एतद्वाक्यं सौहृदादापगेयो मध्ये राज्ञां भारतं श्रावयित्वा। तूष्णीमासीच्छल्यसंतप्तमर्मा योज्यात्मानं वेदनां संनियम्य
Having spoken these words out of friendship to the descendant of the river, and making the Bharata kings listen in their midst, he sat in silence, his vital points afflicted by Shalya, restraining his own pain.
धर्मार्थसहितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा हितमनामयम् । नारोचयत पुत्रस्ते मुमूर्षुरिव भेषजम्
Hearing these words, which were righteous, beneficial, and free from harm, your son did not accept them, like a dying man refusing medicine.
ततस्ते पार्थिवाः सर्वे जग्मुः स्वानालयान्पुनः । तूष्णींभूते महाराज भीष्मे शन्तनुनन्दने
Then all the kings departed again to their own dwellings, O great king, when Bhishma, son of Shantanu, had become silent.
श्रुत्वा तु निहतं भीष्मं राधेयः पुरुषर्षभः । ईषदागतसंत्रासस्त्वरयोपजगाम ह
Hearing that Bhishma had been slain, Radheya, the foremost among men, approached swiftly, a little fearful.
स ददर्श महात्मानं शरतल्पगतं तदा। जन्मशय्यागतं वीरं कार्तिकेयमिव प्रभुम्
He saw the great-souled one lying upon a bed of arrows, that heroic lord resting upon his birth-bed, like Kartikeya.
निमीलिताक्षं तं वीरं साश्रुकण्ठस्तदा वृषा । अभ्येत्य पादयोस्तस्य निपपात महाद्युतिः
With eyes closed, that hero, his throat choked with tears, the radiant bull approached and fell at his feet.
राधेयोऽहं कुरुश्रेष्ठ नित्यमक्षिगतस्तव । द्वेष्योऽत्यन्तमनागाः सन्निति चैनमुवाच ह
I am Radheya, O best of Kurus, always hostile to you; I am exceedingly hated and innocent—thus he spoke to him.
तच्छ्रुत्वा कुरुवृद्धो हि शरैः संवृतलोचनः। रहितं धिष्ण्यमालोक्य समुत्सार्य च रक्षिणः
Hearing this, the elder of the Kurus, his eyes covered by arrows, saw the throne empty and dismissed the guards.
पितेव पुत्रं गाङ्गेयः परिरभ्यैकपाणिना । शनैरुद्वीक्ष्य सस्नेहमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Like a father to a son, Gāṅgeya embraced him with one hand, and slowly, with affection, spoke these words.
न विप्रियं ममैवेह यत्स्पर्धेथा मया सह । यदि मां नाधिगच्छेथा न ते श्रेयो ध्रुवं भवेत्
There is nothing displeasing to me here, that you should compete with me; if you do not attain me, surely there will be no benefit for you.
कौन्तेयस्त्वं न राधेयो न तवाधिरथः पिता। सूर्यजस्त्वं महाबाहो विदितो नारदान्मया
You are a son of Kunti, not Radheya, nor is Adhiratha your father; you are born of Surya, mighty-armed one, known to me through Narada.
कृष्णद्वैपायनाच्चैव तेजसा च न संशयः । न च द्वेषोस्ति मे तात त्वयि सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
And from Krishna Dvaipayana, and by your radiance, there is no doubt; nor is there hatred in me, dear one, I speak the truth to you.
तेजोवधनिमित्तं तु परुषं त्वाहमब्रुवम्। अकस्मात्पाण्डवान्हि त्वं द्विषसीति मतिर्मम
For the sake of restraining your energy, I spoke harshly to you; suddenly, my mind thought you hated the Pandavas.
येनासि बहुशो राज्ञा चोदितः सूतनन्दन । जातोऽसि धर्मलोपेन ततस्ते बुद्धिरीदृशी
Because you were often urged by the king, O son of the charioteer, you were born through a lapse in dharma, and thus your mind became so.
नीचाश्रयान्मत्सरेण द्वेषिणी गुमिनामपि । तेनासि बहुशो रूक्षं श्रावितः कुरुसंसदि
From lowly association, from envy, and from hatred even of the virtuous, you were often spoken to harshly in the Kuru assembly.
