प्रियाभ्युपगते द्यूते पाण्डवा मधूसूदन। जिताः शकुनिना राज्यं तत्र किं मम दुष्कृतम्
When the Pandavas, having accepted the invitation to dice, were defeated by Shakuni and lost their kingdom, what wrong did I commit there, O slayer of Madhu?
यत्पुनर्द्रविणं किंचित्तत्राजीयन्त पाण्डवाः । तेभ्य एवाभ्यनुज्ञातं तत्तद मधुसूदन
And whatever wealth the Pandavas staked again in that game, it was with their own consent, O slayer of Madhu.
अपराधो न चास्माकं यत्ते ह्यक्षैः पराजिताः। अजेया जयतां श्रेष्ठ पार्थाः प्रव्राजिता वनम्
There is no fault of ours in their defeat at dice; the Pandavas, though unconquerable and foremost among victors, went to the forest.
केन वाऽप्यपवादेन विरुद्ध्यन्त्यरिभिः सह। अशक्ताः पाण्डवाः कृष्ण प्रहृष्टाः प्रत्यमित्रवत्
By what accusation do the Pandavas, though powerless, oppose us along with their allies, O Krishna, rejoicing as if facing an enemy?
किमस्माभिः कृतं तेषां कस्मिन्वा पुनरागसि। धार्तराष्ट्राञ्जिघांसन्ति पाण्डवाः सृञ्जयैः सह
What have we done to them, or in what matter, that the Pandavas, along with the Srinjayas, seek to destroy the sons of Dhritarashtra?
न चापि वयमुग्रेण कर्मणा वचनेन वा। प्रभ्रष्टाः प्रणमामेह भयादपि शतक्रतुम्
Neither by harsh deed nor by word have we been cast down, nor do I bow here to Indra, even out of fear.
न च तं कृष्ण पश्यामि क्षत्रधर्ममनुष्ठितम् । उत्सहेत युधा जेतुं यो नः शत्रुनिबर्हण
Nor do I see, O Krishna, any warrior who upholds the duty of a kshatriya and could hope to defeat us in battle, who are destroyers of foes.
न हि भीष्मकृपद्रोणाः सकर्णा मधुसूदन। देवैरपि युधा जेतुं शक्याः किमुत पाण्डवैः
For Bhishma, Kripa, Drona, and Karna, O slayer of Madhu, cannot be conquered in battle even by the gods—how much less by the Pandavas.
स्वधर्ममनुपश्यन्तो यदि माधव संयुगे। अस्त्रेण निधनं काले प्राप्स्यामः स्वर्ग्यमेव तत्
If, O Madhava, we kshatriyas, disregarding our own duty, should meet our end in battle by weapons at the appointed time, that itself would be heaven for us.
मुख्यश्चैवैष नो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां जनार्दन । यच्छयीमहि सङ्ग्रामे शरतल्पगता वयम्
Indeed, this is our foremost duty as kshatriyas, O Janardana: that we should lie upon a bed of arrows in battle.
ते वयं वीरशयनं प्राप्स्यामो यदि संयुगे। अप्रणम्यैव शत्रूणां न नस्तप्स्यन्ति माधव
We shall attain the hero's bed in battle, O Mādhava, but we will not bow to our enemies; they will not torment us.
कश्च जातु कुले जातः क्षत्रधर्मेण वर्तयन् । भयाद्वृत्तिं समीक्ष्यैवं प्रणमेदिह कर्हिचित्
Who, being born in a noble family and following the duty of a warrior, would ever bow here out of fear, seeing the course of events?
उद्यच्छेदेव न नमेदुद्यमो ह्येव पौरुषम् । अप्यपर्वणि भज्येत न नमेदिह कर्हिचित्
One should rise up, not bow down; for effort is indeed manliness. Even if broken on an unfit day, one should never bow here.
इति मातङ्गवचनं परिप्सन्ति हितेप्सवः । धर्माय चैव प्रणमेद्ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च मद्विधः
Those who desire welfare approve the words of the elephant (Mātaṅga); one should bow for righteousness and to Brāhmaṇas like me.
अचिन्तयन्कंचिदन्यं यावज्जीवं तथा चरेत्। एष धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां मतमेतच्च मे सदा
Without thinking of anyone else, one should act thus as long as one lives; this is the duty of Kṣatriyas, and this has always been my view.
