अस्मदीयैश्च शोचिद्भिर्नदद्भिश्च परैर्वृतम् । अपि त्वां नानुपश्येयं दीनाद्दीनमिवास्थितम्
Surrounded by our lamenting kin and the cries of others, may I not see you, wretched, remaining in misery among the miserable.
हृप्य सौवीरकन्याभिः श्लाघस्वार्थैर्यथा पुरा। मा च सैन्धवकन्यानामवसन्नो वशं गमः
Delight, as before, in the praise and aims of the maidens of Sauvira; do not, dejected, fall under the sway of the maidens of Sindhu.
युवा रूपेण संपन्नो विद्ययाभिजनेन च । यत्त्वादृशो विकुर्वीत यशस्वी लोकविश्रुतः
Young, endowed with beauty, learning, and noble birth—when one such as you, renowned and celebrated in the world, acts thus—
अधुर्यवच्च वोढव्ये मन्ये मरणमेव तत्। यदि त्वामनुपश्यामि परस्य प्रियवादिनम्
To bear you, who speak pleasing words to another, would be, I think, like bearing a burden unfit for a yoke; for me, it would be death itself.
पृष्ठतोऽनुव्रजन्तं वा का शान्तिर्हृदयस्य मे। नास्मिञ्जातु कुले जातो गच्छेद्योन्यस्य पृष्ठतः
What peace could my heart have if I saw you following behind another? In our lineage, never has one born gone after another’s back.
न त्वं परस्यानुचरस्तात जीवितुमर्हसि । अहं हि क्षत्रहृदयं वेद यत्परिशाश्वतम्
You, my son, should not live as another’s attendant; for I know the eternal spirit of the warrior—
पूर्वैः पूर्वतरैः प्रोक्तं परैः परतरैरपि। शाश्वतं चाव्ययं चैव प्रजापतिविनिर्मितम्
It has been declared by those before and even earlier, by those greater and still greater, as eternal and imperishable, established by the Lord of Creatures.
यो वै कश्चिदिहाजातः क्षत्रियः क्षत्रधर्मवित् । भयाद्वृत्तिसमीक्षो वा न नमेदिह कस्यचित्
Any Kshatriya born here, who knows the duties of his order, should not bow to anyone here, whether out of fear or for the sake of livelihood.
उद्यच्छेदेव न नमेदुद्यमो ह्येव पौरुषम् । अप्यपर्वणि भज्येत न नमेतेह कस्यचित्
He should always strive upward and never bow; for effort itself is manliness. Even if he were to break at the joints, he should not bow to anyone here.
मातङ्गो मत्त इव च परीयात्स महामनाः । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमेन्नित्यं धर्मायैव च सञ्जय
He should move about, high-spirited, like a maddened elephant, but always bow to Brahmins and to righteousness, O Sanjaya.
नियच्छन्नितरान्वर्णान्विनिघ्नन्सर्वदुष्कृतः। ससहायोऽसहायो वा यावज्जीवं तथा भवेत्
Restraining the other castes, destroying all evil-doers, whether with allies or alone, he should live thus for his whole life.
कृष्णायसस्येव च ते संहत्य हृदयं कृतम्। मम मातस्त्वकरुणे वीरप्रज्ञे ह्यमर्षणे
Mother, your heart is made as hard as steel—unfeeling, wise in valor, and unyielding.
अहो क्षत्रसमाचारो यत्र मामितरं यथा। नियोजयसि युद्धाय परमातेव मां तथा
Ah, such is the conduct of warriors, where you urge me, as if I were not your own, to battle, just as a supreme mother would.
ईदृशं वचनं ब्रूयाद्भवती पुत्रमेकजम् । किं नु ते मामपश्यन्त्याः पृथिव्या अपि सर्वया
If a mother were to speak such words to her only son, what, then, do you see in me, that you would give me up, even for the whole earth?
किमाभरणकृत्येन किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा। मयि वा सङ्गरहते प्रियपुत्रे विशेषतः
What use are ornaments, what use are pleasures or even life, if your beloved son, especially in battle, is lost?
सर्वावस्था हि विदुषां तात धर्मार्थकारणात् । तावेवाभिसमीक्ष्याहं सञ्जय त्वामचूजुदम्
For the wise, in all situations, O son, the reason is always righteousness and purpose; considering only these, Sanjaya, I have instructed you.
