दुर्योधनस्य कर्णस्य शकुनेः सौबलस्य च। दुःशासनचतुर्थानामिदमासीद्विचेष्टितम्
This was the plot devised by Duryodhana, Karna, Shakuni son of Subala, and Duhshasana as the fourth.
पुराऽयमस्मान्गृह्णाति क्षिप्रकारी जनार्दनः । सहितो धृतराष्ट्रेण राज्ञा शान्तनवेन च
'Before Janardana, swift in action, seizes us, together with Dhritarashtra and King Shantanu’s son…'
वयमेव हृषीकेशं निगृह्णीम बलादिव। प्रसह्य पुरुषव्याघ्रमिन्द्रो वैरोचनिं यथा
'We ourselves should seize Hrishikesha by force, like Indra did to Virocana’s son, overpowering this tiger among men.'
श्रुत्वा गृहीतं वार्ष्णेयं पाण्डवा हतचेतसः । निरुत्साहा भविष्यन्ति भग्नदंष्ट्रा इवोरगाः
Hearing that the Vrishni, Krishna, has been seized, the Pandavas, their spirits broken, will lose heart, like serpents with their fangs broken.
अयं ह्येषां महाबाहुः सर्वेषां शर्म वर्म च । अस्मिन्गृहीते वरदे ऋषभे सर्वसात्वताम्। निरुद्यमा भविष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः सोमकैः सह
For he is their great-armed protector and shield; if this best of the Vrishnis, this bull among the Satvatas, is captured, the Pandavas and the Somakas will lose all initiative.
तस्माद्वयमिहैवैकं केशवं क्षिप्रकारिणम् । क्रोशतो धृतराष्ट्रस्य बद्ध्वा योत्स्यामहे रिपून्
Therefore, right here, let us bind Keshava, swift in action, even as Dhritarashtra cries out, and then we shall fight our enemies.
तेषां पापमभिप्रायं पापानां दुष्टचेतसाम्। इङ्गितज्ञः कविः क्षिप्रमन्वबुद्ध्यत सात्यकिः
Sātyaki, skilled in reading intentions and a wise man, quickly understood the wicked purpose of those evil-minded men.
तदर्थमभिनिष्क्रम्य हार्दिक्येन सहास्थितः । अब्रवीत्कृतवर्माणं क्षिप्रं योजय वाहिनीम्
For that reason, going out with Hārdikya, Kṛtavarmā stood and said swiftly, 'Deploy the army.'
व्यूढानीकः सभाद्वारमुपतिष्ठस्व दंशितः । यावदाख्याम्यहं चैतत्कृष्णायाक्लिष्टकारिणे
With the troops arrayed, stand alert at the entrance to the hall until I report all this to Kṛṣṇa, the doer of blameless deeds.
स प्रविश्य सभां वीरः सिंहो गिरिगुहामिव । आचष्ट तमभिप्रायं केशवाय महात्मने
Then the hero entered the assembly, like a lion entering a mountain cave, and told that intention to Keśava, the great-souled one.
धृतराष्ट्रं ततश्चैव विदुरं चान्वभाषत । तेषामेतमभिप्रायमाचचक्षे स्मयन्निव
Afterwards, he addressed Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Vidura, and, as if with a smile, revealed to them this plan.
धर्मादर्थाच्च कामाच्च कर्म साधुविगर्हितम् । मन्दाः कर्तुमिहेच्छन्ति न चावाप्यं कथंचन
Foolish men here wish to perform a deed condemned by righteousness, profit, and desire—a deed impossible to achieve in any way.
पुरा विकुर्वते मूढाः पापात्मानः समागताः । धर्षिताः काममन्युभ्यां क्रोधलोभवशानुगाः
Long ago, these deluded, sinful souls, gathered together, were overcome by desire and anger, following the sway of wrath and greed.
इमं हि पुण्डरीकाक्षं जिघृक्षन्त्यल्पचेतसः। पटेनाग्निं प्रज्वलितं यथा बाला यथा जडाः
These small-minded ones wish to seize this lotus-eyed one, like children or fools trying to grasp blazing fire with a cloth.
सात्यकेस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा विदुरो दीर्घदर्शिवान् । धृतराष्ट्रं महाबाहुमब्रवीत्कुरुसंसदि
Hearing those words of Sātyaki, Vidura, who sees far, spoke to mighty-armed Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Kuru assembly.
