निश्चयो वापि कस्तेषां तदा ह्यासीन्महात्मानाम् । विमुखेषु महाप्राज्ञ मम पुत्रेषु सञ्जय
What was the decision among those great souls, O wise Sanjaya, when my sons turned away in battle?
श्रृणु राजन्नवहितः श्रुत्वा चैवावधारय। नैव मन्त्रकृतं किंचिन्नैव मायां तथाविधाम्
Listen carefully, O King, and understand well; there was no secret counsel, nor any such illusion.
न वै विभीषिकां कांचिद्राजन्कुर्वन्ति पाण्डवाः । युध्यन्ति ते यथान्यायं शक्तिमन्तश्च संयुगे
The Pandavas, O King, do not use any terror or trick; they fight justly and with strength in battle.
धर्मेण सर्वकार्याणि जीवितादीनि भारत। आरभन्ते सदा पार्थाः प्रार्थयाना महद्यशः
The sons of Pritha always undertake all actions, even life itself, according to dharma, seeking great fame.
न ते युद्धान्निवर्तन्ते धर्मोपेता महाबलाः । श्रिया परमया युक्ता यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः
They do not turn away from battle, those mighty ones established in dharma, adorned with supreme glory; where there is dharma, there is victory.
तेनावध्या रणे पार्था जययुक्ताश्च पार्थिव । तव पुत्रा दुरात्मानः पापेष्वभिरताः सदा
Therefore, the sons of Pritha are invincible in battle and destined for victory, O King; but your sons, of evil mind, are always devoted to wickedness.
निष्ठुरा हीनकर्माणस्तेन हीयन्ति संयुगे। सुबहूनि नृशंसानि पुत्रैस्तव जनेश्वरे
They are harsh and of low deeds, and thus are defeated in battle; your sons, O lord of men, have committed many cruel acts.
निकृतानीह पाण्डूनां नीचैरिव यथा नरैः । सर्वं च तदनादृत्य पुत्राणां तव किल्बिषम्
They have wronged the Pandavas here, just as base men would do; disregarding all this, your sons have committed sin.
धर्ममूलाः सदैवासन्पाण्डवाः पाण्डुपूर्वज। न चैतान्बहुमन्यन्ते पुत्रास्तव विशांपते
The Pandavas, O eldest son of Pandu, have always been rooted in dharma; but your sons, O lord of peoples, do not honor them.
तस्य पापस्य सततं क्रियमाणस्य कर्मणः। सांप्रतं सुमहद्धोरं फलं प्राप्तं जनेश्वर
Because of those constant evil deeds, a great and dreadful result has now come, O lord of men.
स त्वं भुङ्क्ष्व महाराज सपुत्रः समुहृञ्जनः। नावबुध्यसि यद्राजन्वार्यमाणः सुहृज्जनैः
So now, O great king, enjoy with your sons and all your people the consequences; for you did not understand, though restrained by your well-wishers.
विदुरेणाथ भीष्मेण द्रोणेन न महात्मना। तथा मया चाप्यसकृद्वार्यमाणो न बुध्यसे
By Vidura, by Bhishma, by the great-souled Drona, and by me also, you were often restrained, but you did not understand.
वाक्यं हितं च पथ्यं च मर्त्यः पथ्यमिवौषधम् । पुत्राणां मतमास्थाय जितान्मन्यसि पाण्डवान्
You have accepted the counsel of your sons, which is beneficial and wholesome, like medicine is to the sick; thus you think the Pāṇḍavas are defeated.
शृणु भूयो यथातत्त्वं यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि। कारणं भरतश्रेष्ठ पाण्डवानां जयं प्रति
Hear again, as it truly is, the answer to what you ask me, O best of the Bharatas, regarding the reason for the Pāṇḍavas' victory.
तत्तेऽहं कथयिष्यामि यथाश्रुतमरिन्दम। दुर्योधनेन संपृष्ट एतमर्थं पितामहः
I will tell you, as I have heard it, O subduer of enemies, what the grandsire said when Duryodhana questioned him on this matter.