स समीक्ष्य क्रमोपेतो मुख्यः कालोऽयमागतः। अस्मिंश्चेदागते काले कार्यं न प्रतिपद्यसे
Having considered the proper order, the chief time has now arrived; if, when this time has come, you do not act—
असंभावितरूपस्त्वमानृशंस्यं करिष्यसि । तं त्वामयशसा स्पृष्टं न ब्रूयां यदि सञ्जय
You will act in a way unworthy of you, and commit cruelty; if I did not tell you this, Sanjaya, you would be touched by disgrace.
खरीवात्सल्यमाहुस्तन्निःसामर्थ्यमहेतुकम् । सद्भिर्विगर्हितं मार्गं त्यज मूर्खनिषेवितम्
What is called affection like that of a donkey is powerless and baseless; abandon the path despised by the good, followed by fools.
अविद्या वै महत्यस्ति यामिमां संश्रिताः प्रजाः । तव स्याद्यदि सद्वृत्तं तेन मे त्वं प्रियो भवेः
There is indeed a great ignorance in which these people are immersed; if you were to possess good conduct, then you would be dear to me.
धर्मार्थगुणयुक्तेन नेतरेण कथञ्चन। दैवमानुषयुक्तेन सद्भिराचरितेन च
With conduct joined to virtue, profit, and excellence, and not otherwise in any way; with actions united to both fate and human effort, and practiced by the good.
यो ह्येवमविनीतेन रमते पुत्रनप्तृणा। अनुत्थानवता चापि दुर्विनीतेन दुर्धिया
He who delights in sons and grandsons without humility, and who is inactive, ill-behaved, and of poor judgment—
रमते यस्तु पुत्रेण मोघं तस्य प्रजाफलम्। अकुर्वन्तो हि कर्माणि कुर्वन्तो निन्दितानि च
He who delights in his son, for him the fruit of progeny is vain; for they do not perform deeds, or they perform blameworthy ones.
सुखं नैवेह नामुत्र लभन्ते पुरुषाधमाः । युद्धाय क्षत्रियः सृष्टः सञ्जयेह जयाय च । `क्रूराय कर्मणे नित्यं प्रजानां परिपालने
The lowest of men find no happiness either here or hereafter. The warrior is created for battle, O Sanjaya, for victory here, and for harsh deeds always, in the protection of the people.
जयन्वा वध्यमानो वा प्राप्नोतीन्द्रसलोकताम् । न शक्रभवने पुण्ये दिवि तद्विद्यते सुखम्। यदमित्रान्वशे कृत्वा क्षत्रियः सुखमेधते
Whether victorious or slain, he attains the world of Indra. In the pure abode of Shakra in heaven, there is no happiness for one who, having subdued enemies, seeks happiness as a warrior.
मन्युना दह्यमानेह पुरुषेण मनस्विना । निकृतेनेह बहुशः शत्रून्प्रति जिगीषया
When a person of spirit is consumed by anger here, and repeatedly deceived, he desires to conquer his enemies.
आत्मानं वा परित्यज्य शत्रुं वा विनिपात्य च। प्राप्यते नेह शान्तिर्हि नित्यमेव तु सञ्जय । अतोन्येन प्रकारेण शान्तिरस्य कुतो भवेत्
By abandoning oneself or by destroying the enemy, peace is not attained here, O Sanjaya; in any other way, how could peace arise for him?
इह प्राज्ञो हि पुरुषः स्वल्पमप्रियमिच्छति। यस्य स्वल्पं प्रियं लोके ध्रुवं तस्याल्पमप्रियम्
Here, a wise person desires only a little that is unpleasant; for one whose pleasure in the world is small, surely his unpleasantness is also small.
प्रियाभावाच्च पुरुषो नैव प्राप्नोति शोभनम् । ध्रुवं चाभावमभ्येति गत्वा गङ्गेव सागरम्
And because of the absence of pleasure, a person does not attain what is good; surely he comes to absence, just as the Ganges goes to the ocean.
नेयं मतिस्त्वया वाच्या मातः पुत्रे विशेषतः । कारुण्यमेव पश्य त्वं भूत्वेह जडमूकवत्
This thought should not be spoken by you, mother, especially regarding your son; you should only see compassion, becoming here as if dull and mute.