for they consider themselves strong because of Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, and others.
यावच्च मार्दवेनैतान्राजन्नुपचरिष्यसि। तावदेते हरिष्यन्ति तव राज्यमरिन्दम
As long as you treat them with gentleness, O king, so long will they seize your kingdom, O subduer of enemies.
नानुक्रोशान्न कार्पण्यान्न च धर्मार्थकारणात्। अलं कर्तुं धार्तराष्ट्रस्तव काममरिन्दम
Neither out of compassion, nor out of weakness, nor for the sake of righteousness or profit, will the son of Dhritarashtra ever act in your interest, O subduer of enemies.
एतदेव निमित्तं ते धार्तराष्ट्रो यथा त्वयि । नान्वतप्यत कोपेन तव कृत्वाऽपि दुष्करम्
This alone is the reason, that though the son of Dhritarashtra did to you what was so hard to do, he did not afterwards regret it in anger.
पितामहस्य द्रोणस्य विदुरस्य च धीमतः । ब्राह्मणानां च साधूनां राज्ञश्च नगरस्य च
In the presence of Bhishma, Drona, the wise Vidura, the virtuous Brahmanas, the king, and the people of the city—
पश्यतां कुरुमुख्यानां सर्वेषामेव तत्त्वतः। दानशीलं मृदुं दान्तं धर्मशीलमनुव्रतम्
—while all the foremost Kurus truly looked on, you, who are generous, gentle, self-controlled, devoted to righteousness and steadfast in your vows—
यत्त्वामुपधिना राजन्द्यूते वञ्चितवांस्तदा । न चापत्रपते तेन नृशंसः स्वेन कर्मणा
—when you, O King, were deceitfully defeated at dice, he did not feel any shame for that cruel act of his.
तथाशीलसमाचरे राजन्मा प्रणयं कृथाः । वध्यास्ते सर्वलोकस्य किं पुनस्तव भारत
Such is his character and conduct, O King; do not show him affection. He is fit for death at the hands of all the world, what then to you, O Bharata?
वाग्भिस्त्वप्रतिरूपाभिरतुदत्त्वां सहानुजम् । श्लाघमानः प्रहृष्टः सन्भ्रातृभिः सह भाषते
With harsh and unfitting words, he insulted you and your brothers, boasting joyfully together with his own brothers.
एतावत्पाण्डवानां हि नास्ति किंचिदिह स्वकम् । नामधेयं च गोत्रं च तदप्येषां न शिष्यते
Now, for the Pandavas, nothing here remains their own—not even their name or lineage is left to them.
कालेन महता चैषां भविष्यति पराभवः । प्रकृतिं ते भजिष्यन्ति नष्टप्रकृतयो मयि
In time, a great defeat will come upon them; their people, lost to them, will turn to you.
दुःशासनेन पापेन तदा द्यूते प्रवर्तिते । अनाथवत्तदा देवी द्रौपदी सुदुरात्मना
When that sinful Duhshasana began the dice game, the noble Draupadi was treated as one without protector by that evil-hearted man.
आकृष्य केशे रुदती सभायां राजसंसदि । भीष्मद्रोणप्रमुखतो गौरिति व्याहृता मुहुः
Dragged by her hair, weeping in the royal assembly hall before Bhishma, Drona, and the others, she was repeatedly called 'slave.'
भवता वारिताः सर्वे भ्रातरो भीमविक्रमाः । धर्मपाशनिबद्धाश्च न किंचित्प्रतिपेदिरे
All your brothers, mighty as Bhima, were restrained by you; bound by the bonds of righteousness, they did nothing.
एताश्चान्याश्च परुषा वाचः स समुदीरयन् । श्लाघते ज्ञातिमध्ये स्म त्वयि प्रव्रजिते वनम्
Speaking these and other harsh words, he boasted among his kin while you had gone to the forest.
ये तत्रासन्समानीतास्ते दृष्ट्वा त्वामनागसम्। अश्रुकण्ठा रुदन्तश्च सभायामासते सदा
Those who were present there, seeing you, innocent, sat in the assembly with tears in their throats, always weeping.
न चैनमभ्यनन्दंस्ते राजानो ब्राह्मणैः सह। सर्वे दुर्योधनं तत्र निन्दन्ति स्म सभासदः
Neither the kings nor the Brahmanas there approved of him; all the members of the assembly censured Duryodhana.
कुलीनस्य च या निन्दा वधो वाऽमित्रकर्शन । महागुणो वधो राजन्नु तु निन्दा कुजीविका
For a noble man, censure or death at the hands of enemies—death is a great merit, O King, but censure is a base livelihood.
तदैव निहतो राजन्यदैव निरपत्रपः। निन्दितश्च महाराज पृथिव्यां सर्वराजभिः
He was slain at that very moment, O great king, when he shamelessly acted so; he was condemned by all the kings on earth.
ईषत्करो वधस्तस्य यस्य चारित्रमीदृशम् । प्रस्कुन्देन प्रतिस्तब्धश्छिन्नमूल इव द्रुमः
Death is too slight a penalty for one whose conduct is such; like a tree struck and broken at the root by a strong wind.
वध्यः सर्प इवानार्यः सर्वलोकस्य दुर्मतिः । जह्येन त्वममित्रघ्न मा राजन्विचिकित्सिथाः
Like a snake, that ignoble, evil-minded man is fit for death at the hands of all; slay him, O destroyer of foes, do not hesitate, O King.
सर्वथा त्वत्क्षमं चैतद्रोचते च ममानघ। यत्त्वं पितरि भीष्मे च प्रणिपातं समाचरेः
In every way, O faultless one, this is fitting and pleasing to me: that you should show reverence to your father and to Bhishma.
अहं तु सर्वलोकस्य गत्वा छेत्स्यामि संशयम्। येषामस्ति द्विधाभावो राजन्दुर्योधनं प्रति
But I myself will go and resolve the doubt of all the people, O King, regarding those who are divided in their minds about Duryodhana.