दृष्ट्वा भ्रातॄन्रणे सर्वान्निर्जितांस्तु महारथान् । शोकसंमूढहृदयो निशाकाले स्म कौरवः
Seeing all his brothers, the great chariot-warriors, defeated in battle, the Kaurava, his heart bewildered by grief, approached at night.
पितामहं महाप्राज्ञं विनयोपगम्य ह। यदब्रवीत्सुतस्तेऽसौ तन्मे शृणु जनेश्वर
With humility, he approached the wise grandsire and said to him what your son spoke; listen to that, O lord of men.
भवान्द्रोणश्च कर्णश्च कृपो द्रौणिस्तथैव च। कृतवर्मा च हार्दिक्यः काम्भोजश्च सुदक्षिणः
You, Droṇa, Karṇa, Kṛpa, Drauṇi as well, Kṛtavarmā son of Hārdika, and Sudakṣiṇa the Kāmbhoja,
भूरिश्रवा विकर्णश्च भगदत्तश्च वीर्यवान् । महारथाः समाख्याताः कुलपुत्रास्तनुत्यजः
Bhūriśravā, Vikarṇa, and the mighty Bhagadatta—these are renowned as great chariot-warriors, sons of noble families, strong in battle.
त्रयाणामपि लोकानां पर्याप्ता इति मे मतिः। पाण्डवानां समस्ताश्च न तिष्ठन्ति पराक्रमे
In my judgment, all of you together are sufficient to conquer the three worlds; yet none among you can match the Pāṇḍavas in valor.
तत्र मे संशयो जातस्तत्त्वमाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः। यं समाश्रित्य कौन्तेय जयन्त्यस्मान्क्षणेक्षणे
Therefore, I am in doubt; tell me the truth as I ask: upon whom do the sons of Kuntī rely, that they defeat us again and again?
शृणु राजन्वचो मह्यं यथा वक्ष्यामि कौरव। बहुशश्च मयोक्तोऽसि न च मे तत्त्वया कृतम्
Hear, O King, the words I will speak to you, O Kaurava; I have told you many times, but you have not acted according to my counsel.
क्रियतां पाण्डवैः सार्ध समो भरतसत्तम। एतत्क्षेममहं मन्ये पृथिव्यास्तव वा विभो
Make peace with the Pāṇḍavas, O best of the Bharatas; this, I believe, is the best for you and for the earth, O mighty one.
भुङ्क्ष्वेमां पृथिवीं राजन्भ्रातृभिः सहितः सुखी। दुर्हृदस्तापयन्सर्वान्नन्दयंश्चापि बान्धवान्
Enjoy this earth, O King, happily with your brothers, causing pain to your enemies and delight to your kin.
न च मे क्रोशतस्तात श्रुतवानसि वै पुरा। तदिदं समनुप्राप्तं यत्पाण्डूनवमन्यसे
But you did not listen to me before, though I cried out, O dear one; now what you disregarded regarding the Pāṇḍavas has come to pass.
यश्च हेतुरवध्यत्वे तेकषामक्लिष्टकर्मणाम्। तं शृणुष्व महाबाहो मम कीर्तयतः प्रभो
Now hear from me, O mighty-armed one, as I declare the reason why those blameless ones cannot be slain.
नास्ति लोकेषु तद्भूतं भविता नो भविष्यति। यो जयेत्पाण्डवान्सर्वान्पालिताञ्छार्ङ्गधन्वना
There is nothing in the worlds, nor will there ever be, that can defeat all the Pāṇḍavas when they are protected by the wielder of Śārṅga.
यत्तु मे कथितं तात मुनिभिर्भावितात्मभिः। पुराणगीतं धर्मज्ञ तच्छृणुष्व यथातथम्
Hear now, as I recount it truly, what the sages of purified souls told me, O knower of dharma, as sung in the ancient lore.
पुरा किल सुराः सर्वे ऋषयश्च समागताः । पितामहमुपासेदुः पर्वत गन्धमादने
Once, all the gods and the seers gathered together and approached the Grandsire on Mount Gandhamādana.
तेषां मध्ये समासीनः प्रजापतिरपश्यत । विमानं प्रज्वलद्भासा स्थितं प्रवरमम्बरे
Seated among them, the Lord of Creatures beheld in the sky a radiant celestial car, shining with blazing light.