ये धर्ममनुपश्यन्तस्तूष्णीं ध्यायन्त आसते । ते सत्यमाहुर्धर्म्यं च न्याय्यं च भरतर्षभ
Those who perceive righteousness and sit silently, pondering, are said to speak what is true, righteous, and just, O best of the Bharatas.
शक्यं किमन्यद्वक्तुं ते दानादन्यञ्जनेश्वर । ब्रुवन्तु ते महीपालाः सभायां ये समासते
What else can be said to you, O lord of men, beyond giving and justice? Let the kings who are assembled in this hall speak.
धर्मार्थौ संप्रधार्यैव यदि सत्यं ब्रवीम्यहम् । प्रमुञ्चोमान्मृत्युपाशात्क्षत्रियान्पुरुषर्षभ
If, having considered righteousness and wealth, I speak the truth, then release us Kshatriyas from the noose of death, O best of men.
प्रशाम्य भरतश्रेष्ठ मा मन्युवशमन्वगाः । पित्र्यं तेभ्यः प्रदायांशं पाण्डवेभ्यो यथोचितम् । ततः सपुत्रः सिद्धार्थो भुङ्क्ष भोगान्परन्तप
Calm yourself, O best of the Bharatas, do not give way to anger; give the Pandavas their rightful paternal share, as is proper; then, with your sons, enjoy prosperity and happiness, O subduer of foes.
अजातशत्रुं जानीषे स्थितं धर्मे सतां सदा। सपुत्रे त्वयि वृत्तिं च वर्तते यां नराधिप
You know Ajātaśatru, who always stands firm in righteousness among the virtuous; O ruler of men, he has always maintained his conduct toward you and your sons.
दाहितश्च निरस्तश्च त्वामेवोपाश्रितः पुनः । इन्द्रप्रस्थं त्वयैवासौ सपुत्रेण विवासितः
Though burned and cast out, he again sought refuge with you; it was by you that he, along with his sons, was exiled from Indraprastha.
स तत्र विवसन्सर्वान्वशमानीय पार्थिवान्। त्वन्मुखानकरोद्राजन्न च त्वामत्यवर्तत
While living there in exile, he brought all the kings under his sway by your command, O king, and he never disobeyed you.
तस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य सौबलेन जिहीर्षता। राष्ट्राणि धनधान्यं च प्रयुक्तः परमोपधिः
While he was thus conducting himself, the son of Subala, desiring to deprive him, employed the highest deceit regarding his kingdom, wealth, and grain.
स तामवस्थां संप्राप्य कृष्णां प्रेक्ष्य सभां गताम्। क्षत्रधर्मादमेयात्मा नाकम्पत युधिष्ठिरः
Having reached that state, seeing Kṛṣṇā brought into the assembly, Yudhiṣṭhira, whose self is unfathomable, did not waver from the duty of a kṣatriya.
अहं तु तव तेषां च श्रेय इच्छामि भारत । धर्मादर्थात्सुखाच्चैव मा राजन्नीनशः प्रजाः
But I desire the welfare of both you and them, O Bhārata; let not the people perish, O king, for the sake of righteousness, profit, or even happiness.
अनर्थमर्थं मन्वानोऽप्यर्थं चानर्थमात्मनः । लोभेऽतिप्रसृतान्पुत्रान्निगृह्णीष्व विशांपते
Even considering misfortune as fortune, and fortune as misfortune for oneself, O lord of the people, restrain your sons whose greed has grown excessive.
स्थिताः शुश्रूषितुं पार्थाः स्थिता योद्धुमरिन्दमाः । यत्ते पथ्यतमं राजंस्तस्मिंतिष्ठ परन्तप
The sons of Pāṇḍu stand ready to serve, and the slayers of enemies are prepared to fight; O king, hold to that path which is best for you, O scorcher of foes.
तद्वाक्यं पार्थिवाः सर्वे हृदयैः समपूजयन्। न तत्र कश्चिद्वक्तुं हि वाचं प्राक्रामदग्रतः
All the kings honored those words in their hearts; there, no one dared to speak a word in response.
तस्मिन्नभिहिते वाक्ये केशवेन महात्मना। स्तिमिता हृष्टरोमाण आसन्सर्वे सभासदः
When that speech was uttered by the great-souled Keśava, all the members of the assembly sat motionless, their hair standing on end.
