त्वया चतुर्णां भ्रातॄणामभयं शत्रुकर्शन । दत्तं तत्प्रतिजानीहि सङ्गरप्रतिमोचनम्
You granted safety to the four brothers, O subduer of foes; acknowledge that pledge of releasing them from battle.
अनामयं स्वस्ति चेति पृथाथो कर्णमब्रवीत् । तां कर्णोऽभ्यवदत्प्रीतस्ततस्तौ जग्मतुः पृथक्
Then Kuntī said to Karṇa, 'May there be well-being and safety,' and Karṇa, pleased, replied to her; after that, the two departed separately.
आगम्य हास्तिनपुरादुपप्लाव्यमरिन्दमः । पाण्डवानां यथावृत्तं केशवः सर्वमुक्तवान्
Having come from Hastinapura to Upaplavya, the slayer of enemies, Keśava, told the Pāṇḍavas everything as it had happened.
संभाष्य सुचिरं कालं मन्त्रयित्वा पुनः पुनः । स्वमेव भवनं शौरिर्विश्रमार्थं जगाम ह
After conversing for a long time and consulting repeatedly, the descendant of Śūra went to his own residence for rest.
विसृज्य सर्वान्नृपतीन्विराटप्रमुखांस्तदा। पाण्डवा भ्रातरः पञ्च भानावस्तंगते सति
Then, after dismissing all the kings headed by Virāṭa, the five Pāṇḍava brothers, when the sun had set,
सन्ध्यामुपास्य ध्यायन्तस्तमेव गतमानसाः। आनाय्य कृष्णं दाशार्हं पुनर्मन्त्रममन्त्रयन्
Having performed the evening rites, their minds absorbed in meditation, they summoned Kṛṣṇa of the Daśārha clan and again held counsel with him.
त्वया नागपुरं गत्वा सभायां धृतराष्ट्रजः। किमुक्तः पुण्डरीकाक्ष तन्नः शंसितुमर्हसि
Having gone to the city of the Nāgas and in the assembly, O lotus-eyed one, what did the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra say to you? You ought to tell us that.
मया नागपुरं गत्वा सभायां धृतराष्ट्रजः। तथ्यं पथ्यं हितं चोक्तो न च गृह्णाति दुर्मतिः
Having gone to the city of the Nāgas and in the assembly, I spoke to the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra words that were true, beneficial, and wholesome, but the ill-minded one does not accept them.
तस्मिन्नुत्पथमापन्ने कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः। किमुक्तवान्हृषीकेश दुर्योधनममर्षणम्
When he had strayed from the right path, what did the elder of the Kurus, the grandsire, say to Duryodhana, O Hṛṣīkeśa, who cannot bear insult?
आचार्यो वा महाभाग भारद्वाजः किमब्रवीत्। पितरौ धृतराष्ट्रस्तं गान्धारी वा किमब्रवीत्
Or what did the venerable teacher, Bhāradvāja, say? What did our father, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, or Gāndhārī, say to him?
पिता यवीयानस्माकं क्षत्ता धर्मविदां वरः। पुत्रशोकाभिसन्तप्तः किमाह धृतराष्ट्रजम्
What did our younger father, the wise Vidura, scorched by the grief for his sons, say to the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra?
किंच सर्वे नृपतयः सभायां ये समासते। उक्तवन्तो यथातत्त्वं तद्ब्रूहि त्वं जनार्दन
And what did all the kings assembled in the hall say in truth? Tell us that, O Janārdana.
उक्तवान्हि भवान्सर्वं वचनं कुरुमुख्ययोः। धार्तराष्ट्रस्य तेषां हि वचनं कुरुसंसदि
For you have spoken all the words of the foremost of the Kurus, and the words of the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the Kuru assembly.
कामलोभाभिभूतस्य मन्दस्य प्राज्ञमानिनः । अप्रियं हृदये मह्यं तन्न तिष्ठति केशव
The harsh words spoken by one overcome by desire and greed, foolish yet thinking himself wise, do not remain in my heart, O Keśava.
तेषां वाक्यानि गोविन्द श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं विभो। यथा च नाभिपद्येत कालस्तात तथा कुरु। भवान्हि नो गतिः कृष्ण भवान्नाथो भवान्गुरुः
O Govinda, I wish to hear their words, and act in such a way, dear one, that time does not overpower us. For you are our refuge, Kṛṣṇa, you are our protector, you are our teacher.