राजन्परीतकालास्ते पुत्राः सर्वे परन्तप । असक्यमयशस्यं च कर्तुं कर्म समुद्यताः
King, your sons, scorcher of foes, are all overtaken by fate and have set out to perform a deed that cannot be accomplished and brings only disgrace.
इमं हि पुण्डरीकाक्षमभिभूय प्रसह्य च । निग्रहीतुं किलेच्छन्ति सहिता वासवानुजम्
Indeed, they wish to overpower and restrain by force this lotus-eyed one, together with the younger brother of Vāsava.
इमं पुरुषशार्दूलमप्रधृष्यं दुरसदम् । आसाद्य नभविष्यन्ति पतङ्गा इव पावकम्
But, approaching this tiger among men, unassailable and hard to reach, they will perish like moths in a flame.
अयमिच्छन्हि तान्सर्वान्युध्यमानाञ्जनार्दनः । सिंहो नागानिव क्रुद्धो गमयेद्यमसादनम्
For if Janārdana wishes, he could send all those who fight against him to the abode of Yama, like an enraged lion dispatching elephants.
न त्वयं निन्दितं कर्म कुर्यात्पापं कथंचन । न च धर्मादपक्रामदेच्युतः पुरुषोत्तमः
But this best of men, Acyuta, never performs a blameworthy or sinful act, nor does he ever stray from righteousness.
यथा वाराणसी दग्धा साश्वा सरथकुञ्जरा । सानुबन्धस्तु कृष्णेन काशीनामृषभो हतः
Just as Vārāṇasī was burned, with its horses, chariots, and elephants, and the bull among the Kāśis was slain by Kṛṣṇa with all his followers,
तथा नागपुरं दग्ध्वा शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः । स्वयं कालेश्वरो भूत्वा नाशयिष्यति कौरवान्
So too, the wielder of conch, discus, and mace, becoming the lord of time himself, will destroy the Kauravas after burning Nāgapura.
पारिजातहरं ह्येनमेकं यदुसुखावहम्। नाभ्यवर्तत संरब्धो वृत्रहा वसुभिः सह
Even Indra, slayer of Vṛtra, in his wrath, did not confront this one—who brought the Pārijāta and brings happiness to the Yadus—together with the Vasus.
प्राप्य निर्मोचने पाशान्षट्सहस्रांस्तरस्विनः । हृतास्ते वासुदेवेन ह्युपसङ्क्रम्य कौरवान्
When the swift six thousand nooses at Nirmocana were encountered, they too were taken away by Vāsudeva when he approached the Kauravas.
द्वारमासाद्य सौभस्य विधूय गदया गिरिम्। द्युमत्सेनः सहामात्यः कृष्णेन विनिपातितः
Having reached the gate of Saubha, Dyumatsena, along with his ministers, was struck down by Krishna with a mace, as if he were a mountain.
शेषवत्त्वात्कुरूणां तु धर्मापेक्षी तथाऽच्युतः । क्षमते पुण्डरीकाक्षः शक्तः सन्पापकर्मणाम्
Yet, because some of the Kurus remain, and out of regard for righteousness, Achyuta, the lotus-eyed one, endures them, though he is capable of destroying those who act wickedly.
एते हि यदि गोविन्दमिच्छन्ति सह राजभिः । अद्यैवातिथयः सर्वे भविष्यन्ति यमस्य ते
If these men, along with the kings, desire to oppose Govinda, then today all of them will become guests of Yama.
यथा वायोस्तृणाग्रणि वशं यान्ति बलीयसः। तथा चक्रभृतः सर्वे वशमेष्यन्ति कौरवाः
Just as blades of grass are bent by the force of the wind, so too will all the Kauravas come under the power of the wielder of the discus.
विदुरेणैवमुक्ते तु केशवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । धृतराष्ट्रमभिप्रेक्ष्य सुहृदां श्रृण्वतां मिथः
When Vidura had spoken thus, Kesava addressed Dhritarashtra, glancing at him while the friends listened to one another.
राजन्नेते यदि क्रुद्धा मां निगृह्णीयुरोजसा । एते वा मामहं वैनाननुजानीहि पार्थिव
O King, if these men, enraged, try to restrain me with force, or if I restrain them, grant me your permission, O ruler.