त्वद्युक्तोऽयमनुप्रश्नो महाराज यथेच्छसि। न तु दुर्योधने दोषमिममाधातुमर्हसि
'Your question is appropriate, O king, as you wish; but you should not lay this fault upon Duryodhana.'
शृणुष्वानवशेषेण वदतो मम पार्थिव । य आत्मनो दुश्चरितादशुभं प्राप्नुयान्नरः । न स कालं न वा देवानेनसा गन्तुमर्हति
'Listen fully, O king, as I speak: a man who, through his own misdeeds, attains misfortune—neither time nor the gods should be blamed for his sin.'
महाराज मनुष्येषु निन्द्यं यः सर्वमाचरेत्। स वध्यः सर्वलोकस्य निन्दितानि समाचरन्
O great king, among men, one who commits all that is blameworthy deserves death, for by acting in ways condemned by all, he becomes fit for destruction.
निकारा मनुजश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवैस्त्वत्प्रतीक्षया । अनुभूताः सहामात्यैर्निकृतैरधिदेवने
O best of men, O descendant of Manu, the Pandavas, while waiting for you, have endured insults together with their ministers, at the hands of the deceitful during the game of dice.
हयानां च गजानां च राज्ञां चामिततेजसाम् । वैशसं समरे वृत्तं यत्तन्मे शृणु सर्वशः
Hear from me in full of the slaughter that occurred in battle among horses, elephants, and kings of immeasurable energy.
स्थिरो भूत्वा महाप्राज्ञ सर्वलोकक्षयोदयम्। यथाभूतं महायुद्धे श्रुत्वा मा विमना भव
Remain steadfast, O greatly wise one, and listen as I recount, just as it happened, the rise and fall of all people in the great war; do not let your mind be troubled.
न ह्येव कर्ता पुरुषः कर्मणोः शुभपापयोः । अस्वतन्त्रो हि पुरुषः कार्यते दारुयन्त्रवत्
For a person is not truly the agent of good or evil deeds; being not independent, he is made to act like a wooden puppet.
केचिदीश्वरनिर्दिष्टाः केचिदेव यदृच्छया। पूर्वकर्मभिरप्यन्ये त्रैधमेतत्प्रदृश्यते। तस्मादनर्थमापन्नः स्थिरो भूत्वा निशामय
Some act as directed by the Lord, some by mere chance, and others by their past actions; this threefold cause is seen. Therefore, having encountered misfortune, remain firm and listen.
हिरण्वत्यां निविष्टेषु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु। न्यविशन्त महाराज कौरवेया यथाविधि
When the high-souled Pandavas had encamped on the Hiranvati, O king, the Kauravas also encamped there according to proper order.
तत्र दुर्योधनो राजा निवेस्य बलमोजसा । संमानयित्वा नृपतीन्न्यस्य गुल्मांस्तथैव च
There, King Duryodhana, having arranged his army with vigor, honored the kings and stationed the battalions accordingly.
आरक्षस्य विधिं कृत्वा योधानां तत्र भारत । कर्णं दुःशासनं चैव शकुनिं चापि सौबलम्
Having established the rules for security of the warriors there, O Bharata, he assigned Karna, Duhshasana, and also Shakuni, son of Subala.
आनाय्य नृपतिस्तत्र मन्त्रयामास भारत। तत्र दुर्योधनो राजा कर्णेन सह भारत
Then the king summoned them there and took counsel, O Bharata; there King Duryodhana deliberated together with Karna.
सौबलेन च राजेन्द्र मन्त्रयित्वा नरर्षभ । आहूयोपह्वरे राजन्नुलूकमिदमब्रवीत्
And after conferring with Saubala, O bull among men, the king called for Uluka in private and spoke these words to him.
उलूक गच्छ कैतव्य पाण्डवान्सहसोमकान्। गत्वा मम वचो ब्रूहि वासुदेवस्य श्रृण्वतः
Uluka, go, O son of Saubala, to the Pandavas and the Somakas; having gone, speak my words in the hearing of Vasudeva.