जानामि समरे वीर्यं शत्रुभिर्दुःसहं भुवि । ब्रह्मण्यतां च शौर्यं च दाने च परमां स्थितिम्
I know your valor in battle, intolerable to enemies on earth, your devotion to Brahmins, your courage, and your supreme standing in generosity.
न त्वया सदृशः कश्चित्पुरुषेष्वमरोपम। कुलभेदभयाच्चाहं सदा परुषमुक्तवान्
No one among men is equal to you, O peerless one; out of fear of disrupting the lineage, I always spoke harshly.
इष्वस्त्रे भारसंधाने लाघवेऽस्त्रबले तथा । सदृशः फल्गुनेनासि कृष्णेन च महात्मना
In archery, in fixing the weight of arrows, in swiftness, and in the strength of weapons, you are equal to Phalguna and the great-souled Krishna.
कर्ण काशिपुरं गत्वा त्वयैकेन धनुष्मता । कन्यार्थे कुरुराजस्य राजानो मृदिता युधि
Karna, when you alone, armed with your bow, went to Kashi, you defeated the assembled kings in battle for the sake of the Kuru king’s daughter.
तथा च बलवान्राजा जरासन्धो दुरासदः। समरे समरश्लाघिन्न त्वया सदृशोऽभवत्
And likewise, the mighty king Jarasandha, formidable and proud in battle, was not your equal in combat.
ब्रह्मण्यः सत्त्वयोधी च तेजसा च बलेन च । देवगर्भसमः सङ्ख्ये मनुष्यैरधिको युधि
Devoted to the Brahmanas, a warrior in spirit, and possessing energy and strength, you are like one born of the gods, surpassing men in battle.
व्यपनीतोऽद्य मन्युर्मे यस्त्वां प्रति पुरा कृतः । दैवं पुरुषकारेण न शक्यमतिवर्तितुम्
Today, the anger I once held toward you has been dispelled; fate cannot be overcome by human effort.
सोदर्याः पाण्डवा वीरा भ्रातरस्तेऽरिसूदन। संगच्छ तैर्महाबाहो मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम्
The valiant Pandavas are your brothers of the same mother, O slayer of foes; join with them, mighty-armed one, if you wish to please me.
मया भवतु निर्वृत्तं वैरमादित्यनन्दन । पृथिव्यां सर्वराजानो भवन्त्वद्य निरामयाः
Let the enmity between us be ended by me, O son of the sun; let all the kings of the earth today be free from affliction.
जानाम्येव महाबाहो सर्वमेतन्न संशयः। यथा वदसि मे भीष्म कौन्तेयोऽहं न सूतजः
I know well, mighty-armed one, all this without doubt; as you say, Bhishma, I am the son of Kunti, not the son of a charioteer.
अवकीर्णस्त्वहं कुन्त्या सूतेन च विवर्धितः। भुक्त्वा दुर्योधनैश्वर्यं न मिथ्या कर्तुमुत्सहे
But I was abandoned by Kunti and raised by a charioteer; having enjoyed Duryodhana’s wealth, I cannot act falsely.
वसुदेवसुतो यद्वत्पाण्डवाय दृढव्रतः । वमु चैव शरीरं च पुत्रदारं तथा यशः
Just as the son of Vasudeva, firm in his vow, gave up his kingdom, body, sons, wife, and fame for the sake of the Pandava,
सर्वं दुर्योधनस्यार्थे त्यक्तं मे भूरिदक्षिण । मा चैतद्व्याधिमरणं क्षत्रं स्यादिति कौरव
So too, for Duryodhana’s sake, I have given up everything, O giver of great gifts; let not the kshatriya order perish by disease or untimely death, O Kaurava.
कोपिताः पाण्डवा नित्यं मयाऽश्रित्य सुयोधनम् । अवश्यभावी ह्यर्थोऽयं यो न शक्यो निवर्तितुम्
The Pandavas, always angered, have taken refuge with Suyodhana through me; this outcome is inevitable and cannot be turned back.
दैवं पुरुषकारेण को विवर्तितुमुत्सहेत्। पृथिवीक्षयसंशीनि निमित्तानि पितामह
Who can overturn fate by human effort? The omens of the earth’s destruction are clear, O grandsire.