तत्रैव धृतराष्ट्रश्च महाराजश्च बाह्लिकः । कृपश्च कसोमदत्तश्च निर्विष्णाः कुरवस्तथा
There in that very hall were Dhritarashtra, King Bahlika, Kripa, Somadatta, and the Kurus, all silent and dejected.
तस्यां संसदि सर्वेषां क्षत्तारं पूजयाम्यहम् । वृत्तेन हि भवत्यार्यो न धनेन न विद्यया
In that assembly, before all, I honor Vidura; for one becomes noble by conduct, not by wealth or learning.
तस्य कृष्ण महाबुद्धेर्गम्भीरस्य महात्मनः। क्षत्तुःक शीलमलङ्कारो लोकान्विष्टभ्य तिष्ठति
The character of Vidura, O Krishna, wise, profound, and great-souled, is his true ornament, upholding the worlds.
सा शोकार्ता च हृष्टा च दृष्ट्वा गोविन्दमागतम्। नानाविधानि दुःखानि सर्वाण्येवान्वकीर्तयम्
Afflicted with sorrow and yet delighted at seeing Govinda arrive, she recounted to him all her various sufferings.
पूर्वैराचरितं यत्तत्कुराजभिररिन्दम । अक्षद्यूतं मृगवधः कच्चिदेषां सुखावहम्
O subduer of enemies, the dice game and the hunting of deer, which were practiced by former kings—do these bring happiness to them?
तन्मां दहति यत्कृष्णा सभायां कुरुसन्निधौ । धार्तराष्ट्रैः परिक्लिष्टा यथा न कुशलं तथा
What burns me is that Kṛṣṇā was tormented in the assembly before the Kurus by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, in such a way that no good could come of it.
निर्वासनं च नगरात्प्रव्रज्या च परन्तप । नानाविधानां दुःखानामावासोऽस्मि जनार्दन
O Janārdana, I am the dwelling place of many kinds of sorrows: exile from the city and wandering in the forest, O scorcher of foes.
अज्ञातचर्या बालानामवरोधश्च माधव । न मे क्लेशतमं तत्स्यात्पुत्रैः सह परन्तप
O Mādhava, the incognito life of my children and the seclusion of the women—none of this would be so grievous to me if my sons were with me, O subduer of foes.
दुर्योधनेन निकृता वर्षमद्य चतुर्दशम्। दुःखादपि सुखं नः स्याद्यदि पुण्यफलक्षयः
We have been deceived by Duryodhana for now fourteen years; if the fruit of our merit is exhausted, then perhaps even suffering will not bring us happiness.
न मे विशेपो जात्वासीद्धार्तराष्ट्रेषु पाण्डवैः । तेन सत्येन कृष्ण त्वां हतामित्रं श्रिया वृतम् । अस्माद्विमुक्तं सङ्ग्रामात्पश्येयं पाण्डवैः सह
Never have I had any affection for the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra over the Pāṇḍavas; by that truth, O Kṛṣṇa, may I see you, victorious over enemies and adorned with glory, freed from this battle together with the Pāṇḍavas.
नैव शक्याः पराजेतुं सर्वं ह्येषां तथाविधम् । पितरं त्वेव गर्हेयं नात्मानं न सुयोधनम्
Truly, all of them cannot be conquered in such a manner; but I would blame my father, not myself, nor Suyodhana.
येनाहं कुन्तिभोजाय धनं वृत्तैरिवार्पिता । बालां मामार्यकस्तुभ्यं क्रीडन्तीं कन्दुहस्तिकां
By whom I, a child playing with dolls, was given to Kuntibhoja as one gives wealth to the virtuous—my noble father gave me to you.
अदात्तु कुन्तिभोजाय सखा सख्ये महात्मने । साऽहं पित्रा च निकृता श्वशुरैश्च परन्तप। अत्यन्तदुःखिता कृष्ण किं जीवितफलं मम
My father, as a friend, gave me to the great-souled Kuntibhoja in friendship; thus I was wronged by my father and by my in-laws, O scorcher of foes. Deeply afflicted, O Kṛṣṇa, what is the use of my life?
यन्मां वागब्रवीन्नक्तं सूतके सव्यसाचिनः । पुत्रस्ते पृथिवीं जेता यशश्चास्य दिवं स्पृशेत्
That word which the ambidextrous Savyasācin spoke to me at night during my confinement: 'Your son will conquer the earth, and his fame will reach the heavens.'
हत्वा कुरून्महाजन्ये राज्यं प्राप्य धनञ्जयः । भ्रातृभिः सह कौन्तेयस्त्रीन्मेधानाहरिष्यति
Having slain the Kurus in the great battle and attained the kingdom, Dhanañjaya, the son of Kuntī, together with his brothers, will perform three great sacrifices.