इदं तत्समनुप्राप्तं वर्षपूगाभिचिन्तितम् । पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च युद्धं लोकभयङ्करम्
This is that long-contemplated war, dreadful to the world, which has now come upon both the Pandavas and the Kurus.
यदेतत्कत्थनावाक्यं सञ्जयो महदब्रवीत्। वासुदेवसहायस्य गर्जतः सानुजस्य ते
That boastful speech which Sanjaya spoke, great in import, on behalf of you, who roar with Vasudeva and your brothers—
मध्ये करूणां कौन्तेय तस्य कालोयमागतः । यथावत्संप्रतिज्ञातं तत्सर्वं क्रियतामिति
O son of Kunti, in the midst of the Kurus, the time has now come for all that was promised to be carried out exactly as declared.
ज्येष्ठं तथैव कौन्तेयं ब्रूयास्त्यं वचनान्मम
In the same way, speak these words of mine to the eldest son of Kunti.
भ्रातृभिः सहितः सर्वैः सोमकैश्च सकेकयैः। कथं वा धार्मिको भूत्वा त्वमधर्मे मनः कृथाः। य इच्छसि जगत्सर्वं नश्यमानं नृशंसवत्
Surrounded by all your brothers, the Somakas, and the Kekayas, how can you, claiming to be righteous, set your mind on unrighteousness, wishing for the destruction of the whole world like a cruel man?
अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो पाता त्वमिति मे मतिः
It is my opinion that you should grant safety to all beings and desist.
श्रूयते हि पुरा गीतः श्लोकोऽयं भरतर्षभ । प्रह्लादेनाथ भद्रं ते हृते राज्ये तु दैवतैः
It is heard that in ancient times, O best of the Bharatas, this verse was sung by Prahlada when his kingdom was taken by the gods—may good befall you.
यस्य धर्मध्वजो नित्यं सुरा ध्वज इवोच्छ्रितः। प्रच्छन्नानि च पापानि बैडालं नाम तद्ब्रतम्
He whose banner is always that of righteousness, raised high like the banner of the gods, but whose sins are hidden—such conduct is called the cat's vow.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि आख्यानमिदमुत्तमम् । कथितं नारदेनेह पितुर्मम नराधिप
Now I shall tell you this excellent tale, as it was narrated here by Narada to my father, O king of men.
मार्जारः किल दुष्टात्मा निश्चेष्टः सर्वकर्मसु। ऊर्ध्वबाहुः स्थितो राजन् गङ्गातीर कदाचन
Once, a cat of wicked nature, inactive in all deeds, stood with raised arms on the bank of the Ganga, O king.
स वै कृत्वा मनःशुद्धिं प्रत्ययार्थं शरीरिणाम् । करोमि धर्ममित्याह सर्वानेव शरीरिणः
Having purified his mind to win the trust of living beings, he declared, 'I practice righteousness,' addressing all creatures.
तस्य कालेन महता विस्त्रम्यं जग्मुरण्डजाः। समेत्य च प्रशंसन्ति मार्जारं तं विशांपते
In time, many birds gathered there, and coming together, they praised that cat, O lord of the people.
पूज्यमानस्तु तैः सर्वैः पक्षिभिः पक्षिभोजनः। आत्मकार्यं कृतं मेने चार्यायाश्च कृतं फलम्
Honored by all those birds, he, the eater of birds, considered his own purpose fulfilled, as well as the fruit of his vow.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य तं देशं मूषिका ययुः। ददृशुस्तं च ते तत्र धार्मिकं व्रतचारिणम्
Then, after a long time, mice came to that place and saw him there, appearing righteous and devoted to his vow.
कार्येण महता युक्तं दम्भयुक्तेन भारत । तेषां मतिरियं राजन्नासीत्तत्र विनिश्चये
Perceiving him engaged in a great task, but full of deceit, O Bharata, the mice formed this conclusion among themselves.
बहुमित्रा वयं सर्वे तेषां नो मातुलो ह्ययम् । रक्षां करोतु सततं वृद्धबालस्य सर्वशः
'We are all close friends, and he is our maternal uncle; let him always protect us all, young and old, in every way.'