कथं हि पुरुषो जातः क्षत्रियेषु धनुर्धरः । समाहूतो निवर्तेत प्राणत्यागेऽप्युपस्थिते
How can a man born among warriors, skilled with the bow, turn back when challenged, even if the risk is to his life?
अधर्मेण जितान्दृष्ट्वा वने प्रवृजितांस्तथा। वध्यतां मम वार्ष्णेय निर्गतोऽसौ सुयोधनः
Seeing them defeated by unrighteousness and exiled to the forest, O descendant of Vrishni, let that Duryodhana be slain by me.
न चैतदद्भुतं कृष्ण मित्रार्थे यच्चिकीर्षसि। क्रिया कथंच मुख्या स्यान्मृदुना चेतरेण वा
Nor is it surprising, Krishna, that you act for the sake of friends; how could an important action be done gently or otherwise?
अथवा मन्यसे ज्यायान्वधस्तेषामनन्तरम् । तदेव क्रियतामाशु न विचार्यमतस्त्वया
Or, if you think their death is preferable, then let that be done at once, without further deliberation on your part.
जानासि हि यथैतेन द्रौपदी पापबुद्धिना । परिक्लिष्टा सभामध्ये तच्च तस्योपमर्षितम्
For you know how Draupadi was tormented in the assembly by that evil-minded one, and that too was endured by her.
स नाम सम्यग्वर्तेत पाण्डवेष्विति माधव। न मे सञ्जायते बुद्धिर्बीजमुप्तमिवोषरे
How could he act rightly toward the Pandavas, O Madhava? I do not conceive such a thought, like a seed sown in barren ground.
तस्माद्यन्मन्यसे युक्तं पाण्डवानां हितं च यत्। तथाऽऽशु कुरु वार्ष्णेय यन्नः कार्यमनन्तरम्
Therefore, whatever you think is proper and beneficial for the Pandavas, do that swiftly, O descendant of Vrishni, whatever is to be done next for us.
एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि पाण्डव। पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च प्रतिपत्स्ये निरामयम्। सर्वं त्विदं ममायत्तं बीभत्सो कर्मणोर्द्वयोः
So it is, mighty-armed one, as you say, O Pandava; I will act impartially for both the Pandavas and the Kurus. Yet all this depends on the deeds of you and Bhima.
क्षेत्रं हि रसवच्छुद्धं कर्मणैवोपपादितम्। ऋते वर्षान्न कौन्तेय जातु निर्वर्तयेत्फलम्
For a field, though fertile and pure, yields fruit only through action; without rain, O son of Kunti, it never bears fruit.
तत्र वै पौरुषं ब्रूयुरासेकं यत्र कारितम्। तत्र चापि ध्रुवं पश्येच्छोषणं दैवकारितम्
There, they attribute effort to the irrigation that is done, but certainly see drought as caused by fate.
तदिदं निश्चित्तं बुद्ध्या पूर्वैरपि महात्मभिः । दैवे च मानुषे चैव संयुक्तं लोककारणम्
This has been determined by the wise of old: the cause of worldly events is a combination of destiny and human effort.
अहं हि तत्करिष्यामि परं पुरुषकारतः । देवं तु न मया शक्यं कर्म कर्तुं कथंचन
I will do what is possible by human effort, but I cannot perform the work of the gods in any way.
स हि धर्मं च लोकं च त्यक्त्वा चरति दुर्मतिः। न हि सन्तप्यते तेन तथारूपेण कर्मणा
For that wicked-minded one, abandoning righteousness and the world, acts as he pleases, and does not grieve for such deeds.
तथापि बुद्धिं पापिष्ठां वर्धयन्त्यस्य मन्त्रिणः । शकुनिः सूतपुत्रश्च भ्राता दुःशासनस्तथा
Even so, his counselors—Shakuni, the son of the charioteer, and his brother Duhshasana—encourage his most evil mind.
स हि त्यागेन राज्यस्य न शमं समुपैष्यति। अन्तरेण वधं पार्थ सानुबन्धः सुयोधनः
For by renouncing the kingdom, Suyodhana, along with his allies, O Partha, will not attain peace without being slain.