श्रृणु राजन्यथा वाक्यमुक्तो राजा सुयोधनः। मध्ये कुरूणां राजेन्द्र सभायां तन्निबोध मे
Hear, O king, what words King Suyodhana spoke in the midst of the Kurus in the assembly; listen to me.
मया विश्राविते वाक्ये जहास धृतराष्ट्रजः । अथ भीष्मः सुसंक्रुद्ध इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
When I had spoken my words, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra laughed; then Bhīṣma, greatly enraged, spoke these words.
दुर्योधन निबोधेदं कुलार्थे यद्ब्रवीमि ते। तच्छ्रुत्वा राजशार्दूल स्वकुलस्य हितं कुरु
Duryodhana, listen to what I say for the sake of the family; having heard this, O tiger among kings, do what is good for your lineage.
मम तात पिता राजञ्शन्तनुर्लोकविश्रुतः। तस्याहमेक एवासं पुत्रः पुत्रवतां वरः
My father, O king, was Shantanu, renowned throughout the world; I was his only son, foremost among those who have sons.
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना द्वितीयः स्यात्कथं सुतः। एकपुत्रमपुत्रं वै प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः
He conceived the thought: 'How can there be a second son?' The wise declare that one who has only a single son is as good as sonless.
न चोच्छेदं कुलं यायाद्विस्तीर्येच्च कथं यशः। तस्याहमीप्सितं बुद्ध्वा कालीं मातरमावहम्
Nor would the lineage be cut off, and how could his fame spread? Understanding his desire, I took Kali as my mother.
प्रतिज्ञां दुष्करां कृत्वा पितुरर्थे कुलस्य च। अराजा चोर्ध्वरेताश्च यथा सुविदितं तव। प्रतीतो निवसाम्येष प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्
Having made a difficult vow for the sake of my father and the family, and as you well know, living as one who is not king and who is celibate, I have remained, upholding my promise.
तस्यां जज्ञे महाबाहुः श्रीमान्कुरुकुलोद्वहः । विचित्रवीर्यो धर्मात्मा कनीयान्मम पार्थिव
From her was born the mighty-armed, illustrious upholder of the Kuru line, Vicitravirya, righteous and my younger brother, O king.
स्वर्यातेऽहं पितरि तं स्वराज्ये सन्न्यवेशयम्। विचित्रवीर्यं राजानं भृत्यो भूत्वा ह्यधश्चरः
When my father ascended to heaven, I installed Vicitravirya in the sovereignty, serving him as a subordinate.
तस्याहं सदृशान्दारान्राजेन्द्र समुपाहरम्। जित्वा पार्थिवसङ्घातमपि ते बहुशः श्रुतम्
For him, O king of kings, I brought suitable wives, having defeated assemblies of kings, as you have often heard.
ततो रामेण समरे द्वन्द्वयुद्धमुपागमम्। स हि रामभयादेभिर्नागरैर्विप्रवासितः
Then, in battle, I engaged in single combat with Rama; for fear of Rama, he was exiled by the serpent kings.
दारेष्वप्यतिसक्तश्च यक्ष्माणं समपद्यत। यदा त्वराजके राष्ट्रे न ववर्ष सुरेश्वरः । तदाभ्यधावन्मामेव प्रजाः क्षुद्भयपीडिताः
He became excessively attached to his wives and contracted consumption; when the land was kingless, the lord of gods did not send rain, and the people, afflicted by hunger and fear, turned to me.
उपक्षीणाः प्रजाः सर्वा राजा भव भवाय नः। ईतीः प्रणुद भद्रं शन्तनोः कुलवर्धन
All the people, greatly diminished, said: 'Be our king for our welfare; drive away calamities, O increaser of Shantanu's line.'
पीड्यन्ते ते प्रजाः सर्वा व्याधिभिर्भृशदारुणैः । अल्पावशिष्टा गाङ्गेय ताः परित्रातुमर्हसि
All your subjects are afflicted by terrible and grievous diseases, O son of Ganga; only a few remain, you ought to protect them.
व्याधीन्प्रणुद्य वीर त्वं प्रजा धर्मेण पालय। त्वयि जिवती मा राष्ट्रं विनाशमुपगच्छतु
O hero, dispel the diseases and protect the people with righteousness; while you live, let not the kingdom fall into ruin.