कस्स्विदुत्तरमेतेषां वक्तुमुत्सहते पुमान्। इति सर्वे मनोभिस्ते चिन्तयन्ति स्म पार्थिवाः
Who among these men dares to reply?—thus all the kings pondered in their minds.
तथा तेषु च सर्वेषु तूष्णींभूतेषु राजसु । जामदग्न्य इदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्कुरुसंसदि
As all those kings sat silent, Jāmadagnya spoke these words in the assembly of the Kurus.
इमां मे सोपमां वाचं श्रृणु सत्यामशङ्कितः । तां श्रुत्वा श्रेय आदत्स्व यदि साध्विति मन्यसे
Hear my words, accompanied by an example, spoken in truth and without doubt; having heard them, take what is best if you think it right.
राजा दम्भोद्भवो नाम सार्वभौमः पुराऽभवत्। अखिलां बुभुजे सर्वां पृथिवीमिति नः श्रुतम्
Once there was a universal emperor named Dambhodbhava; it is said that he enjoyed the entire earth.
स स्म नित्यं निशापाये प्रातरुत्थाय वीर्यवान् । ब्राह्मणान्क्षत्रियान्वैश्यान्पृच्छन्नास्ते महारथः
That mighty king, rising every morning at the end of night, would question brahmins, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas.
अस्ति कश्चिद्विशिष्टो वा मद्विधो वा भवेद्युधि । शूद्रो वैश्यः क्षत्रियो वा ब्राह्मणो वाऽपि शस्त्रभृत्
Is there anyone superior to me, or equal to me in battle—be he śūdra, vaiśya, kṣatriya, or even a brahmin bearing arms?
इति ब्रुवन्नन्वचरत्स राजा पृथिवीमिमाम्। दर्पेण महता मत्तः कञ्चिदन्यमचिन्तयन्
Thus speaking, that king roamed this earth, intoxicated with great pride, considering no one else.
तं च वैद्या अकृपणा ब्राह्मणाः सर्वतोऽभयाः। प्रत्यषेधन्त राजानं श्लाघमानं पुनः पुनः
But the learned, fearless brahmins everywhere, not pitying him, repeatedly restrained that boasting king.
निषिध्यमानोऽप्यसकृत्पृच्छत्येव स वै द्विजान् । अतिमानं श्रिया मत्तं तमूचुर्ब्राह्मणास्तदा
Though repeatedly forbidden, he continues to question the twice-born; intoxicated by wealth and pride, he is addressed by the Brahmins at that time.
तपस्विनो महात्मानो वेदप्रत्ययदर्शिनः । उदीर्यमाणं राजानं क्रोधदीप्ता द्विजातयः
Ascetics of great soul, who perceive the certainty of the Vedas, the twice-born, inflamed with anger, spoke to the king as he persisted.
अनेकजयिनौ शङ्ख्ये यौ वै पुरुषसत्तमौ । तयोस्त्वं न समो राजन्भवितासि कदाचन
Those two, renowned for many victories, are foremost among men; O king, you will never be their equal.
एवमुक्तः स राजा तु पुनः पप्रच्छ तान्द्विजान्। क्व तौ वीरौ क्वजन्मानौ किंकर्माणौ च कौ च तौ
Thus addressed, the king again questioned those Brahmins: 'Where are those heroes? What is their birth? What are their deeds, and who are they?'
नरो नारायणश्चैव तापसाविति नः श्रुतम्। आयातौ मानुषे लोके ताभ्यां युद्ध्यस्व पार्थिव
'Nara and Narayana, ascetics—so we have heard; they have come to the human world. Fight with them, O ruler.'
श्रूयेते तौ महात्मानौ नरनारायणावुभौ । तपो घोरमनिर्देश्यं तप्येते गन्धमादने
Both Nara and Narayana, great souls, are famed; they perform severe, indescribable austerities on Gandhamadana.
स राजा महतीं सेनां योजयित्वा षडङ्गिनीम् । अमृष्यमाणः संप्रायाद्यत्र तावपराजितौ
The king, unable to bear it, assembled a mighty sixfold army and set out to where those two were undefeated.
स गत्वा विषमं घोरं पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्। मार्गमाणोऽन्वगच्छत्तौ तापसौ वनमाश्रितौ
He went to the harsh, dreadful mountain Gandhamadana, seeking those ascetics who dwelled in the forest.