न चापि प्रणिपातेन त्यक्तुमिच्छति धर्मराट् । याच्यमानश्च राज्यं स न प्रजास्यति दुर्मतिः
Nor does the king of righteousness wish to give up the kingdom through submission; even when entreated, that wicked-minded one will not relinquish the realm.
न तु मन्ये स तद्वाच्यो यद्युधिष्ठिरशातनम् । उक्तं प्रयोजनं यत्तु धर्मराजेन भारत
But I do not think he should be spoken to thus, if Yudhishthira is not overpowered; the purpose stated by the king of righteousness, O Bharata, has been declared.
तथा पापस्तु तत्सर्वं न करिष्यति कौरवः । तस्मिंश्चाक्रियमाणेऽसौ लोके वध्यो भविष्यति
Yet the sinful Kaurava will not do any of that; and if he does not act thus, he will become liable to death in the eyes of the world.
मम चापि स वध्यो हि जगतश्चापि भारत । तेन कौमारके यूयं सर्वे विप्रकृताः सदा
And he is indeed deserving of death from me and from the world, O Bharata; by him, all of you were always wronged in your youth.
विप्रलुप्तं च वो राज्यं नृशंसेन दुरात्मना। न चोपशाम्यते पापः श्रियं दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठिरे
Your kingdom was usurped by that cruel, evil-minded one; nor does that wicked man cease, seeing Yudhishthira's prosperity.
असकृच्चाप्यहं तेन त्वत्कृते पार्थ भेदितः । न मया तद्गृहीतं च पापं तस्य चिकीर्षेतम्
More than once, O Partha, I was divided by him for your sake; yet I did not accept that sin which he intended.
जानासि हि महाबाहो त्वमप्यस्य परं मतम्। प्रियं चिकीर्षमाणं च धर्मराजस्य मामपि
You know well, O mighty-armed one, his highest intention, as do I, wishing to do what is dear to the king of righteousness.
संजानंस्तस्य चात्मानं मम चैव परं मतम्। अजानन्निव मां कस्मादर्जुनाद्याभिशङ्कसे
Knowing his mind and mine, his highest purpose, why, Arjuna, do you suspect me as if I were ignorant?
यच्चापि परमं दिव्यं तच्चाप्यनुगतं त्वया। विधानं विहितं पार्थ कथं शर्म भवेत्परैः
And that supreme, divine ordinance has also been followed by you, O Partha; how can there be peace with others when the rule has been established?
यत्तु वाचा मया शक्यं कर्मणा वाऽपि पाण्डव । करिष्ये तदहं पार्थ न त्वाशंसे शमं परैः
Whatever can be done by word or deed, O Pandava, that I shall do, O Partha; but I do not expect peace from the others.
कथं गोहरणे ह्युक्तो नैतच्छर्म तथा हितम् । याच्यमानो हि भीष्मेण संवत्सरगतेऽध्वनि
How, when urged regarding the seizure of the cows, was this peace not so beneficial? For even when entreated by Bhishma after a year had passed,
तदैव ते पराभूता यदा सङ्कल्पितास्त्वया। लवशः क्षणशश्चापि न च तुष्टः सुयोधनः
At that very moment you were defeated, when you, having resolved, O Partha, not even for an instant or a moment, was Suyodhana satisfied.
सर्वथा तु मया कार्यं धर्मराजस्य शासनम् । विभाव्यं तस्य भूयश्च कर्म पापं दुरात्मनः
In every way, I must carry out the command of the king of righteousness; and the evil deed of that wicked soul must be considered again.
उक्तं बहुविधं वाक्यं धर्मराजेन माधव। धर्मज्ञेन वदान्येन श्रुतं चैव हि तत्त्वया
Many kinds of words have been spoken by the king of righteousness, O Madhava, who knows dharma and is generous, and you have indeed heard them in truth.
मतमाज्ञाय राज्ञश्च भीमसेनेन माधव । संशमो बाहुवीर्य च ख्यापितं माधवात्मनः
Having understood the opinion of the king, O Madhava, Bhimasena has made known both forbearance and strength of arms, as has your own self.