नाहं तामभ्यसूयामि नमो धर्माय वेधसे । कृष्णाय महते नित्यं धर्मो धारयति प्रजाः
I do not resent that; homage to Dharma, the creator. Dharma always upholds the people for the sake of the great Kṛṣṇa.
धर्मश्चेदस्ति वार्ष्णेय यथा वागभ्यभाषत। त्वं चापि तत्तथा कृष्ण सर्वं संपादयिष्यसि
If Dharma exists, O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, as those words were spoken, then you too, O Kṛṣṇa, will surely accomplish all of it.
न मां माधव वैधव्यं नार्थनाशो न वैरिता । तथा शोकाय दहति यथा पुत्रैर्विना भवः
O Mādhava, neither widowhood nor loss of wealth nor enmity burns me with grief as much as being without my sons.
याऽहं गाण्डीवधन्वानं सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम्। धनञ्जयं न पश्यामि का शान्तिर्हृदयस्य मे। इतश्चतुर्दशं वर्षं यन्नापश्यं युधिष्ठिरम्
I do not see Dhanañjaya, wielder of Gāṇḍīva and best of all bearers of arms; what peace can there be for my heart? For fourteen years I have not seen Yudhiṣṭhira.
धनञ्जयं च गोविन्द यमौ तं च वृकोदरम्। जीवनाशं प्रनष्टानां श्राद्धं कुर्वन्ति मानवाः
O Govinda, Dhanañjaya, the twins, and Vṛkodara—when men believe their loved ones are lost, they perform the funeral rites for the dead.
अर्थतस्ते मम मृतास्तेषां चाहं जनार्दना । ब्रूया माधव राजानं धर्मात्मानं युधिष्ठिरम्
For me, O Janārdana, they are as good as dead, and I am dead to them. O Mādhava, speak to King Yudhiṣṭhira, the righteous one.
भूयांस्ते हीयते धर्मो मा पुत्रक वृथा कृथाः । पराश्रया वासुदेव या जीवति घिगस्तु ताम्
Let not your righteousness diminish further, my son; do not act in vain. O Vāsudeva, let her who lives in dependence be protected.
वृत्तेः कार्पण्यलब्धाया अप्रतिष्ठैव ज्यायसी। अथो धनञ्जयं ब्रूया नित्योद्युक्तं वृकोदरम्
Of the two courses, that which is gained by weakness is less worthy and unstable; therefore, speak to Dhananjaya and ever-ready Vrikodara.
यदर्थं क्षत्रिया सूते तस्य कालोऽयमागतः। अस्मिंश्चेदागते काले मिथ्या चातिक्रमिष्यति
The purpose for which a Kshatriya is born—now that time has come; if, at this moment, he acts falsely, he will transgress his duty.
लोकसंभाविताः संतः सुनृशंसं करिष्यथ । नृशंसेन च वो युक्तांस्त्यजेयं शाश्वतीः समाः
Those who are honored in the world, if they act with excessive compassion, will be joined with reproach; for such compassion, I would abandon even eternal happiness.
काले हि समनुप्राप्ते त्यक्तव्यमपि जीवनम् । माद्रीपुत्रौ च व्यक्तव्यौ क्षत्रधर्मरतौ सदा
When the proper time arrives, even life itself must be given up; and the sons of Madri, always devoted to the warrior's duty, must be made to understand this.
विक्रमेणार्जितान्भोगान्वृणीतं जीवितादपि । विक्रमाधिगता ह्यर्थाः क्षत्रधर्मेण जीवतः
Enjoyments gained by valor should be chosen even above life; for wealth attained through valor is fitting for one who lives by the Kshatriya code.
मनो मनुष्यस्य सदा प्रीणन्ति पुरुषोत्तम। गत्वा ब्रूहि महाबाहो सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम्
O best of men, the mind of a person is always pleased by such things; go, mighty-armed one, and speak to Arjuna, foremost among all wielders of weapons.
अर्जुनं पाण्डवं वीरं द्रौपद्याः पदवीं चर । विदितौ हि तवात्यन्तं क्रुद्धौ तौ तु यथान्तकौ
Approach Arjuna, the heroic Pandava, who follows the path of Draupadi; for you know well that those two, when enraged, are like Death itself.
भीमार्जुनौ नयेतां हि देवानपि परां गतिम्। तयोश्चैतदवज्ञानं यत्सा कृष्णा सभां गता
Bhima and Arjuna could lead even the gods to the highest state; their anger is due to the insult Draupadi suffered in the assembly.