राज्यांशश्चाभ्यनुज्ञातो यो मे पित्रा पुराऽभवत्। न स लभ्यः पुनर्जातु मयि जीवति केशव
The share of the kingdom once granted to me by my father, O Keśava, is not to be regained again while I live.
यावच्च राजा ध्रियते धृतराष्ट्रो जनार्दन । न्यस्तशस्त्रा वयं ते वाऽप्युपजीवाम माधव । अप्रदेयं पुरा दत्तं राज्यं परवतो मम
As long as King Dhṛtarāṣṭra is maintained, O Janārdana, we, having laid down our weapons, or they, may subsist, O Mādhava; the kingdom once given to me cannot be given away again to others.
अज्ञानाद्वा भयाद्वाऽपि मयि बाले जनार्दन । न तदद्य पुनर्लभ्यं पाण्डवैर्वृष्णिनन्दन
Whether through ignorance or fear, O Janārdana, when I was a child, that which was once lost cannot now be regained by the Pāṇḍavas, O delight of the Vṛṣṇis.
ध्रियमाणे महाबाहौ मयि संप्रति केशव । यावद्धि तीक्ष्णया सूच्या विद्ध्येदग्रेण केशव । तावदप्यपरित्याज्यं भूमेर्नः पाण्डवान्प्रति
As long as I, mighty-armed, am upheld, O Keśava, even if pierced at the tip by a sharp needle, still, for the Pāṇḍavas, the earth is not to be abandoned by us.
ततः प्रहस्य दाशार्हः क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः । दुर्योधनमिदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्कुरुसंसदि
Then Dāśārha, laughing, his eyes filled with wrath, spoke these words to Duryodhana in the Kuru assembly.
लप्स्यसे वीरशयनं काममेतदवाप्स्यसि। स्थिरो भव सहामात्यो विमर्दो भविता महान्
You will attain the hero's bed; indeed, you may obtain this as you wish. Be steadfast with your ministers; a great conflict will arise.
यच्चैतन्मन्यसे मूढ न मे कश्चिद्व्यतिक्रमः। पाण्डवेष्विति तत्सर्वं निबोध त्वं नराधिप
What you think, fool, that I have committed no transgression against the Pāṇḍavas—know all that, O king.
श्रियां संतप्यमानेन पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । त्वया दुर्मन्त्रितं द्यूतं सौबलेन च भारत
While you, scorched by the prosperity of the great-souled Pāṇḍavas, with evil counsel and with Saubala, arranged the dice game, O Bhārata.
कथं च ज्ञातयस्तात श्रेयांसः साधुसंमताः । तथाऽन्याय्यमुपस्थातुं जिह्मेनाजिह्मचारिणः
How could kinsmen, O father, who are superior and esteemed by the virtuous, come to such unrighteousness, being crooked towards the straightforward?
अक्षद्यूतं महाप्रज्ञ सतां मतिविनाशनम् । असतां तत्र जायन्ते भेदाश्च व्यसनानि च
The game of dice, O wise one, is the ruin of the good; among the wicked, there arise divisions and calamities there.
तदिदं व्यसनं घोरं त्वया द्यूतमुखं कृतम् । असमीक्ष्य सदाचारान्सार्धं पापानुबन्धनैः
This terrible calamity, the dice game, has been brought about by you, disregarding good conduct and accompanied by sinful consequences.
कश्चान्यो भ्रातृभार्यां वै विप्रकर्तृं तथार्हति। आनीय च सभां व्यक्तं यथोक्ता द्रौपदी त्वया
Who else would deserve to insult a brother's wife, and, having brought Draupadī openly into the assembly, speak as you did?
कुलीना शीलसंपन्ना प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी । महिषी पाण्डुपुत्राणां तथा विनिकृता त्वया
Noble-born, endowed with virtue, esteemed even more than life, the queen of the sons of Pāṇḍu—she was thus humiliated by you.
जानन्ति कुरवः सर्वे यथोक्ताः कुरुसंसदि । दुःशासनेन कौन्तेयाः प्रव्रजन्तः परन्तपाः
All the Kurus present in the assembly know well how the sons of Kunti, scorcher of foes, were exiled by Duhshasana.
सम्यग्वृत्तेष्वलुब्धेषु सततं धर्मचारिषु । स्वेषु बन्धुषु कः साधुश्चरेदेवमसांप्रतम्
Who among one's own virtuous, ever-upright, and self-controlled kinsmen would act so unrighteously as this?